The Stressed Out Leader

Amy Nabors

Welcome to The Stressed Out Leader — a podcast for leaders who feel overwhelmed, carry too much responsibility, and want to lead from a calmer, clearer place. Here we talk about the real pressure behind leadership: the constant urgency, the emotional weight of supporting others, and the stress many leaders quietly carry. Through conversations, reflections, and real-life leadership stories, this podcast is for team leaders and individuals who are tired of leading from tension and ready for a steadier, more sustainable way forward. thequietlypowerfulleader.substack.com amykiane.substack.com

  1. 3d ago

    Episode 17: There Is Another Way to Lead

    What happens when the way we’ve been taught to lead no longer fits the world we’re leading in? In this episode of The Stressed Out Leader, I’m joined by Amy Schons, founder of Modwellship, for a conversation about leadership, stress, discernment, and what it means to lead yourself well before trying to lead anyone else. Amy shares how her own leadership journey changed through organizational growth, COVID, personal loss, and eventually entrepreneurship. We talk about the pressure leaders often feel to carry everything, have all the answers, and keep pushing, and why that approach can become unsustainable. We also explore the growing role of AI and automation in the workplace, including what can happen when leaders adopt new tools without slowing down to consider the downstream effects on employees, customers, and the work itself. Throughout the conversation, Amy comes back to the importance of creating space: space to think, get curious, ask better questions, notice what your body and energy are telling you, and make decisions with greater clarity. In this episode, we talk about: * Why today’s leaders need more discernment, not just more speed * The pressure to carry everything and have all the answers * How AI and automation can create unexpected downstream stress * Why leaders need space to think before reacting * The connection between self-leadership and leading others well * How curiosity can change difficult workplace relationships * Recognizing the early signs that you’re pushing too hard * Why advocating for yourself matters * Giving yourself permission to lead in a way that actually fits who you are * The importance of remembering that there is more than one way to lead One of my favorite reminders from this conversation is simple: You don’t have to lead the way someone else taught you to lead. Sometimes the next step isn’t pushing harder. Sometimes it’s stepping back long enough to see what’s really going on. Connect with Amy Schons Website Linked In Instagram Connect with Amy Nabors Website Linked In Substack Instagram Amy Kiane is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Amy Kiane at amykiane.substack.com/subscribe

  2. Sep 20

    Episode 16: Why Does Everything Feel So Urgent?

    Lately, I’ve been noticing how often urgency shows up in ordinary life. We hurry to get somewhere. Rush to finish the next thing. Answer the email because it feels like it shouldn’t wait. Try to squeeze more into the day because somehow there’s always something else we could be doing. And even when no one is actually asking us to hurry, there can still be that quiet voice in the background telling us we should be doing more. Last week, I wrote about attention and wondered whether our inability to focus is really a personal failing—or a reasonable response to a world constantly asking for it. But I kept thinking about what sits underneath all those demands for our attention. Urgency. We’ve gotten so used to everything feeling urgent that we rarely stop to ask whether it actually is. And we’ve gotten so good at finding ways to do things faster that we don’t often ask what all that speed is giving us. Because what happens to the time we save? Usually, we fill it with something else. This week on The Stressed Out Leader, I’m exploring our relationship with hurry, the pressure to keep producing, and what all that rushing may be costing us—not just in our work, but in our ability to pay attention to the life we’re actually living. Maybe the goal isn’t to get better at keeping up. Maybe it’s to question why we’re in such a hurry in the first place. Read the post What if Our Attention Isn’t the Problem here. To learn more about how to work with me schedule an on-the-house clarity conversation here. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thequietlypowerfulleader.substack.com Get full access to Amy Kiane at amykiane.substack.com/subscribe

  3. Sep 7

    Episode 15: The Strength to Listen: Leadership, Service, and Knowing When to Step Back

    What if leadership is less about leading the way and more about knowing when to guide, listen, or step aside? In this episode, I’m joined by Rosario Thomas for a conversation about service, quiet strength, and the experiences that have shaped the way he shows up for others. Rosario shares his journey from military service into a season of rediscovering who he was outside of that identity. We talk about his work supporting veterans, how yoga became part of his own journey, and why he thinks of himself less as a leader and more as a guide. We also explore what it means to lead with compassion, why a good leader also needs to know how to follow, and the power of listening without immediately trying to fix someone else’s problem. It’s a conversation about learning who you are, letting go of who you thought you had to be, and finding strength in the present moment. You can connect with Rosario on Instagram here. If you are local to the Auburn/Opelika area and want to check out Rosario’s yoga classes you can find him at The Yoga Room. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thequietlypowerfulleader.substack.com Get full access to Amy Kiane at amykiane.substack.com/subscribe

    Episode 15: The Strength to Listen: Leadership, Service, and Knowing When to Step Back

  4. Aug 3

    Episode 14: When Success No Longer Fits: Building a Life Around What Matters Most

    What happens when the life you’ve worked hard to build no longer aligns with who you are becoming? In this episode of The Stressed Out Leader Podcast, I sit down with pelvic floor physical therapist and entrepreneur Emily Sasser to talk about burnout, boundaries, purpose, and the courage it takes to create a life that reflects what matters most. After nearly a decade in a traditional healthcare setting, Emily found herself overwhelmed by competing demands, struggling to show up fully for her patients, her family, and herself. What followed was a leap of faith into entrepreneurship and a journey of learning how to build a business around her values rather than external expectations. In our conversation, we explore: * Why being capable of doing something doesn’t always mean it’s yours to carry * The connection between burnout, people-pleasing, and a lack of boundaries * Building a business that supports your life instead of consuming it * The difference between balance and rhythm * Learning to trust the next step even when you can’t see the entire path * How seemingly unrelated interests and experiences often weave together over time * The role faith played in Emily’s decision to leave a stable career and start her own practice * What it means to create a sustainable life and work rhythm in different seasons One of my favorite moments from this conversation is when Emily shares: “You’re only supposed to see the next step because if you did, you wouldn’t jump.” If you’ve been feeling stretched thin, questioning your current season, or wondering whether the pace you’re keeping is sustainable, this conversation offers a thoughtful reminder that sometimes the path forward begins with slowing down and discerning what is truly yours to carry. Connect with Emily Instagram Website Connect with Amy If you’re feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or uncertain about your next step, a complimentary Clarity Conversation offers space to slow down, untangle what’s weighing on you, and discern what matters most. Schedule a Clarity Conversation This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thequietlypowerfulleader.substack.com Get full access to Amy Kiane at amykiane.substack.com/subscribe

    Episode 14: When Success No Longer Fits: Building a Life Around What Matters Most

  5. Jul 19

    Episode 13: Faster Isn't Always More Effective

    Technology continues to make many aspects of our work faster. Tasks that once took hours can now be completed in minutes. Expectations are shifting. Speed is becoming the norm. But faster doesn’t always mean more effective. In this episode, I explore why I believe the leaders who thrive in the years ahead won’t simply be the ones who embrace AI the fastest. They’ll be the ones who cultivate the one thing technology can’t replace: the ability to slow down, see the bigger picture, recognize patterns, and exercise discernment. We talk about: * Why efficiency isn’t always the same as effectiveness. * How technology often moves work instead of eliminating it. * The growing importance of systems thinking and human judgment. * Why discernment may become one of the most valuable leadership skills of the future. If you’ve ever felt the pressure to move faster simply because technology makes it possible, this conversation is an invitation to pause and consider what truly creates wise leadership. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thequietlypowerfulleader.substack.com Get full access to Amy Kiane at amykiane.substack.com/subscribe

    Episode 13: Faster Isn't Always More Effective

  6. Jul 5

    Episode 12: Building Confidence Without Chasing Perfection

    What does confidence actually look like? In this episode of The Stressed Out Leader, I sit down with women’s life coach Charli McConnell for a conversation about self-trust, perfectionism, boundaries, and the quiet work of becoming more confident over time. We explore why confidence isn’t about having all the answers, why there is no finish line for personal growth, and how learning to sit with silence can reveal more than constant striving ever will. If you’ve ever found yourself overexplaining, second-guessing yourself, or waiting until you feel “ready,” this conversation offers a different perspective. One rooted in self-trust instead of perfection. In this episode, we discuss: * Why confidence isn’t a destination. * How self-trust is built one choice at a time. * The relationship between boundaries and confidence. * Why silence is often more powerful than constant input. * Letting go of the need to prove or explain yourself. Connect with Charli Listen to Charli’s podcast:The Hype Squad Podcast Learn more about Charli and her work:charlimcconnell.com Follow Charli on Instagram:@charli_mcconnell_co This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thequietlypowerfulleader.substack.com Get full access to Amy Kiane at amykiane.substack.com/subscribe

    Episode 12: Building Confidence Without Chasing Perfection

  7. Jun 21

    Episode 11: You Cannot See Every Pattern You’re Inside Of

    The patterns shaping our lives often become invisible because we’ve lived with them for so long. In this episode, I explore blind spots, self-awareness, and why clarity sometimes comes not from more information, but from a different perspective. Read the full companion essay on The Quietly Powerful Leader. If you’re looking for a thoughtful space to explore what’s keeping you stuck, gain clarity around your next step, or better understand the patterns shaping your life and leadership, I’d be honored to walk alongside you. You can schedule an on-the-house Clarity Conversation here. Thanks for reading The Quietly Powerful Leader! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thequietlypowerfulleader.substack.com Get full access to Amy Kiane at amykiane.substack.com/subscribe

    Episode 11: You Cannot See Every Pattern You’re Inside Of

  8. Jun 14

    Episode 10: The Weight of Seeing Potential

    I’ve spent much of my life noticing things other people seemed to miss—the tension in a room, the strengths someone couldn’t see in themselves, the gap between who people are and who they might become. In this reflection, I explore the gift and burden of seeing potential, the limits of what we can change for others, and the wisdom of learning what is ours to carry. Read the full companion essay over on The Quietly Powerful Leader. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thequietlypowerfulleader.substack.com Get full access to Amy Kiane at amykiane.substack.com/subscribe

    Episode 10: The Weight of Seeing Potential
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About

Welcome to The Stressed Out Leader — a podcast for leaders who feel overwhelmed, carry too much responsibility, and want to lead from a calmer, clearer place. Here we talk about the real pressure behind leadership: the constant urgency, the emotional weight of supporting others, and the stress many leaders quietly carry. Through conversations, reflections, and real-life leadership stories, this podcast is for team leaders and individuals who are tired of leading from tension and ready for a steadier, more sustainable way forward. thequietlypowerfulleader.substack.com amykiane.substack.com

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