Libsyn Directory

Ep. 19: From fired to fearless & leading boldly, with Sarah Robb O'Hagan

Release Date: 06/09/2025

Ep. 34: Performing like a fighter pilot, with Christian “Boo” Boucousis

The Leadership Dance

What can leaders learn from fighter pilots about performing under pressure? Former fighter pilot and CEO Christian “Boo” Boucousis joins The Leadership Dance to share how elite performers make decisions in chaos, execute with clarity, and stay calm when it matters most. From cockpit-tested leadership habits to practical tools like plan–brief–execute–debrief, this episode breaks down what it means to perform like a fighter pilot. From a five-year-old boy mesmerized at an air show to one of fewer than 400 fighter pilots trained over four decades, Boo’s journey reveals how his air...

Ep. 33: Creativity is a leadership muscle, with Tina Wells

The Leadership Dance

“Curiosity is a cure for stagnation.” Tune in to meet mover and shaker Tina Wells, an author, entrepreneur, and trend spotter, as she shares her insights on what it takes to design a life and career you love across multiple chapters. Her incredible journey from teen founder to agency leader, product designer, and bestselling writer reflects her approach to embracing curiosity in all its manifestations. Tina discusses how a “happy accident” at 16 grew into a powerful youth insights company, why she ultimately chose to close a successful business, and how that bold move opened the door...

Ep. 32: Delivering impact with affirming care, with Liana Guzmán

The Leadership Dance

What does it mean to lead with values when the political landscape makes inclusion harder, not easier? In this episode of The Leadership Dance, host Alissa Hsu Lynch sits down with Liana Guzmán, CEO of FOLX Health, to explore what real leadership looks like when rhetoric, risk, and responsibility collide. Liana shares her personal journey growing up in Puerto Rico and the mainland U.S., her nonlinear career across marketing, fintech, and healthcare, and why she’s committed to building a future of LGBTQIA+ affirming care that prioritizes outcomes over optics. Together, they unpack how...

2025 Highlights, with Alissa Hsu Lynch

The Leadership Dance

A little over a year ago, I launched The Leadership Dance podcast to shine a light on amazing people who don't fit the conventional mold - people who are choreographing their own leadership dances. Over the past year, this podcast has grown into a global community through honest conversations with trailblazers across business and the arts. As we head into the next year, I’m excited to continue exploring the art of leadership, creativity, career reinvention, and what it means to choreograph your own leadership journey with more inspiring voices and real-world lessons. Thank you for...

Ep. 31: From SNL to producing her next act, with Lindsay Shookus

The Leadership Dance

Former Emmy award-winning SNL producer Lindsay Shookus shares the trust-building strategies, people skills, and leadership lessons that carried her from two decades at Saturday Night Live into a powerful next act as a speaker and executive coach. In this candid conversation, she opens up about resilience, reinvention, and the transformational relationships that shaped her career, and how you can apply the same tools in your own leadership journey. Drawing on stories from booking A-list guests and surviving high-pressure live TV, Lindsay discusses how thoughtfulness, a relentless work ethic,...

Ep. 30: Creating a high-performing culture, with James & Krista White

The Leadership Dance

What does it really take to build an organization where people thrive - especially in a world transformed by technology, generational change, and new expectations? In this energizing episode, host Alissa Hsu Lynch sits down with James D. White, renowned board leader and former Jamba CEO, and his daughter Krista White, rising workplace culture strategist and writer. Together, they share how their experience as a father-daughter team powered their new best-selling book, Culture Design, and reveal why transformation starts with rethinking culture from the inside out. Tune in for actionable...

Ep. 29: Legacy in motion, with Misty Copeland

The Leadership Dance

After 25 years with American Ballet Theatre, iconic ballerina Misty Copeland took her final bow in a historic gala performance – but her work is far from over. In this episode of The Leadership Dance, host Alissa Hsu Lynch sits down with Misty to explore what comes next: leading from the boardroom, expanding access to the arts through the Misty Copeland Foundation, and reimagining ballet’s future for the next generation. Misty opens up about why she initially said ‘no’ to a farewell performance, the challenges of returning to the stage after five years and becoming a mother, and how...

Ep. 28: Grace, grit, and guiding dancers, with Stella Abrera

The Leadership Dance

Renowned ballerina Stella Abrera joins host Alissa Hsu Lynch on The Leadership Dance to reflect on her extraordinary career with American Ballet Theatre and her journey from the stage to shaping the next generation of dancers. Stella opens up about growing up in a home filled with music and discipline, the perseverance behind rising to principal dancer, and the back injury that nearly ended her career—but ultimately strengthened her resilience and leadership. Now as Artistic Director of the ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School, she shares how she’s guiding young dancers with grace, grit,...

Ep. 27: Finding your leadership rhythm, with Margaret Andrews

The Leadership Dance

Harvard leadership instructor and author Margaret Andrews joins Alissa Hsu Lynch to trace her unconventional journey from accounting to academia, sharing how a series of “lucky accidents” and bold choices propelled her to the forefront of executive education. This episode is chock-full of practical advice for leaders at any stage of their careers. Margaret, who leads Harvard’s most popular professional development program, reflects on how kissing a few career “frogs” and embracing improvisation shaped her path. She also opens up about the self-discovery and resilience that became the...

Ep. 26: Owning the spotlight, with Mira Nadon

The Leadership Dance

New York City Ballet star Mira Nadon joins Alissa Hsu Lynch to reflect on her journey from California rehearsal studios to becoming the first Asian American principal dancer at the company. Hailed by the New York Times as “a once-in-a-generation dancer,” she opens up about growing up in an academic household, the “aha moment” of her promotion, and why she didn’t always see herself as a role model - until the world began to watch. Mira recounts joyful milestones and daunting setbacks, from pandemic disruptions to ankle surgery, and reveals how persistence, self-advocacy, and finding...

More Episodes

In this energizing conversation, powerhouse leader Sarah Robb O’Hagan—former executive at Nike, Gatorade, and Equinox, and author of Extreme You—shares insights from her bold career journey. Sarah opens up about the tough lessons she learned from early career failures, the power of resilience, and how embracing her authentic, “extreme” self led her to unlock new levels of leadership. Together, Alissa and Sarah explore what it means to lead with courage, create inclusive high-performance cultures, and why doing “hard things” is essential for growth. Whether you’re just starting out or leading at the top, this episode will leave you inspired to bring your boldest self to every room you enter. Tune in for the full episode to learn Sarah’s practical tips on how to perform under constant pressure.

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💡Key Takeaways:

As a leader, you have to invest in recovery just as much as preparation and performance.

The risk associated with bold moves is actually no more than the risk associated with playing it safe.

Be your “Extreme You” and embrace what makes you different and turn it into your superpower.

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Connect with Sarah:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-robb-o-hagan-249130/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/extremesro/

Website: https://www.sarahrobbohagan.com/

Course: https://maven.com/sarah-robb-o-hagan/the-breakout-leader

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