Have you ever felt like you needed to become a different person to succeed as a leader?
In this episode Sarah is joined by senior HR leader Sarah Holey, who shares her inspiring journey from retail shop floor assistant to leading international people functions across Europe, the Americas, the Middle East and APAC.
Together, we explore what it really takes to grow into senior leadership without losing yourself along the way. Sarah speaks openly about navigating self-doubt, moving from being the expert to becoming a beginner again, building credibility in a new organisation, and discovering that her collaborative leadership style wasn't something to change - it was one of her greatest strengths.
If you're stepping into a bigger leadership role, managing challenging stakeholders, or wondering whether your leadership style is "enough", this conversation will leave you feeling reassured, empowered and inspired.
In this episode we discuss:
- Sarah's unexpected journey from studying textiles to becoming an international HR leader
- Why working on the shop floor shaped her leadership philosophy
- The confidence challenges that came with moving from one market to leading across 16 countries
- Learning to stop expecting yourself to know everything
- Why senior leadership can feel surprisingly lonely
- The value of proactive coaching before starting a new role
- Building trust and credibility with new stakeholders
- Why you don't need to copy louder leadership styles to earn respect
- The power of leading with your values
- What authentic leadership really looks like in practice
- Sarah's advice for women stepping into leadership for the first time
Timestamps
00:00 Introduction to Sarah Holey and today's topic
02:00 From textiles graduate to international HR leader
06:00 Career turning points and moving into global leadership
07:00 From expert to beginner: rebuilding confidence in a bigger role
09:20 Why Sarah invested in coaching before starting a new job
11:00 The hidden loneliness of senior leadership
12:00 Leaving a successful role and overcoming imposter syndrome
14:10 Leading senior stakeholders with confidence
15:30 Why authentic leadership is more powerful than trying to fit in
16:30 Speaking up without being the loudest voice in the room
17:15 Leadership values and avoiding burnout
18:45 Why coaching isn't just for people in crisis
19:45 What it was like to work with Sarah Archer
20:45 Defining authentic leadership
21:30 What 'Unstuck & Unstoppable' means to Sarah
Memorable Quotes
"Curiosity will take you much further than being the expert."
"I don't need to match someone else's leadership style to earn their respect."
"There is such power in being the last person to speak in the room."
"What gets you here won't necessarily get you there."
Useful Links
Connect with Sarah Holey on LinkedIn
Sign up for Weekly Career Inspiration
Learn about Leadership & Advancement Coaching Programmes
Book a Free 121 Clarity Call
Join The Love What You Do Facebook Group
Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn
Rate & Review the Podcast
If you found this episode of Unstuck & Unstoppable helpful, please do rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
If you're kind enough to leave a review, please do let Sarah know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: [email protected]
