Career & Leadership Real Talk

If you expected imposter syndrome to ease off as your career progressed, you're not alone, and you're probably wondering why it's doing the opposite. In this episode, we dig into why imposter syndrome so often intensifies at senior level, and what's actually going on in your brain when it does.
We share practical strategies for working with imposter syndrome rather than trying to outrun it, because working harder and delivering more isn't the answer, and most people find that out the hard way.
Key points from this episode
Why becoming more senior makes imposter syndrome worse, not better and the brain science behind it
The identity gap: why your internal reality struggles to keep pace with your external success
How self-judgment fuels imposter syndrome and what to do instead
Why positive feedback doesn't land and a simple technique to change that
How to borrow belief from the people who already have it in you

00:00 Introduction and Topic Overview
00:26 Why Imposter Syndrome Intensifies With Seniority
02:29 The Trap of Trying to Outwork It
05:00 Your Brain, Evidence and the Confidence Gap
08:00 Navigating Uncertainty: The Board Meeting Example
11:00 The Identity Gap Explained
13:30 The Self-Judgment Cycle
16:30 What Actually Helps: Reducing Self-Judgment
21:00 How to Internalise Positive Feedback
24:30 Borrowing Belief From Others
26:30 Final Thoughts and Call to Action

Useful Links
Connect with Pam on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pamelalangan/
Connect with Jacqui on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacqui-jagger/
Interested in working with us?
Get in touch about career or leadership development, outplacement workshops or recruitment support via the Catalyst Careers website

Receiving negative feedback is something every leader faces — but nobody really teaches you how to handle it well. In this episode, we talk about why your reaction to negative feedback matters more than you might think, and how developing the skill of receiving it well can genuinely change the trajectory of your career.
We share real examples, including a story from Pam's own career where one piece of feedback held her back from presenting confidently for years — and what she wishes she'd done differently in that moment.
Key points from this episode
Why how you respond to negative feedback creates either a vicious or virtuous cycle in your career
The mindset shift that separates feedback from your sense of identity
Why asking more questions after difficult feedback is more powerful than going away to stew on it
Longer-term strategies to make feedback easier to receive — and less likely to sting
How regularly asking for feedback desensitises you and builds trust with the people around you

00:00 Introduction and Topic Overview
00:26 Why Negative Feedback Hits So Hard
02:59 The Vicious and Virtuous Cycle
05:37 Separating Feedback from Identity
09:00 Unpacking a Real Listener Example
13:00 What to Do in the Moment
16:37 Creating Distance and Regulating Your Emotions
18:00 Pam's Personal Story: The Presentation That Set Her Back
23:00 Longer-Term Strategies: Feedforward and Seeking Input
25:30 Making Feedback a Regular Habit
26:37 Closing the Loop: Acknowledging What You've Done With Feedback
28:00 Close and Call to Action

Useful Links
Connect with Pam on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pamelalangan/
Connect with Jacqui on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacqui-jagger/
Follow the Catalyst Careers LinkedIn page for career tips and advice
Interested in working with us?
Get in touch about career or leadership development, outplacement workshops or recruitment support via the Catalyst Careers website
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If you've ever found yourself completely overwhelmed, running on empty and wondering how you got here, this episode is for you. We're exploring why so many leaders struggle to say no. Not because they're weak or disorganised, but because saying yes is what got them where they are. Understanding how this pattern forms is the first step to changing it.
We get honest about what this really looks and feels like from the inside, including the gap between how capable you appear to everyone else and how stretched you actually feel. If any of this sounds familiar, you're not alone, and there are things you can do.

Key points from this episode
Why saying yes early in your career works against you later — and how it stops being a strategy and becomes your identity
The "invisible yes" — work that lands on your plate that you never actually agreed to
What it really costs you to keep saying yes to everything, including your career progression
Why pushing back feels so hard when you've always been the reliable one
First steps to take if you recognise yourself in this episode

Timestamps
00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview
00:47 Why Saying Yes Feels Good Early in Your Career
03:00 When Yes Stops Being a Strategy and Becomes Your Identity
06:00 What This Really Looks Like Day to Day
09:00 High Achievers Don't Give Themselves Permission to Struggle
11:00 The Cost of Always Finding a Way Through
14:00 The Invisible Yes — and Why It Matters
16:00 Practical First Steps: Pause, Reflect and Reassess
19:30 Why Asking for Help Is Part of the Solution
22:30 When It's Time to Consider Coaching
23:30 Link to Episode 82 and Close
Useful Links
Episode 82
Connect with Pam on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pamelalangan/
Connect with Jacqui on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacqui-jagger/
Follow the Catalyst Careers LinkedIn page for career tips and advice
Interested in working with us?
Get in touch about career or leadership development, outplacement workshops or recruitment support via the Catalyst Careers website

Managing a team member who's being disrespectful is one of the most confidence-shaking situations a leader can face, precisely because it's so hard to name. Is it a conduct issue? A personality clash? Or is it you? In this episode, we unpack what disrespectful behaviour from a team member actually looks like, why leaders so often hesitate to act, and what to do when you're ready to address it.
We share real examples from our own experience and client work, and walk through a practical approach that doesn't require you to go in heavy-handed, but does require you to stop waiting.
Key points from this episode
How disrespectful behaviour often hides in plain sight — and why high performers aren't immune from it
The self-reflection step most leaders skip before addressing conduct
Why curiosity is one of your most underused tools in these conversations
Using the AID framework (Action, Impact, Desired behaviour) to tackle it directly without the emotion
What to do if it doesn't improve — and why escalation is rarer than you think

00:00 Introduction and episode overview
00:26 What does disrespectful behaviour actually look like?
03:00 The grey areas: when you're not sure if it's a conduct issue
07:00 How many people wish they'd waited longer vs. acted sooner?
08:30 Why addressing it is a development opportunity for both of you
10:00 Setting clear expectations before the conversation
14:00 Pam's example: when the negativity wasn't what it seemed
16:00 Using curiosity to get underneath the behaviour
20:30 Where to start: a step-by-step approach
23:00 The AID framework in practice
24:30 If it doesn't improve: escalation, consistency, and keeping records
26:30 Final thoughtsSonnet 4.6

Useful Links
Connect with Pam on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pamelalangan/
Connect with Jacqui on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacqui-jagger/
Follow the Catalyst Careers LinkedIn page for career tips and advice
Interested in working with us?
Get in touch about career or leadership development, outplacement workshops or recruitment support via the Catalyst Careers website

Panel interviews at senior level are a different beast — and if you go in preparing the same way you would for a mid-management role, you're likely to undersell yourself. In this episode, we break down exactly what makes senior panel interviews different and, more importantly, how to prepare in a way that genuinely sets you apart.
We cover everything from researching panel members to handling the gaps in your experience with confidence. If you've got one of these coming up, this episode is essential listening.
Key points from this episode
Why senior panel interviews feel more like a discussion — and what the panel is really trying to find out
How to go beyond the job description in your preparation and why it matters
The smart way to research panel members before you walk in the room
Why preparing stories beats preparing Q&As — and the three buckets every story should fit into
How to handle gaps in your experience honestly without it damaging your chances

Timestamps
00:00 Introduction and Topic Overview
00:52 How Senior Panel Interviews Differ from Earlier Career Stages
02:15 What Each Panel Member Is Looking For
03:45 Why Starting with the Job Description Isn't Enough
05:00 Researching Panel Members and the Market Context
07:00 How to Find Information on Panel Members
08:30 Asking the Recruiter the Right Questions
09:45 Pulling Your Preparation Together: Stories and Evidence
11:00 How to Handle Gaps in Your Experience
13:00 Honesty and Credibility: Why Transparency Builds Trust
15:00 Why Human Connection Matters More Than Scripted Answers
17:00 What the Panel Is Really Assessing at Senior Level
18:45 Key Themes and Scenarios to Prepare For
20:00 The Three Things Senior Leaders Need to Demonstrate
21:30 Final Advice and How to Get Support from Pam
Useful Links
Connect with Pam on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pamelalangan/
Connect with Jacqui on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacqui-jagger/
Interested in working with us?
Get in touch about career or leadership development, outplacement workshops or recruitment support via the Catalyst Careers website