Leveraging Leadership Emily Sander

In this episode of "Leveraging Leadership," Emily tackles the all-too-common issue of the confidence gap, revealing how action breeds confidence rather than the other way around. She shares strategies and personal anecdotes to help listeners, especially chiefs of staff, overcome self-doubt and step up as more assertive leaders. 

 

Links Mentioned:

Book: The Confidence Gap by Russ Harris

 

Free Resources:



Strategic Planning Checklist 



Chief of Staff Skills Assessment Checklist



A Day in the Life of a Chief of Staff



Chief of Staff Toolkit



 

Get in touch with Emily:



Connect on LinkedIn



Follow on YouTube



Learn more about coaching 



Sign up for the newsletter



Clarity Call with Emily



 

WHO AM I?

If we haven’t yet before - Hi👋 I’m Emily, Chief of Staff turned Executive Leadership Coach. After a thrilling ride up the corporate ladder, I’m focusing on what I love - working with people to realize their professional and personal goals. Through my videos here on this channel, books, podcast guest spots, and newsletter, I share new ideas and practical and tactical tools to help you be more productive and build the career and life you want. 

 

Time Stamps:

00:22 Exploring the Confidence Gap

01:24 Real-Life Examples of Overcoming the Confidence Gap

03:20 Reframing Fear as a Teammate

08:38 Applying Confidence in the Chief of Staff Role

10:39 Practical Steps to Build Confidence

13:59 Building Confidence in Others

 

Join Katrine Haugerud as she shares practical leadership insights for translating strategy into operations. Learn about her experience with private equity-backed firms.

Her book recommendation is "Traction" by Gino Wickman (https://amzn.to/4918MnL)

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Timestamps

00:23 Katrine's Journey from Oracle to Chief of Staff

00:45 Katrine's Experience at Oracle and Transition to the U.S.

03:48 Cultural and Business Differences Between Norway and the U.S.

06:14 Katrine's Transition from Oracle to Equinix

09:17 Becoming a Chief of Staff: The Unexpected Journey

12:14 Working with a Private Equity Backed Board

20:36 The Role of a Chief of Staff in Strategic Decision Making

22:59 The Importance of Clear Communication and Prioritization in Leadership

29:07 Book Recommendation: Traction by Gino Wickman

31:55 The Role of a Chief of Staff in Translating Strategy into Operations

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Emily Sander is a C-suite executive turned leadership coach. Her corporate career spanned Fortune 500 companies and scrappy start-ups. She is an ICF-certified leadership coach and the author of two books, An Insider’s Perspective on the Chief of Staff and Hacking Executive Leadership. Emily works with early to senior executives to step into effective leadership with one-on-one coaching. Go here to read her story from seasoned executive to knowledgeable coach.

Get your free Chief of Staff Skills Assessment Checklist here.

Download your free Chief of Staff Toolkit here.

To learn more about Emily and Next Level Coaching, click here.

Follow Emily on LinkedIn | YouTube

In this episode of "Leveraging Leadership," Emily discusses Erin Lebacqz’s "High Value Writing Workbook" and shares valuable writing tips for business professionals. She emphasizes the importance of knowing your reader, being concise AND nice, choosing familiar words and structuring emails for clarity. Emily highlights that every written communication, whether to a CEO or a Chief of Staff, shapes workplace culture and relationships.

Links Mentioned:
• High-Value Writing Workbook

Free Resources:
Strategic Planning Checklist Chief of Staff Skills Assessment ChecklistA Day in the Life of a Chief of StaffChief of Staff Toolkit
Get in touch with Emily:
Connect on LinkedInFollow on YouTubeLearn more about coaching Sign up for the newsletterClarity Call with Emily 
WHO AM I?
If we haven’t yet before - Hi👋 I’m Emily, Chief of Staff turned Executive Leadership Coach. After a thrilling ride up the corporate ladder, I’m focusing on what I love - working with people to realize their professional and personal goals. Through my videos here on this channel, books, podcast guest spots, and newsletter, I share new ideas and practical and tactical tools to help you be more productive and build the career and life you want.

Time Stamps:
00:54 Two Key Goals of High Value Writing
01:45 Understanding Your Reader
05:22 Strategies for Clear and Effective Writing
06:58 Making Your Emails Stand Out
10:05 Cultural Considerations in Writing
12:10 Using Writing as a Leadership Tool
15:12 Conclusion and Recommendations

In this episode, executive Lawrence Coburn shares his experiences and advice on effectively using a Chief of Staff, emphasizing trust and strategic planning. He talks about bringing back a former intern, Matt, to fill this critical role during a period of rapid company growth. Lawrence also discusses their AI tool, Ambient, which not only takes notes but identifies owners and next steps, creating a dynamic project dashboard. Hear about their latest feature release which auto-adds forwarded project-related emails to the dashboard.

Links Mentioned:
• Connect with Lawrence Coburn on LinkedIn
• Learn more about Ambient and their AI solutions

Free Resources:
Strategic Planning Checklist Chief of Staff Skills Assessment ChecklistA Day in the Life of a Chief of StaffChief of Staff Toolkit
Get in touch with Emily:
Connect on LinkedInFollow on YouTubeLearn more about coaching Sign up for the newsletterClarity Call with Emily 
WHO AM I?
If we haven’t yet before - Hi👋 I’m Emily, Chief of Staff turned Executive Leadership Coach. After a thrilling ride up the corporate ladder, I’m focusing on what I love - working with people to realize their professional and personal goals. Through my videos here on this channel, books, podcast guest spots, and newsletter, I share new ideas and practical and tactical tools to help you be more productive and build the career and life you want.
 
Time Stamps:
00:45 Introducing Today's Guest: Lawrence Coburn
01:02 The Journey of a Founder and the Impact of a Chief of Staff
02:25 The Story of Double Dutch and the Role of a Chief of Staff
06:59 The Importance of Defining the Chief of Staff Role
12:17 Building Trust and the Evolution of the Chief of Staff Role
15:28 Special Projects and Strategic Initiatives: The Chief of Staff's Domain
17:21 The Ever-Present Challenge of Pricing
17:46 Defining Roles and Responsibilities
18:12 Communicating Roles to the Leadership Team
19:12 The Importance of Having Your Team's Back
21:36 The Unique Trust in a Chief of Staff
23:54 Introducing Ambient: AI for Chiefs of Staff
26:48 Ambient's Features and Future Directions
31:01 The Value of AI in Project Management
34:50 Closing Thoughts and How to Learn More

Chief of Staff is the consummate behind the scenes role. It’s not about you.

Sometimes you have to let others have the last word, sometimes you have not care who gets credit, and sometimes you have to apologize (even if you didn’t do anything wrong!)

Chiefs of Staff are assertive, direct, and stand their ground when needed. They also must know when to check their ego at the door for the good of the group and to move things forward.

– – – – –

Free Resources:



Strategic Planning Checklist 



Chief of Staff Skills Assessment Checklist



A Day in the Life of a Chief of Staff



Chief of Staff Toolkit



Get in touch with Emily:



Connect on LinkedIn



Follow on YouTube



Learn more about coaching 



Sign up for the newsletter



Clarity Call with Emily



 

WHO AM I?

If we haven’t yet before - Hi👋 I’m Emily, Chief of Staff turned Executive Leadership Coach. After a thrilling ride up the corporate ladder, I’m focusing on what I love - working with people to realize their professional and personal goals. Through my videos here on this channel, books, podcast guest spots, and newsletter, I share new ideas and practical and tactical tools to help you be more productive and build the career and life you want. 

 

Shantel Wilkins stops by the show and talks about overcoming challenges in her childhood, finding a basketball coach who made a huge impact on her and changed the trajectory of her life, and why and how she had to recover from the corporate world grind. She is now the Chief of Staff at Donor’s of Color Network  and working on something she is passionate about. She encourages others to find their “mission fit” and pay attention to the stories we tell ourselves and define our own narratives.

One of my favorite quotes from Shantel is: If people don’t give you a seat at the table, sometimes you have to bring a folding chair.

Shantel Wilkins on LinkedIn

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01:21 Background and Early Life02:36 The Power of Sport and Mentorship05:08 Overcoming Adversity and Challenging Narratives07:41 Transitioning to Corporate America09:24 Finding Purpose and Passion in Work13:51 The Role of a Chief of Staff17:34 The Importance of Member Focus in Philanthropy25:41 The Role of a Chief of Staff in Navigating Cultural Fit Issues27:48 Transitioning from Corporate to Non-Profit33:22 The Importance of Self-Care and Humanity in Leadership36:32 Closing Thoughts 

– – – – –

Free Resources:



Strategic Planning Checklist 



Chief of Staff Skills Assessment Checklist



A Day in the Life of a Chief of Staff



Chief of Staff Toolkit



 

Get in touch with Emily:



Connect on LinkedIn



Follow on YouTube



Learn more about coaching 



Sign up for the newsletter



Clarity Call with Emily



 

WHO AM I?

If we haven’t yet before - Hi👋 I’m Emily, Chief of Staff turned Executive Leadership Coach. After a thrilling ride up the corporate ladder, I’m focusing on what I love - working with people to realize their professional and personal goals. Through my videos here on this channel, books, podcast guest spots, and newsletter, I share new ideas and practical and tactical tools to help you be more productive and build the career and life you want.