Grounded and Aligned™

Karen Gombault
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Grounded and Aligned™ is a podcast for people in senior roles who carry real responsibility - budgets, teams, visibility, and pressure that doesn’t switch off at the end of the day. If your role has grown faster than your comfort zone… If you’re managing up, setting boundaries, delegating, and absorbing more than you used to… If you care about being effective and human (without being inauthentic or pushing yourself past your limits), this show is for you. I’m Karen Gombault. I’ve spent decades working internationally in complex corporate environments, and today I work as an executive coach with senior professionals navigating expanded scope and expectations. Each week, I take one real situation and slow it down... not to analyze it, but to bring perspective, language, and judgment back into the picture. No hype. No generic advice. Just grounded conversations for navigating complex roles with composure and self-trust. 🎧 Subscribe and tune in weekly. Let's connect: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karengombault/ https://www.instagram.com/karengombaultcoaching/ Email: Karen@karengombault.com For coaching inquiries or to learn more, visit: https://www.karengombault.com/workwithme

  1. 21H AGO

    57. Leadership Superpower #2: Emotional Regulation

    In senior roles, pressure is constant. Decisions are visible. Stakeholders bring urgency, frustration, and competing priorities into the room. You cannot control those inputs but you can control your response. In this episode of Grounded and Aligned™, Karen Gombault examines emotional regulation as a core leadership skill. Emotional regulation is the ability to notice your reaction, pause, and choose how to respond rather than act on impulse. It is not suppression of emotion, but disciplined composure. When leaders react in the moment — through sharp emails, raised tone, or visible frustration — judgment and discernment are difficult and conversations tend to escalate. When emotions remain steady, discussions stay productive. Karen looks at: How emotional reactivity reduces decision quality Why visible composure increases trust and authority The link between a leader’s emotional state and team stabilityThe role of regulation in high-stakes discussions and negotiations A practical method to reset your nervous system in real time As responsibility increases, emotional regulation becomes part of the role. Your tone influences the room and your reaction sets the standard. Next steps Schedule a free Focus 15 session where she walks you through a practical exercise to regulate your nervous system in real time. If you want to experience the method directly, you can sign up below. 🧭 Book a Focus 15 https://www.karengombault.com/schedule 🤝 Connect on LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/karengombault/

    17 min

  2. 6D AGO

    56. Leadership Superpower #1: Not Taking Things Personally

    At senior levels, challenge is constant, questions are direct, assumptions are tested in real time, and comments are brief and often ambiguous. In this episode of Grounded and Aligned™, Karen Gombault begins a series on leadership skills that materially affect effectiveness in expanded roles. The first: the ability to avoid turning routine business scrutiny into a "personal verdict", a.k.a. taking things personally. Many experienced leaders know they “shouldn’t” take things personally. Yet in high-visibility settings, a short comment can trigger over-explanation, a neutral question can alter tone and composure, focus moves from the issue at hand to protecting credibility. Karen examines why this happens, what it costs at VP and executive level, and why the habit intensifies during role transitions. She draws on client situations and her own experience managing sustained external pressure while carrying full executive accountability. Karen looks at: How interpretation changes behavior in the momentWhy visible defensiveness weakens authorityThe relationship between internal self-assessment and external scrutinyWhat destabilization does to judgment when scope expandsWhy neutrality is a strategic discipline, not an emotional exerciseIf you are operating with broader mandate and exposure, your ability to separate fact from fiction and story directly affects decision quality and perceived steadiness. This episode focuses on that separation — and why it becomes non-negotiable as responsibility increases. Next steps: Book Focus-15 Call https://www.karengombault.com/schedule Free Resource, The Identity Lag https://www.karengombault.com/identity Connect on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/karengombault/

    18 min

  3. FEB 4

    55. Improving Daily Effectiveness in Senior Roles

    If you’re operating with sustained responsibility, constant decision flow, and expanding scope, overwhelm often shows up not because of poor time management, but because of how decisions, expectations, and work are structured. In this episode of Grounded and Aligned™, Karen Gombault addresses why senior leaders remain cognitively overloaded even when they are experienced, disciplined, and committed. She outlines three pragmatic strategies drawn from her personal experience as CEO and her work with executives who have limited recovery time, and who need effectiveness that holds under pressure, not theoretical productivity models. Karen looks atHow delayed decisions consume disproportionate cognitive capacity and keep senior leaders stuck in analysis rather than execution Where unclear decision rights between leaders and their teams create rework, escalation, and unnecessary involvement The cost of vague task-based scheduling versus explicitly defining outcomes within fixed time constraints Why senior roles require deliberate boundary-setting rather than reactive availability How structuring decisions and expectations reduces ongoing mental load without reducing accountability Overwhelm at senior level is rarely a volume problem. It is a structural one. When decisions linger, roles are ambiguous, and work is framed as activity rather than outcome, leaders absorb unnecessary load that compounds over time. Effectiveness comes from how judgment, authority, and attention are designed into the role, not from working longer or trying harder. Schedule a Focus-15 here: Schedule Leadership Impact Call

    12 min

  4. JAN 28

    54. Identity Shifts Required for Expanded Leadership Scope

    If you are stepping into a new role with broader scope, higher visibility, or C-suite level accountability, the pressure to perform often shows up as more effort, more involvement, and faster execution. This episode of Grounded and Aligned™, looks at why that approach breaks down at senior levels. Karen examines how success in expanded roles depends less on activity and more on how leaders see themselves, how they make decisions, and how that internal reference point shapes authority, boundaries, and impact. Karen looks at Why strategies and behaviors alone are insufficient when role scope increasesHow self-concept directly influences decision speed, priorities, and boundariesThe cost of remaining positioned as the reliable problem solver in senior rolesHow authority is undermined when effort replaces judgmentWhy teams and stakeholders respond to hesitation, over-involvement, and avoidance as signals of role definition “Performance and impact, efficacy, it's not about what you output. It's about how you make decisions, how quickly you make decisions, how you frame those decisions and how you implement those decisions.” - Karen Gombault As scope expands, leadership effectiveness accumulates through judgment, role design, and disciplined decision-making. Without an explicit shift in how leaders see their role and responsibility, effort increases while authority weakens, creating unsustainable patterns that limit impact over time. Next steps Download the associated guide, The Identity Lag: https://www.karengombault.com/identity 🧭 Book an Executive Pulse Call https://calendly.com/kareng-coaching/executive-pulse 🤝 Connect on LinkedIn Follow Karen’s writing on senior leadership roles, authority, and sustainable scope. https://www.linkedin.com/in/karengombault/

    18 min

  5. JAN 21

    53. Decision Speed, Authority and Organizational Impact

    In this episode of Grounded and Aligned™, Karen addresses a pattern that consistently undermines senior leaders taking on new roles: delaying decisions in the name of certainty. When you step into expanded scope with incomplete information, hesitation carries real organizational consequences. Drawing on client work and direct experience, she examines why waiting for clarity rarely produces better outcomes and how early decisions affect authority, momentum, and cognitive load. If you are operating with accountability from day one and feel the pressure to “get it right,” this conversation reframes what effective judgment actually looks like at senior levels. Karen looks at How delayed decisions create vacuums that others will fill, often in ways misaligned with your intent or prioritiesWhy hesitation signals uncertainty rather than thoughtfulness, and how that signal slows organizations more than imperfect decisions doThe cumulative emotional and cognitive load created by unresolved decisions, particularly in hiring, budgeting, and investment contextsThe role of early decisions in establishing credibility and authority within the first months of a new roleHow decision speed reduces over-coordination and excessive alignment cycles that drain senior capacity At senior levels, the cost of indecision compounds quickly. Early decisions are less about being right and more about setting direction, preserving energy, and reinforcing judgment under uncertainty. Momentum, authority, and self-trust are built through action, not prolonged analysis. Next steps 🧭 If you are experiencing decision indecision, book an Executive Pulse Call, and we'll work through the decision that needs to be made: https://calendly.com/kareng-coaching/executive-pulse 🤝 Connect on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/karengombault/

    10 min

  6. JAN 14

    52. Stepping Into a Larger Mandate: Boundaries, Scope, and Delegation

    Taking on a broader mandate at VP or SVP level is rarely accompanied by clear operational boundaries. The remit expands, visibility increases, and expectations accumulate often faster than they are explicitly discussed. In the early phase, scope is shaped less by formal agreement and more by behavior. Leaders make themselves available. They absorb unresolved issues. They step into gaps to keep momentum and avoid disruption. Over time, those choices define the role as much as the job description does. In this episode of Grounded and Aligned™, Karen Gombault examines what needs to be decided early when responsibility increases — before workload, availability, and accountability become assumed rather than intentional. Karen looks atHow expanded scope is often established through early responsiveness rather than explicit mandateWhy boundaries at VP–SVP level are rarely clarified unless the leader clarifies themThe effect of sustained availability on judgment and decision quality as volume increasesWhy effectiveness at senior level depends on maintaining capacity outside the roleHow postponing delegation keeps senior leaders in execution longer than the role requires From the episode: “No one is going to set a boundary for you. If you say yes, people will take advantage of your time.” - Karen Gombault Senior roles usually become difficult through accumulation, not crisis. Small, reasonable decisions made early tend to define the long-term operating model of the role. At this level, leadership is demonstrated less by responsiveness and more by discernment, particularly around scope, ownership, and what no longer is of your responsibility. Use this link to book your 2026 Atelier call before Jan. 31, 2026: https://calendly.com/kareng-coaching/introduction Next stepsIf you are stepping into a larger remit, or recognising that your current role has expanded beyond what was originally agreed, a short Executive Pulse Call can help you take stock of where expectations need to be clarified. Fifteen minutes. One current situation. Clear perspective on scope, boundaries, and delegation. 🧭 Book an Executive Pulse Call https://calendly.com/kareng-coaching/executive-pulse ☕ Grounded and Aligned™ Daily Coffee Chat Concise weekday reflections on senior leadership, expanded mandates, and executive decision-making. https://www.karengombault.com/offers/wuqAChoZ/checkout 🤝 Connect on LinkedIn Follow Karen’s writing on senior leadership roles, authority, and sustainable scope. https://www.linkedin.com/in/karengombault/

    17 min

  7. JAN 7

    #51: Leadership Lessons You Can't Script

    In this episode of Grounded and Aligned™, Karen Gombault reflects on leadership through an unexpected but instructive lens: observing how people respond when authenticity, vulnerability, and respect are consistently present, without scripting or control. This is not a conversation about celebrity, though it is based on observations of Taylor Swift. It is an examination of why some leaders generate followership effortlessly, while others rely on position, polish, or performance. The episode uses real, observable moments to explore how leadership energy is experiencedand why it cannot be manufactured. What this episode examinesWhy authenticity is recognizable immediately—and difficult to fakeHow vulnerability can exist without undermining authorityThe leadership impact of spontaneous, human decisionsWhat happens when respect and passion are consistently visibleWhy people choose to follow leaders who feel real, not managed “People want to follow her because they want to be in that energy, in that positive energy.” - Karen GombaultAt senior levels, leadership is not only about decisions and outcomes. It is also about presence, and how others experience themselves in your energy. That experience compounds. Next stepsIf you are entering a new year with complex expectations and limited space to think, I offer a free 15-minute Executive Pulse Call. One situation. Clear perspective. A grounded decision on what matters next. 🧭 Book an Executive Pulse Call https://calendly.com/kareng-coaching/executive-pulse ☕ Join the free Grounded and Aligned™ Daily Coffee Chat https://www.karengombault.com/offers/wuqAChoZ/checkout 🤝 Connect with Karen on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/karengombault/

    18 min

  8. 12/31/2025

    #50: Looking Back and Looking Forward

    This episode was recorded on December 31, 2025. It’s a simple pause at the end of the year to look at what actually made a difference, personally and professionally. In this solo episode of Grounded and Aligned™, Karen Gombault walks through how she reviewed 2025: time with people she cares about, a full year living in the south of France, and a business that now feels settled and right-sized. There is no push for reinvention here. No pressure to optimize. Instead, this is about noticing what already works—and making sure it stays protected. The episode also touches on a practical question she now asks clients and herself at year-end: What is one thing you don’t want to bring with you into the next year? What this episode looks at: 1. What a full year outside Paris clarified about this moment in life 2. How space, boundaries, and reduced travel reshaped daily life and life decisions 3. Why stability and continuity can be a deliberate strategic choice, not a lack of ambition “There is nothing that I would change about this year.” — Karen Gombault Today's reflection is about discernment...knowing what deserves attention, and what to leave behind. January 2026 Live Atelier : Grounded Expansion A powerful moment to reflect, envision, and choose the priorities that will shape your year ahead. Register here: https://www.karengombault.com/atelier Next steps Other ways to connect: I offer a free, 15-minute Executive Pulse Call. One situation. Clear thinking. No performance theatre. 🧭 Book an Executive Pulse Call https://calendly.com/kareng-coaching/executive-pulse ☕ Join the free Grounded and Aligned™ Daily Coffee Chat https://www.karengombault.com/offers/wuqAChoZ/checkout 🤝 Connect with Karen on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/karengombault/

    19 min
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4.6
out of 5
11 Ratings

About

Grounded and Aligned™ is a podcast for people in senior roles who carry real responsibility - budgets, teams, visibility, and pressure that doesn’t switch off at the end of the day. If your role has grown faster than your comfort zone… If you’re managing up, setting boundaries, delegating, and absorbing more than you used to… If you care about being effective and human (without being inauthentic or pushing yourself past your limits), this show is for you. I’m Karen Gombault. I’ve spent decades working internationally in complex corporate environments, and today I work as an executive coach with senior professionals navigating expanded scope and expectations. Each week, I take one real situation and slow it down... not to analyze it, but to bring perspective, language, and judgment back into the picture. No hype. No generic advice. Just grounded conversations for navigating complex roles with composure and self-trust. 🎧 Subscribe and tune in weekly. Let's connect: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karengombault/ https://www.instagram.com/karengombaultcoaching/ Email: Karen@karengombault.com For coaching inquiries or to learn more, visit: https://www.karengombault.com/workwithme

Information

  • Creator
    Karen Gombault
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    58
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Karen Gombault
  • Show Website
    Grounded and Aligned™