The 5 Things I Never Say to Insecure Leaders—And What I Say Instead
The Game Changer With Dr. Sharalyn
Release Date: 07/15/2025
Episode 25 - The Courage Advantage: Why Conflict is the Catalyst for Leadership
The Game Changer With Dr. Sharalyn
In this episode of The Game Changer with Dr. Sharalyn, Leah Brown—global legal leader, award-winning executive, and strategic advisor—reveals why conflict is the proving ground for influence, innovation, and integrity. In a world where leaders are pressured to keep the peace, Leah Brown argues the opposite—conflict isn’t the enemy; it’s the ignition point of true leadership. According to Harvard Business Review, 57% of employees avoid conflict, even when it costs the organization time, trust, and millions in rework. But courage isn’t just a character trait—it’s a competitive...
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Episode 24 - The Leadership Lead: Mindset Shift Every Founder - and Leader- Must Make
The Game Changer With Dr. Sharalyn
Episode Description In this episode of The Game Changer with Dr. Sharalyn, founder coach Andrew Poles reveals what truly separates high-performing leaders from those who burn out trying to do it all. Having coached over 10,000 entrepreneurs, Andrew breaks down the mindset shift every founder must make to scale sustainably, the hidden traps in transitioning from operator to CEO, and why great leaders master storytelling as a strategic tool of influence. He also shares how endurance training in ultramarathon mountain biking has shaped his philosophy on mental resilience, leadership pressure,...
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Episode 23 - The Anatomy of a Game Changer: Disrupting Without Breaking What Works
The Game Changer With Dr. Sharalyn
Every high-impact leader faces this tension: how do you drive disruption without destabilizing what already delivers results? In this episode of The Game Changer with Dr. Sharalyn, Dr. Sharalyn Payne unpacks the anatomy of a true game changer—those rare leaders who can build the future while honoring the foundation. You’ll learn how to introduce bold innovation without burning out your people or breaking the systems that sustain performance. This is disruption by design, not destruction. Key Takeaways: What you’ll take away from this episode: Not all change is progress. Game changers...
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Episode 22 -Resilience at Scale: How Leaders Build Teams That Withstand Pressure
The Game Changer With Dr. Sharalyn
In this episode of The Game Changer with Dr. Sharalyn, we unpack the secret to building resilience at scale. Dr. Sharalyn reveals how high-impact leaders design systems, rhythms, and cultures that sustain performance—no matter the pressure. You’ll discover how to move beyond survival mode and lead teams that not only endure adversity but emerge stronger, sharper, and more unified on the other side. Key Takeaways: What you’ll take away from this episode: Resilience isn’t individual—it’s institutional. True resilience is a culture, not a personality trait. Pressure exposes what...
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Episode 21 - From Food Stamps to Diplomat: Leadership Lessons from the Frontlines
The Game Changer With Dr. Sharalyn
In this episode, Dr. Sharalyn Payne sits down with Michael Dillard—Global Speaker, Executive Coach, and Financial Literacy Advocate—to unpack how one man’s unexpected journey from humble beginnings to global diplomacy became a masterclass in resilience, reinvention, and purpose-driven leadership. Michael’s story isn’t just inspiring—it’s instructional. From growing up on food stamps and grit to serving across six countries as a U.S. diplomat, Michael reveals how to recover from burnout, reclaim your energy, and lead with lasting impact. If you’ve ever felt like your path was...
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Episode 20 - Living with Intention: Building a Life of Purpose and Impact
The Game Changer With Dr. Sharalyn
In this powerful episode of The Ultra Influential Podcast with Dr. Sharalyn Payne, we sit down with Larry O’Nan — a seasoned leader, consultant, and author whose career in nonprofit leadership and fund development has transformed organizations and lives around the world. Larry shares how “the freedom to fail” became a powerful catalyst for innovation, how understanding and applying stewardship principles can lead to transformation, and how intentional living and giving can turn fear and confusion into clarity and purpose. This episode is a masterclass in stewardship, leadership,...
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Episode 19 - Leading While Healing: How Vulnerability Becomes a Leadership Strength
The Game Changer With Dr. Sharalyn
What if the very thing you’ve been hiding is the source of your greatest strength? In this episode, Dr. Sharalyn Payne challenges one of leadership’s most damaging myths — that strength means silence. She explores how leading while healing isn’t a contradiction, it’s a calling. When leaders embrace their humanity, they don’t lose influence — they amplify it. Drawing from research, real-world examples, and her own experience working with world-class executives, Dr. Payne reveals how vulnerability fuels trust, deepens connection, and transforms culture from the inside out. This...
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Episode 18 - Breaking Free from Mental Prisons: Redefining Resilience and Leadership
The Game Changer With Dr. Sharalyn
In this powerful conversation, D. Logan shares his raw and inspiring journey—from growing up in the confines of a religious cult to navigating the battlefield of Iraq, and facing the darkest moments of suicidal ideation—twice. What could have broken him instead forged a relentless pursuit of purpose. Today, as a live television Director, he’s not just living his dream but also unpacking the very strategies and mindset shifts that made his success possible. What you’ll take away from this episode: • The hidden cost of survival and how D. Logan turned trauma into resilience. • The...
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Episode 17 - Turning Pain into Power: The Resilience Advantage of Game Changer Leaders
The Game Changer With Dr. Sharalyn
Every leader faces pain. But the Game Changer leaders? They don’t just survive it—they weaponize it. In this episode, Dr. Sharalyn Payne unpacks eight powerful ways to transform setbacks into strength, struggles into strategy, and pain into purpose. Whether you’re a C-suite executive, middle manager, or change agent, you’ll discover how to turn your hardest moments into your greatest credibility. If this episode challenged you, share it with one leader you know who’s navigating a season of pain. Because resilience multiplies when we don’t walk through it alone. Show Notes Go to...
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Episode 16 - The Leadership Lessons No One Ever Told Me
The Game Changer With Dr. Sharalyn
We were told leadership meant having all the answers, driving results at all costs, and never letting them see you sweat. But no one told us the truth— that you can hit every metric and still lose the room… that you can carry the title and have no one truly following you… that brilliance without credibility burns trust—and trust is the real currency of leadership. In this powerful solo episode, Dr. Sharalyn pulls back the curtain on the hard-won lessons no one ever told her about leadership—lessons forged in high-stakes boardrooms, billion-dollar transformations, and culture-shaping...
info_outlineEpisode Summary:
Some leaders hold the title, but not the confidence. In this episode of The Game Changer with Dr. Sharalyn, we unpack the five phrases that can unintentionally trigger defensiveness, power plays, and shut doors with insecure leaders. More importantly, you'll get practical, emotionally intelligent alternatives that help you lead with influence—even when you’re not in charge.
You’ll also take the Gamechanger Influence Audit™, respond to a powerful real-world leadership challenge, and walk away with scripts that help you navigate ego-driven leadership dynamics with clarity, power, and strategy.
If you’ve ever had to manage up, deal with power fragility, or lead from the middle—this is your playbook.
Key Takeaways:
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Words matter more than ever. The wrong phrase can shut down trust and get you sidelined by insecure power.
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Emotional intelligence is a power skill. Learn how to reframe your language to elevate—not agitate—those above you.
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Influence is preserved through strategy. Get 5 exact scripts to stay credible and respected when stakes are high.
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Audit your leadership voice. Use the Gamechanger Influence Audit™ to recalibrate how you show up.
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You don’t have to hold the title to shape the room. Influence is a choice—backed by skill, not permission.
Links & Resources:
- Newsletter: Ultra Influential
- The CREDIBLE™ Framework by Dr. Sharalyn Payne
- Connect on LinkedIn: Dr. Sharalyn
- DownloadThe Game Changer's Leadership Collection - Your free toolkit to lead with clarity, power, and credibility.
- Related Episode: The Leadership Lesson That Almost Cost Me Everything
Call to Action:
If this episode shifted your thinking, don’t keep it to yourself.
- Share it with a leader who’s navigating power dynamics, managing up, or trying to stay influential in complex environments.
- Download the Game Changers Starter Kit—your strategic edge for leading with clarity, courage, and credibility: www.smpistrategies.com/starterkit.
- Leave a review to help other high-level leaders find this message.