Interview Summary: In this interview, host Tracy Goodwin spoke with leadership coach Maree Burgess. Maree discussed her career transition from nursing to banking and finally to leadership consultancy. The conversation centered on the qualities of effective versus ineffective leaders, with Maree identifying the fear of asking for help and imposter syndrome as key deficits in struggling leaders, often leading to micromanagement. They explored major challenges for leaders, including time management, the culture of "busyness," and the prevalence of unnecessary meetings. Maree introduced a pyramid model for team performance (Minutia, Task, Outcome, Impact) and shared anecdotes from her coaching practice, including her work with senior medical professionals. The interview concluded with a discussion on the importance of authenticity and how voice coaching helped Mari remove her own professional "masks." Maree Burgess is the leadership coach, trainer, facilitator, speaker, and author dedicated to turning managers into exceptional leaders. Her career began as a nurse in a major trauma hospital, where she developed the calm presence she’s known for today. A move into banking revealed the critical role of strong leadership and engaged teams, sparking an obsession for good leadership that led her to launch her consultancy over 20 years ago. Maree now works with leaders and teams to level up through her proven Nine Accelerators for Success framework. Her blend of practical expertise, strategic insight, and genuine care empowers clients to operate with clarity, confidence, and impact, unlocking their potential and creating teams people love to be part of. LINKS W: www.mareeburgess.com LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mareeburgess/ Instagram: maree_burgess YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mareeburgess Key Points Ineffective leaders often failed because they either did not recognize they needed help or were too afraid to ask for it. Imposter syndrome was a significant issue, even for highly credentialed individuals, and it often led to a need for control and micromanagement. Great leaders focused on empowering their team members, understanding their capabilities, and providing the necessary support to "lift them up." The biggest challenge for leaders in 2025 was not a lack of time, but how they used their time. Maree emphasized delegation and eliminating non-essential tasks and meetings as critical skills. The tendency to be "busy" was often used as a "badge of honor" but also served as a protection mechanism to avoid more difficult, strategic work where one might fail. Meeting culture in many organizations was habitual and inefficient; leaders needed to challenge the necessity and duration of meetings to improve productivity. She presented a four-level pyramid model of team performance: Minutia (drowning in busyness), Task (working in silos), Outcome (aligned and effective), and Impact (achieving the unachievable). To maintain focus on important work, she shared the mantra of an Australian Olympic rowing crew: "Will this make our boat go faster?" Notable Quotes "The ones that fail are often the ones that either don't recognize or are afraid to ask for help." (20:00) - Stated when explaining the primary deficit of leaders who struggle. "So when people feel like an imposter, they've got to be across everything. Once they're across everything, they're micromanaging." (0:26) - Said while linking the feeling of being an imposter directly to the negative leadership behavior of micromanagement. "I obsess about delegation, the untapped leadership skill that no one really gets. Right?" (24:43) - Mentioned in the context of time management and how leaders can free themselves up for more impactful work. "Meetings make people lazy. You can rock up to a meeting and not participate." (30:27) - Part of her critique of inefficient and habitual "meeting cultures" within organizations. "I've always had the belief that my voice is really important And how I use my voice really helps with what I do." (50:09) - Explained as her motivation for seeking out voice coaching to become more authentic and effective. Kicker Quotes "No one comes to work, I believe no one comes to work to do a bad job, but that's how it's perceived for whatever reason." "The great leaders understand how to elegantly move people on quickly in ways that even the person being moved on, thanks or at least helps them lift up." "Meetings really annoy me. And also meetings fill time. So even though people complain about it, everyone is... using busyness as a badge of honor."
