This is the final, crucial step in your six-week journey from 'Invisible to Influential.' It's where we stop looking up the ladder and start looking inward to build a legacy that lasts. If you've ever felt that your worth is tied to your next promotion, this episode will offer you a powerful, liberating alternative. Join Sue-Anne Higgins as she guides you to design the legacy only you can create Ready to take the next step? https://sue-anne.com.au/intentional

abotaging your ability to lead under pressure? For so many women leaders, the weight of expectation in a crisis leads to the "Indecision Trap," a debilitating cycle of overthinking and paralysis precisely when clear, decisive action is needed most. In this episode of The Leader Within Podcast, Sue-Anne Higgins dismantles the myth of the all-knowing leader. You'll discover why the pressure to be perfect doesn't make you a better leader; it makes you a bottleneck. Drawing on powerful brain science, Sue-Anne explains what’s happening neurologically during an "amygdala hijack" and why your prefrontal cortex—the "Goldilocks of your brain"—goes offline in high-stress situations. This episode is your guide to building an "Emergency Leadership Toolkit," a personalized neurological reset system for maintaining poise and grace when you don't have perfect information. You'll learn to escape the Try Harder Traps of Leadership and shift from analysis paralysis to purposeful action.   Key Takeaway: Poise under pressure isn't about having perfect information. It's about having a reliable process to make good decisions and maintain team confidence while navigating uncertainty. Ready to lead with unshakeable poise? Visit https://sue-anne.com.au/intentional to learn about the Intentional Leader Blueprint.

This is a breakthrough episode for high-achieving women leaders who are tired of being the best-kept secret. Meet Lisa (a composite of clients Sue-Anne has coached), a high performer who discovered that her exceptional work was actually preventing her progress. She was trapped in the Visibility Paradox. In this powerful session, we expose the industry lie that "hard work gets noticed" and reveal the neurological mechanisms—like the 33-millisecond amygdala assessment—that determine if you’re seen as an executor or a strategist. Learn how to reconstruct your thoughts around visibility, implement the Trust Quotient pillars, and use the Spotlight Shaper AI to pivot from the Perfectionism Trap to true strategic leadership presence. It’s time to move from unseen excellence to visible contribution. You're only one reconstructed thought away from the breakthrough you deserve. Break The Invisibility Paradox By Joining the Coaching Experience: From Invisible to Influential in Just 6 Weeks  https://sue-anne.com.au/intentional 

Are you tired of the exhausting "fake it 'til you make it" advice that actually fuels your imposter syndrome? In this breakthrough episode of Leader Within, Sue-Anne Higgins dives deep into why performing confidence is sabotaging your influence and how to authentically communicate so you're finally heard. You'll discover the critical difference between "what" you say and "how" you say it, and learn to master the five invisible triggers—the Gatekeepers of Human Behaviour—that determine whether your message lands or gets dismissed. Through the compelling story of Rachel and insights from neuroscience, you'll understand how imposter syndrome hijacks your communication, triggering threat responses and eroding trust. In this episode, you'll learn: Why "faking it" is a leadership trap that makes imposter syndrome worse. How your communication delivery (the "how") impacts perceived value and trustworthiness. The five Gatekeepers of Human Behaviour and how to navigate them with confidence. Actionable strategies and AI-powered tools (like the Influence Architect) to transform your communication from imposter to influential. Brain science secrets that reveal how your words trigger receptivity or resistance in others. Sue-Anne shares practical techniques, including pre-meeting protocols and in-conversation bridge phrases, to help you own your expertise authentically. Stop letting self-doubt silence your brilliant ideas. It's time to reclaim your voice, build powerful influence, and step into your leadership potential. Ready to transform your communication? Visit sue-anne.com.au/intentional to discover the 'From Invisible to Influential' coaching experience. Remember, you're only one reconstructed thought away from the breakthrough you deserve!

Escape the "Lifeguard Trap" and build a high-performing team! In EP18 of the Leader Within Podcast, Sue-Anne Higgins reveals how to ditch constant rescuing, identify your vital few activities, and create a daily blueprint for strategic clarity. Learn the neuroscience behind rescue patterns and leverage AI tools to develop your team, not just fix problems. Transform your leadership from reactive chaos to proactive development. Ready to transition from rescuer to developer? Learn more about the Clarity Compass AI and how it can help you break rescue patterns at sue-anne.com.au/intentional.

In this episode of the Leader Within Podcast, Sue-Anne Higgins introduces The Tiger Time Revolution: Reclaim Your Power Hours - the first step in her From Invisible to Influential in Just 6 Weeks series. Too many women leaders are caught in the Busyness Trap, jam-packed calendars, endless meetings, and constant availability that drains focus and diminishes influence. Through neuroscience insights, a powerful client story, and her signature Leader Within Method™, Sue-Anne reveals how to identify and fiercely protect your Tiger Time—those 90–120 minutes of peak cognitive performance when you’re wired for strategic thinking and creative problem-solving. Listeners will learn: Why saying yes to every meeting actually undermines leadership credibility. How chronotypes and brain science reveal your natural energy rhythms. Practical steps to reclaim eight hours a week by defending your power hours. The role of custom AI tools like The Time Liberator in helping leaders protect focus without guilt or apology. By the end, you’ll see that reclaiming Tiger Time isn’t just time management, it’s a bold leadership move that transforms presence, influence, and team culture.

Worried that using AI will make your leadership style generic and rob you of what makes you unique? This episode debunks the biggest fear women leaders have about AI and shows you how it actually amplifies your authentic leadership presence. Discover how AI doesn't dilute your leadership - it distills it down powerfully. Learn why spending mental energy on routine tasks is keeping you from accessing your strategic thinking, emotional fluency, and authentic presence that truly sets you apart. In this episode, you'll learn: Why the fear of becoming a "cookie-cutter leader" is actually a self-sabotage trap The brain science behind why cognitive clarity enhances authenticity A framework for using AI to distil (not dilute) your leadership brand presence How to identify your irreplaceable leadership qualities vs. routine cognitive work Real examples of leaders who transformed from generic to distinctive using AI Plus, discover the reconstructed thinking patterns that shift you from AI resistance to AI savviness, and why the most effective leaders throughout history have always leveraged available resources to amplify their impact. Perfect for women leaders ready to break free from the Try Harder Traps and step into their most authentic, strategic leadership presence using AI as their advantage.

Are you exhausting yourself trying to predict what everyone is thinking before important conversations? In this episode of the Leader Within Podcast, leadership coach Sue-Anne Higgins reveals how the “mind reading trap” sabotages women leaders and shows you how AI can help you prepare strategically without the emotional overwhelm.What You’ll Learn: • Why mental rehearsal of every possible scenario actually undermines your confidence • The neuroscience behind how mind reading hijacks your leadership presence • How to use the AI-Assisted Perspective Framework to prepare for high-stakes conversations • The difference between strategic perspective-taking and anxious mind reading • Practical ways to break the mind reading cycle and show up with authentic presenceFeatured Topics: • Women in leadership • AI for leaders • Confidence building • Overcoming perfectionism • Self-sabotage patterns • Emotional fluency • Leadership presence • Strategic communication • Professional development • Leadership coachingSue-Anne shares the story of “Sarah,” a composite of the women leaders she coaches, who transformed from spending hours in anxious mental simulation to 45 minutes of strategic preparation using AI. You’ll discover how to shift from preparing for battle to preparing for collaboration.Key Takeaway: Your leadership presence doesn’t come from your ability to read minds—it comes from your ability to show up authentically and respond wisely to what’s actually happening.This episode builds on the reconstructed thinking framework from Episode 9 and connects to the emotional fluency concepts from Episode 8. Perfect for women leaders, executives, and anyone looking to break free from overthinking patterns that limit their potential.

Stop perfecting presentations. Start leading strategically. This episode reveals why perfectionist leaders burn out while others rise, plus the brain science behind the perfectionism trap + exact framework to escape it using AI. Click here for your free resource: The 5 Hidden Reasons Why Ambitious Women Leaders Feel Invisible (Plus Your First AI Leadership Win in 5 Minutes) Click here for the masterclass: Lead Smarter, Not Harder. Your AI-Powered Leadership Breakthrough

Stop trying to master AI. Start using it strategically. Discover how one leader cut prep time in half while doubling strategic impact, plus the brain science behind cognitive sovereignty. You’re not behind—you’re exactly where you need to be.

Transform your leadership journey from plateau to peak performance. Discover why working harder isn't the answer, and learn the 5-step REACH formula to breakthrough leadership success. Stop pushing boulders uphill. Your next level awaits! 

Discover how to create a powerful leadership legacy through intentional impact. Learn the 5 steps to build a "living legacy" that transforms lives. Break through leadership plateaus and multiply your influence using brain-backed techniques for lasting change.

Discover the Intentional Leader Blueprint to break through leadership plateaus without working harder. Learn the REACH formula and four leadership savvy areas that transform women leaders from plateaued to purposeful. One reconstructed thought away from breakthrough.

Transform reactive leadership into responsive influence with neuroscience-backed strategies. Learn the 6-second pause technique, emotional fluency, and brain science behind leadership triggers. Discover how to lead with clarity and purpose, even under pressure.

Today, we're diving into the five gatekeepers of human behavior - the fundamental human needs that determine whether your message lands or triggers a threat response. Before we dive in, let me share an important perspective that might challenge what you've been taught about leadership communication. It's not what you're communicating, but how you're communicating that determines if your message lands the way you intended!

In previous episodes, we've explored the three plateaus that keep women leaders stuck: the leadership plateau, where you feel invisible despite your contributions; the performance plateau, where working harder yields diminishing returns; and the self-belief plateau, where doubt undermines your natural leadership abilities.   But underlying all three of these plateaus is often a single challenge: tangled thinking. When your thoughts are clouded, your leadership presence diminishes, your performance suffers, and your self-belief wavers. That's why today, we're focusing on the secret to clear leadership thinking—because clarity isn't just a nice-to-have quality, it's the foundation upon which all leadership breakthroughs are built.

Break through leadership self-doubt with proven confidence strategies. Learn how a finance leader overcame career setbacks to become CFO, explore confidence brain science, and discover 5 practical leadership confidence techniques for women leaders.

The performance plateau paradox reveals how increased effort can lead to diminished progress due to brain resource depletion. It highlights the confusion between busyness and productivity, with task switching causing significant time loss and impairing cognitive function.

Increased effort to prove oneself can paradoxically reduce visibility in leadership roles, often relegating capable individuals to reliable executors rather than strategic leaders. The video explores the "visibility paradox," highlighting how dependable problem solvers may mask their leadership potential. It emphasises the importance of confidence gained through action, effective communication, and intentionality in overcoming self-doubt and breaking through leadership plateaus.

Discover why working harder isn't breaking you through your leadership plateau and how to escape the four specific "Try Harder Traps" keeping talented women leaders stuck. Learn the brain science behind why additional effort often backfires and the one reconstructed thought that can transform your leadership journey from plateaued to purposeful.