Shows / The Pause Before You Lead
The Pause Before You Lead
Leadership today asks a lot of people.
Leaders make decisions with incomplete information, navigate competing priorities, support others through change, and respond to challenges that rarely have simple answers.
In the midst of all that, it's easy to keep moving without creating space to think.
Hosted by Heather Haigh and Alicia Saint, The Pause Before You Lead is a podcast for leaders navigating growth, complexity, and uncertainty. Each week, Heather and Alicia explore the conversations…
Episodes
- The Pause Before You Lead
Should I Say Something?
You feel you should say something. But how? In this episode of The Pause Before You Lead, Heather and Alicia try an experiment: putting themselves in a…
- The Pause Before You Lead
Why Do I Keep Letting This Go?
Can I hold someone accountable and still be the compassionate leader I want to be? In this episode of The Pause Before You Lead, Heather and Alicia explore why…
- The Pause Before You Lead
What Do Our Team Values Look Like in Action?
Our team values are written down. Would someone watching us work know what they are? In this episode of The Pause Before You Lead, Heather and Alicia explore…
- The Pause Before You Lead
What Do You Mean by That?
We use words like trust, respect, innovation, accountability, and collaboration to describe how we want to work together. But do those words mean the same…
- The Pause Before You Lead
What If I'm Wrong?
What if the question you most resist is the one worth sitting with? In this episode of The Pause Before You Lead, Heather shares why “What if I’m wrong?” once…
- The Pause Before You Lead
When Did I Stop Being Curious?
What happens when you’re asking curious questions, but you’ve already decided where you want the conversation to go? In this episode of The Pause Before You…
- The Pause Before You Lead
Why Didn't I See That Coming?
How often do we think we know what someone else is thinking without asking? In this episode of The Pause Before You Lead, Heather and Alicia explore how easily…
- The Pause Before You Lead
When Is Transparency Not Helpful?
As a leader, being honest, authentic and transparent can feel like the right thing to do. But does that mean sharing everything you know? In this episode of…
- The Pause Before You Lead
How Do I Get My Team Thinking Together?
You know there's wisdom around the table. But how do you create the space for your team to actually think together? In this solo episode of The Pause Before…
- The Pause Before You Lead
Why Is It So Hard for Leaders to Let Go?
Why is it so hard for leaders to let go? It’s often not for a lack of desire. You want to let go. You intend to let go. And yet, somehow you keep holding on…
- The Pause Before You Lead
Why Do I Keep Stepping Back In?
You delegate. You build a capable team. You genuinely want others to take ownership. So why do you keep stepping back in? In this solo episode of The Pause…
- The Pause Before You Lead
Why Do I Feel Like I Have to Carry It All?
Leadership can sometimes feel lonely. But is loneliness simply part of leadership, or could it be connected to the stories we carry about what leadership…
- The Pause Before You Lead
Why Do My People Avoid Hard Conversations?
Many leaders work hard to create psychologically safe teams. But when safety becomes the goal without the emotional maturity to navigate disagreement, teams…
- The Pause Before You Lead
Why Does Everything Feel So Urgent?
When every request feels urgent, leaders can find themselves trapped in a cycle of constant reaction. Strategic work gets postponed, boundaries disappear, and…
- The Pause Before You Lead
Why Does Everything Keep Coming Back to Me?
Many leaders become successful because they're dependable. They solve problems, step in quickly, and keep everything moving. But over time, those same…
- The Pause Before You Lead
Why Does My Team Stop Speaking Up?
Trust doesn't usually disappear overnight. More often, it erodes quietly through everyday interactions that seem helpful on the surface. Leaders offer advice…
- The Pause Before You Lead
If Only I Had More Time
"If only I had more time." It's one of the most common frustrations leaders bring into coaching conversations. More time to think. More time to lead. More time…
- The Pause Before You Lead
Who Feels Left Out on Your Team?
Alicia recently joined a breakout discussion about psychological safety and immediately found herself feeling excluded. The irony wasn't lost on her. A group…
- The Pause Before You Lead
Why Am I Having This Conversation Again?
Have you ever walked away from a conversation thinking, "We've talked about this before"? Many leaders find themselves repeating the same messages, giving the…
- The Pause Before You Lead
Why Is It So Hard for Leaders to Pause?
Leaders today face constant pressure to respond, solve problems, and keep things moving. Yet many tell us they're capable of clearer thinking, better…