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

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: sarah@careertreecoaching.co.uk