Career & Leadership Real Talk

Confidence, self-doubt and imposter syndrome are some of the topics you listen to most, and there's a reason we keep coming back to them. In this episode we step back from the individual stories and look at what's driving low confidence at work, because we'd argue it's usually a symptom rather than the problem itself.
We walk through four things that quietly erode confidence, from an environment that strips it away to the odd lag that hits when your title changes but you don't feel any different. Most of us are dealing with two or three at once, and that's completely normal. We've also pulled together a playlist of five episodes from the back catalogue, so you can go deeper on the one that fits you best.
Key points from this episode
Why low confidence is often a symptom, and what it might be pointing to
The many ways low confidence shows up, and why so many of us hide it
Why you can't build confidence in an environment that strips it from you
The identity gap: what happens when your title changes but you don't feel any different
Why imposter syndrome so often arrives as a package deal with the others

Go deeper: the confidence playlist
Listen to the full playlist here
Ep 27: Overcoming Self-Doubt: Practical Strategies for Building Confidence at Work
Ep 67: The Difference Between Confidence and Self Belief
Ep 90: 6 Confidence Myths that Hold Leaders Back
Ep 110: Imposter Syndrome with Aoife O'Brien
Ep 164: Imposter Syndrome: Why It Gets Worse as You Get More Senior

00:00 Introduction and How the Playlist Works
01:00 Why Low Confidence Is a Symptom, Not the Problem
02:00 How Low Confidence Shows Up
05:00 The Overthinking Cycle
06:00 When Caring What People Think Is Rational, and When It Drains You
08:00 Cause 1: Your Environment
14:30 Cause 2: Finding Something Difficult
18:00 Cause 3: The Identity Gap
23:00 Cause 4: Imposter Syndrome
29:00 Coaching and Imposter Syndrome
30:30 Why Most of Us Have Two or Three Stacked, and Wrap Up

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

We've both had this come up constantly in coaching conversations lately: talented people who are already operating above their job title, but who rule themselves out of applying for that next-level role because they haven't got the title (or the box-ticked experience) to "prove" it yet. In this episode, we break down exactly how to position yourself on paper and in interview when you're going for a role you haven't technically done before, and why waiting for permission is costing you opportunities right now.
We cover the CV rewrite that actually gets you noticed, the one interview question you need to have properly rehearsed, and how to handle the gaps you're dreading being asked about, without sounding like you're making excuses.
Key points from this episode
Why staying in a role you've outgrown often feels safer than going for the promotion you actually want, and why that logic doesn't hold up
The CV shift that stops you blending in with every other candidate (hint: it's not about listing more responsibilities)
A simple framing technique you can use in your CV or cover letter to be upfront about the gap between your title and your actual level
How to prepare for "tell me about yourself" so it doesn't derail your entire interview
Why the energy you bring to an interview might matter more than how many boxes you tick

Timestamps
00:00 Introduction: applying for roles above your current title or experience level
01:00 Why ambitious people stay stuck, waiting for the "right" experience before applying
04:00 Step one: positioning your CV to get picked for interview in the first place
06:00 Rewriting bullet points around scope and impact, not job description tasks
09:00 The "ready for" framing technique for your CV or cover letter
11:00 Why job titles mean less than you think, and what recruiters actually look for
14:00 Ignoring the "tough market" echo chamber and focusing on your own positioning
17:00 Interview prep: nailing the "tell me about yourself" question
21:00 Handling the gaps you're most worried about being asked
24:00 Finding leadership evidence outside your job title, including outside work entirely
25:00 Why energy and authenticity outweigh ticking every box at interview
29:00 Final advice: stop waiting for permission and start applying now

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

In this episode, we're tackling a topic we know lands hard for so many of you: how to be strategic when your operational workload keeps dragging you back into the weeds. It's one we've covered from different angles before, but it kept coming up in client conversations, so we thought it was time to revisit it properly.
Rather than focusing on time management tips you've probably already tried, we dig into why this is so often about habits and identity rather than a lack of hours in the day. We share five reasons this keeps happening, then three practical steps you can start using straight away to create genuine thinking space.
Key points from this episode
Why "just block out time in your diary" so rarely works, and what's really going on underneath
The five hidden drivers keeping you stuck in the weeds, from the escalation loop to the relentless optimism trap
Why being the person with all the answers might be quietly holding your career back
A simple question to ask before you jump in and solve someone else's problem for them
The three Ds framework for working out what you can stop being involved in

00:00 Introduction and why this topic keeps coming back
06:00 It's not just a practical problem, it's about habits and identity
07:00 Driver one: the escalation loop
12:00 Driver two: the addiction to being needed
14:00 Driver three: the expertise trap
17:00 Driver four: diary space isn't head space
19:00 Driver five: the relentless optimism trap
22:00 Acknowledging your part in it
23:00 What to do: catch yourself before you jump in
26:00 What to do: find the pattern, not the instance
28:00 What to do: the three Ds - ditch, delegate, design differently
30:00 Final thoughts and where to find the playlist

Useful Links
Strategic Thinking Episodes Playlist
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

You're doing brilliant work, you know you could probably do your boss's job, and you're still waiting for someone to notice. Sound familiar? In this episode, we unpack why performing well and waiting for the tap on the shoulder rarely gets you promoted, and what to do instead.
We talk through the very British discomfort with "shouting about yourself," why recognition for your current role doesn't automatically translate into being seen as ready for the next one, and how to have promotion conversations that feel like advocacy rather than an ultimatum. We share a real client example of how raising the conversation months in advance completely changed the outcome, plus practical advice on timing, who to actually speak to, and how to reframe a knockback into a clear, strategic next move.
Key points from this episode
Why being a "reliable pair of hands" can quietly work against your chances of promotion
The very British instinct that's stopping you asking for what you want
Why your manager praising your work doesn't mean they see you at the next level
A real client story of how starting the conversation early changed everything
Who you should actually be having this conversation with (hint: it's not always who you think)

Timestamps
00:00 Introduction and why this topic matters
01:00 Why performing well isn't a promotion strategy
06:00 The British discomfort with self-promotion
09:00 Why being noticed doesn't mean being seen as ready
12:00 A client's story: raising the conversation months ahead
17:00 Why timing beats waiting for the annual appraisal
19:00 Choosing who to have the conversation with
21:00 Reminding people of your impact
29:00 Turning a "no" into a clear next move
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

Ever felt like a colleague or your boss was speaking a completely different language, even though you're both talking about the same thing? This week we're joined by Gayle Tong, confidence coach and DISC practitioner, to unpack why working with different personality types can quietly chip away at your confidence at work, and what to actually do about it.
We get into what DISC really measures (it's not personality, whatever the name suggests), why the value isn't in the report itself but in the conversation that follows it, and how understanding your own style, and other people's, can turn "why don't they just get it?" into genuinely better working relationships.
Key points from this episode
Why psychometric tools like DISC measure behaviour, not personality, and why that distinction matters more than you'd think
The DISC styles explained in plain English, plus what each one looks like on a good day versus a bad one
Why some of the most common workplace friction comes down to two particular styles clashing, and what to do about it
The real cost of being told to "just be more confident" without specifics
A simple team exercise that surfaces things colleagues have never known about each other, even after years of working together

00:00 Introduction: welcoming guest Gayle Tong
01:00 Gayle's background in confidence coaching and DISC
02:00 Why working with different personality types affects confidence
03:00 How this shows up with Gayle's coaching clients
04:00 DISC explained: behaviour, not personality
06:00 The four DISC styles: D, I, S and C
09:00 Why report feedback works best through discussion
10:00 What happens when you don't recognise yourself in your profile
13:00 Starting with self-awareness before anything else
14:00 The strengths and challenges of each style, good day versus bad day
18:00 Which styles clash, and which connect naturally
21:00 A real example: adapting communication style by email
26:00 Team exercise: the 'My DISC Profile' activity
33:00 When you feel pressure to be more like a 'D' style
35:00 Having the honest conversation about how you work best
37:00 Why "just be more confident" isn't useful feedback from managers
40:00 How to find and work with Gayle
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/
Connect with Gayle
Website: https://www.enrichmentcoaching.co.uk/
LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/gayletong
Interested in working with us?
Get in touch about career or leadership development, outplacement workshops or recruitment support via the Catalyst Careers website