Podcast Summary: “Be Not Afraid (Part I): ‘I Took a Sabbatical. Should I Hide That From Employers?’”

Becoming You with Suzy Welch
Date: March 10, 2026
Host: Suzy Welch, NYU Stern Professor, best-selling author

Episode Overview

Main Theme:
This episode, the first in a three-part “Be Not Afraid” series, explores the role of fear in self-discovery—specifically, the fear of being honest about one’s own story in the professional world. Suzy Welch addresses a listener’s question about whether to disclose a recent sabbatical on her resume, using it as a springboard for discussing authenticity, information avoidance, and the power (and necessity) of knowing and revealing oneself.

Purpose:
To encourage listeners to face their fears of self-knowledge and public authenticity, especially in career contexts, by illustrating the emotional and professional value of being honest about life transitions such as sabbaticals.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Opening: Setting the Stage with Fear (00:28–03:14)

• Cultural Reference: Suzy opens with a scene from Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, describing it as a story not of fear of the unknown, but the “fear of the known—specifically, fear of knowing ourselves, which can be as scary as it gets.”

  “You have to know yourself or you will never grow.” — Suzy Welch (01:32)

• Poetry Citation: Cites Arisa White—“everything emerges from intimacy with one’s story”—and amends it:

  “Everything good emerges, everything that unleashes our ability to flourish, emerges from intimacy with one’s story.” — Suzy Welch (01:55)

Listener Dilemma: Katie’s Question (03:14–04:10)

• Katie’s Story:
  • Former VP, recently took a months-long sabbatical for reassessment and recharging, including learning new things and moving cross-country.
  • She asks: Should I list my sabbatical on my resume and LinkedIn, or try to cover up the gap?

  “Should I list sabbatical on my resume and LinkedIn and explain this professional gap?” — Katie (03:48)

The Courage of Self-Examination (04:10–06:44)

• Trend: Post-pandemic, many professionals have paused to reconsider their paths (“Great Reset”).
• Personal Reflection: Suzy praises Katie for intentional self-reflection, noting how rare and brave it is, both financially and emotionally.
• Emotional Blocks:
  • Many avoid such pauses due to fear of discovering uncomfortable truths about themselves.
• Research Backing:
  • References psychologists Daniel Moebius and Tanya Rosenblatt:

    “People were eager to receive feedback when they thought it might be positive, but they got noticeably less interested when there was a real chance that the news would be negative...our curiosity has conditions. If we think we aren’t going to like the answers, we don’t ask the questions.” — Suzy Welch (05:44)

• Crisis versus Choice: Most people are compelled to take stock only after a life crisis. Suzy encourages proactive self-examination.

To Disclose or Not to Disclose? Suzy’s Direct Advice (06:44–11:50)

Suzy’s Answer:

“My answer is yes, yes, yes. A thousand times yes. And I have three reasons why.” — Suzy Welch (07:33)

1. It’s Normalized Post-Pandemic

   • Sabbaticals are common and widely accepted by employers now.

   “You're not going to shock anyone with the admission of a sabbatical...No one is going to blink twice.” — Suzy Welch (07:53)

2. Strategic Advantage

   • Sharing your sabbatical allows you to explain your fit for the job better: you’ve reflected, clarified your purpose, and chosen roles intentionally.

   “As an employer, I am loving someone coming through the door who can actually explain to me how their values and aptitudes and interests are aligned with my needs.” — Suzy Welch (08:44)

3. Ultimate Authenticity

   • Admitting a sabbatical is the first step in living “authentically out loud.” Suzy rails against the waste and exhaustion of inauthenticity, using Jane Austen as a metaphor:

   “It might be scary up front…but in the long run… living authentically is actually very effective and efficient. Lying is such a waste of time.” — Suzy Welch (09:47)

   • She urges: “Why continue it? Why not go forward with all your skills and your values known…this is me. I am comfortable with me here I am, sabbatical and all. Why would you want to work with anyone who wants the inauthentic version of you?” (10:25)

A Personal Story: When Suzy Wasn’t Authentic (11:50–12:42)

• Suzy’s Experience:
  • Took a consulting job she wasn’t suited for, tried to “sell, sell, sell,” failed because she was faking it.

  “…you’re never an A plus being a fake…I should have told them who I was going in… it would have been better for both of us. I learned my lesson.” — Suzy Welch (12:32)

Authenticity in Harder Circumstances (12:42–15:23)

• Addressing Gaps for Difficult Reasons:
  • Story: Suzy once hired a candidate who claimed a two-year gap was for “golf in England,” later learned it was actually for treatment for severe mental illness.

    “What bothered me was not her history. It was the lie.” — Suzy Welch (14:29)

  • If the candidate had been honest (in a professional, not over-disclosing way), Suzy would have respected her more and trusted her more as a manager.

    “You don’t owe anybody your diagnosis. But if she told me something like ‘I took the time to address a serious health matter and I came through it and I’m here now,’ I would have respected that deeply… Authenticity is so, so, so appealing in people. And it’s so, so appealing in an interview.” — Suzy Welch (14:51)

Final Encouragement and Call to Action (15:23–16:51)

• Becoming “Superhuman”:
  • Suzy celebrates Katie’s courageous reflection and urges her (and listeners) to be unafraid:

    “Put the fear of admitting that aside and go tell it on the mountain… you will be experienced as what you truly are, which is unafraid. I’d hire you for that and I bet other people would too.” — Suzy Welch (16:13)

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• “Everything good emerges…from intimacy with one’s story.” — Suzy Welch (01:55)
• “Our curiosity has conditions. If we think we aren’t going to like the answers, we don’t ask the questions.” — Suzy Welch (05:55)
• “Living authentically is actually very effective and efficient. Lying is such a waste of time.” — Suzy Welch (09:47)
• “You’re never an A plus being a fake.” — Suzy Welch (12:32)
• “Authenticity is so, so, so appealing in people. And it’s so, so appealing in an interview.” — Suzy Welch (14:51)
• “Put the fear of admitting that aside and go tell it on the mountain.” — Suzy Welch (16:13)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:28–01:27: Virginia Woolf and the Fear of Self-Knowledge
• 03:14–04:10: Listener Katie’s Question about Disclosing Sabbatical
• 04:10–05:44: The Emotional and Research-Backed Challenges of Self-Examination
• 06:44–11:50: Suzy’s Three Reasons to Be Honest about Sabbaticals
• 11:50–12:42: Suzy’s Personal Work Experience with Inauthenticity
• 12:42–15:23: The Professional Value of Honesty, Even in Sensitive Situations
• 16:13–16:51: Final Encouragement to Embrace Authenticity

Tone and Style Notes

• The episode is direct, warm, gently irreverent, and encouraging, blending evidence-based advice with personal and cultural anecdotes.
• Suzy Welch speaks candidly, with humor and empathetic authority, aiming to both comfort and challenge listeners as they become more authentically themselves.

In Summary:
This episode challenges the fear of embracing and sharing your true story—whether that means being open about a sabbatical or other life gaps. Suzy Welch urges listeners (and especially Katie) to see honesty not only as liberating but as an asset in the modern workplace, arguing that authenticity is not just admirable, it’s a competitive advantage.