UNSHAKEABLE HER: Silence imposter syndrome, build real influence and get promoted on your terms

Caroline Esterson from Inspire Your Genius
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Doing brilliant work and still getting overlooked? Unshakeable Her is for ambitious, capable women tired of second-guessing themselves and exhausted by navigating workplace rules nobody explains so you can grow your influence & get promoted. Hosted by Caroline Esterson, who has spent 30 years helping thousands across hundreds of organisations uncover what is really going on and still get promoted.  This podcast offers practical, repeatable ways to build influence, confidence, and career momentum. Each week, you’ll learn: How to grow your influence without becoming someone you don’t likeThe science behind imposter syndrome and what actually works to overcome itHow to build confidence so you can stop being overlooked, and finally get the promotion you deserve With new episodes every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, ‘Unshakeable Her’ delivers stories, strategy, and insight to help you become someone nobody can shake.New here? Start with fan-favourite #56 or jump into Imposter Syndrome with #7

  1. 3H AGO

    # 81 | How To Create Calm Even When Everyone Else Is Panicking (Imposter Syndrome, Influence & Promotion)

    Why do some leaders calm an entire room before they even begin speaking? In this episode, we unpack the neuroscience behind calm leadership, nervous system regulation, and the hidden biological signals shaping every meeting you lead. You’ll discover why teams unconsciously mirror the emotional state of the leader in front of them — and how tiny physical shifts can completely change the atmosphere in high-pressure conversations. Inside this episode, you’ll learn:  How co-regulation and nervous system science explain why people “borrow” calm from effective leaders  The physical leadership cues that instantly make meetings feel safer, steadier, and more collaborative  Why performing calm is not “faking it” — and how your body chemistry actually changes through embodied leadership If you want to communicate with more calm, lead difficult conversations more effectively, and become the steady presence your team trusts under pressure, this episode gives you the science behind how it really works. Resources: The Corridor Protocol -  How to Lead with Calm When You Don't Feel It New episodes are released every Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings. Stuck, simmering, or onto something juicy? I want to hear it. Drop me a line at caroline@inspireyourgenius.com - I read them all. And here is the Spotify Playlist to accompany UnShakeable Her. This podcast explores resilience, imposter syndrome, and credibility while unpacking how boundaries, conflict, and feedback shape the way we handle pressure, influence, and guilt at work. It also looks at promotion, work-life balance, people pleasing, decision making, and visibility, offering honest conversations about how to grow professionally without losing your confidence or yourself.

    18 min

  2. 2D AGO

    #80 | When Imposter Syndrome Kicks In Before High Stakes Moments, Steal Maggie’s 3 Preparation Moves To Boost Your Influence

    What happens when your team looks to you for calm… and you don’t actually feel calm yourself? In high-pressure moments, your leadership is shaping more than decisions and communication. Your pace, posture, breathing, and presence directly influence your team’s nervous system — often before you even say a word. In this episode, you’ll hear the story of Maggie, a leader unexpectedly tasked with guiding 140 anxious employees through uncertainty, and the small shifts that completely changed the emotional temperature of the room. Inside this episode, you’ll learn:  How calm leadership functions as nervous system regulation for your team during uncertainty  The exact sentence that instantly lowers tension and creates psychological steadiness in meetings  Why pace, pauses, posture, and breathing matter more than having the “perfect” leadership message If you want to become the kind of leader people trust under pressure — even when you’re nervous yourself — this episode will completely change how you think about calm, leadership, and the nervous system. Resources: The Corridor Protocol -  How to Lead with Calm When You Don't Feel It New episodes are released every Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings. Stuck, simmering, or onto something juicy? I want to hear it. Drop me a line at caroline@inspireyourgenius.com - I read them all. And here is the Spotify Playlist to accompany UnShakeable Her. This podcast explores resilience, imposter syndrome, and credibility while unpacking how boundaries, conflict, and feedback shape the way we handle pressure, influence, and guilt at work. It also looks at promotion, work-life balance, people pleasing, decision making, and visibility, offering honest conversations about how to grow professionally without losing your confidence or yourself.

    14 min

  3. 5D AGO

    #79 | 3 Surprisingly Simple Moves For High Performers To Keep Their Spark, Build Their Influence And Remove Imposter Syndrome

    What happens when the thing you love doing starts becoming the thing you dread most? In this episode, we bring together the psychology, neuroscience, and career strategy behind sustainable high performance. Using Alicia Keys’ “Girl on Fire” as the backdrop, this conversation explores the hidden cost of overperformance, why ambitious people struggle to define “enough,” and how burnout prevention starts long before a breakdown happens. You’ll learn the practical shifts that help high performers protect their energy, lead sustainable careers, and stop treating exhaustion like proof of ambition. Inside this episode, you’ll discover:  Why burnout prevention is essential for long-term high performance and career sustainability  How defining your personal version of “done” changes the way you work forever  The simple recovery and capacity habits that protect your performance without slowing your ambition If you want a career that stays brilliant without burning you out in the process, this episode gives you the blueprint to build it. New episodes are released every Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings. Stuck, simmering, or onto something juicy? I want to hear it. Drop me a line at caroline@inspireyourgenius.com - I read them all. And here is the Spotify Playlist to accompany UnShakeable Her. This podcast explores resilience, imposter syndrome, and credibility while unpacking how boundaries, conflict, and feedback shape the way we handle pressure, influence, and guilt at work. It also looks at promotion, work-life balance, people pleasing, decision making, and visibility, offering honest conversations about how to grow professionally without losing your confidence or yourself.

    14 min

  4. MAY 20

    #78 | Why Saying Yes To Everything Might Be Destroying Your Influence and Your Promotion Prospects

    What if the reason your performance is slipping isn’t lack of discipline — but lack of recovery? In this episode, we unpack the neuroscience behind burnout, chronic overperformance, and why high achievers are often the last people to realize they’re running on empty. You’ll learn what sustained stress actually does to your prefrontal cortex, why burnout hits high performers differently, and how recovery directly impacts decision-making, creativity, and long-term success. You’ll also hear why most workplace “self-care” advice completely misses the point — and what the research says sustainable high performance actually requires instead. By listening, you’ll discover:  Why burnout recovery is a critical part of high performance — not the opposite of it  How chronic stress silently reduces cognitive performance and decision-making quality  The practical recovery shifts that create sustainable success without sacrificing ambition If you want to perform at a high level without eventually crashing, this episode will change how you think about work, recovery, and success. New episodes are released every Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings. Stuck, simmering, or onto something juicy? I want to hear it. Drop me a line at caroline@inspireyourgenius.com - I read them all. And here is the Spotify Playlist to accompany UnShakeable Her. This podcast explores resilience, imposter syndrome, and credibility while unpacking how boundaries, conflict, and feedback shape the way we handle pressure, influence, and guilt at work. It also looks at promotion, work-life balance, people pleasing, decision making, and visibility, offering honest conversations about how to grow professionally without losing your confidence or yourself.

    11 min

  5. MAY 18

    #77 | How One Woman Went From Burned Out And Imposter Syndrome To Rebuilding Her Influence

    How long has it been since you truly switched off without guilt, pressure, or the feeling that you should be doing more? In this episode of Unshakeable Her, we unpack the hidden cost of high performance and why so many capable, reliable professionals slide into burnout without even noticing it happening. Through Jess’s story — a respected leader quietly running on empty — you’ll hear how workplace culture, impossible personal standards, and constant availability can slowly disconnect you from yourself and your work. Inside this episode, you’ll discover:  The hidden warning signs of burnout that high performers often miss until it’s too late  Why sustainable performance isn’t about doing less — it’s about recovering strategically  The surprisingly small daily shift that helped Jess regain clarity, energy, and focus without stepping away from her career If you’re tired of feeling like success always comes at the expense of your wellbeing, this episode will change the way you think about performance, ambition, and rest. New episodes are released every Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings. Stuck, simmering, or onto something juicy? I want to hear it. Drop me a line at caroline@inspireyourgenius.com - I read them all. And here is the Spotify Playlist to accompany UnShakeable Her. This podcast explores resilience, imposter syndrome, and credibility while unpacking how boundaries, conflict, and feedback shape the way we handle pressure, influence, and guilt at work. It also looks at promotion, work-life balance, people pleasing, decision making, and visibility, offering honest conversations about how to grow professionally without losing your confidence or yourself.

    10 min

  6. MAY 15

    #76 | 3 Simple Strategies To Explain Your Career Pivots to Overcome Imposter Syndrome and Build Influence In Interviews

    What if your unconventional career path is not something to hide, but something to wear with pride? If you’ve ever stared at your LinkedIn profile or CV wondering how to make your zigzag career look more “normal,” this episode will help you stop forcing it into a straight line. Using Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colours as the perfect metaphor, Caroline shows how every pivot, sidestep, gap, and reinvention can become part of a powerful career story when you know how to name the value behind it.  In this episode, you’ll learn how to: Find the golden thread that connects the different parts of your career story. Explain your pivots clearly and confidently without sounding defensive or apologetic. Turn your unconventional path into a compelling narrative for interviews, LinkedIn, and the way you see yourself. Play this episode now to start owning your zigzag career with the confidence of someone who knows exactly what her coat is made of. Resources: Career Prompt Pack Connect with Caroline here New episodes are released every Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings. Stuck, simmering, or onto something juicy? I want to hear it. Drop me a line at caroline@inspireyourgenius.com - I read them all. And here is the Spotify Playlist to accompany UnShakeable Her. This podcast explores resilience, imposter syndrome, and credibility while unpacking how boundaries, conflict, and feedback shape the way we handle pressure, influence, and guilt at work. It also looks at promotion, work-life balance, people pleasing, decision making, and visibility, offering honest conversations about how to grow professionally without losing your confidence or yourself.

    8 min

  7. MAY 13

    #75 | How To Build Career Confidence By Turning Pivots Into Proof | Imposter Syndrome, Influence and Promotion

    What if every career pivot you’ve made has been quietly building the exact kind of capability today’s workplaces need most? If you’ve ever worried that your nonlinear career looks messy, unfocused, or hard to explain, this episode gives you the science-backed reassurance you need. Caroline explores why zigzag careers can create range, adaptability, pattern recognition, and transferable skills that more linear paths often do not, while also explaining why career pivots can feel so uncomfortable in your own head.  In this episode, you’ll learn how to: Understand why broad experience can become a powerful advantage in complex, fast-changing workplaces. Recognise the identity shift that happens during career pivots so you stop mistaking discomfort for failure. Describe your career as a body of capability rather than a disconnected sequence of jobs. Play this episode now to start seeing your zigzag career as evidence of the range, resilience, and adaptability that make you valuable. Resources: Career Prompt Pack Connect with Caroline here New episodes are released every Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings. Stuck, simmering, or onto something juicy? I want to hear it. Drop me a line at caroline@inspireyourgenius.com - I read them all. And here is the Spotify Playlist to accompany UnShakeable Her. This podcast explores resilience, imposter syndrome, and credibility while unpacking how boundaries, conflict, and feedback shape the way we handle pressure, influence, and guilt at work. It also looks at promotion, work-life balance, people pleasing, decision making, and visibility, offering honest conversations about how to grow professionally without losing your confidence or yourself.

    12 min

  8. MAY 11

    #74 | Why You Need A Zigzag Career Strategy To Build Unshakable Influence and Combat Your Imposter Synrome

    Have you ever felt the need to apologise for a career path that looks more like a zigzag than a ladder? If your CV includes pivots, pauses, reinventions, sideways moves, or roles that do not fit neatly into one clear story, this episode will help you see your path differently. Instead of treating your varied experience as something to explain away, Caroline shows how unconventional careers often build the exact transferable skills that make you more adaptable, valuable, and ready for what comes next.  In this episode, you’ll learn how to: Reframe your nonlinear career path as evidence of range, resilience, and adaptability. Identify the transferable skills you have collected through pivots, career breaks, redundancies, and reinventions. Stop apologising for your zigzag and start naming its value with confidence in interviews, conversations, and career decisions. Play this episode now to start turning your unconventional career story into one of your strongest sources of confidence. Resources Career Prompt Pack Connect with Caroline here New episodes are released every Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings. Stuck, simmering, or onto something juicy? I want to hear it. Drop me a line at caroline@inspireyourgenius.com - I read them all. And here is the Spotify Playlist to accompany UnShakeable Her. This podcast explores resilience, imposter syndrome, and credibility while unpacking how boundaries, conflict, and feedback shape the way we handle pressure, influence, and guilt at work. It also looks at promotion, work-life balance, people pleasing, decision making, and visibility, offering honest conversations about how to grow professionally without losing your confidence or yourself.

    15 min
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Doing brilliant work and still getting overlooked? Unshakeable Her is for ambitious, capable women tired of second-guessing themselves and exhausted by navigating workplace rules nobody explains so you can grow your influence & get promoted. Hosted by Caroline Esterson, who has spent 30 years helping thousands across hundreds of organisations uncover what is really going on and still get promoted.  This podcast offers practical, repeatable ways to build influence, confidence, and career momentum. Each week, you’ll learn: How to grow your influence without becoming someone you don’t likeThe science behind imposter syndrome and what actually works to overcome itHow to build confidence so you can stop being overlooked, and finally get the promotion you deserve With new episodes every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, ‘Unshakeable Her’ delivers stories, strategy, and insight to help you become someone nobody can shake.New here? Start with fan-favourite #56 or jump into Imposter Syndrome with #7

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