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Weekly videos on how to make Exceptional Leadership Simple
Emotions At Work Podcast Appearance
Phil Willcox is joined by Sara Sabin to explore the internal game of leadership and why tools and frameworks aren’t enough without emotional mastery. Sara explains that mastery isn’t about being emotionless, it’s about noticing emotions without resisting them, regulating in the moment and spending more time in emotional neutrality (calm and clear, not suppression or “not caring”).
They share a practical pathway, awareness, acknowledgement, acceptance, labelling and processing, plus two quick regulation tools: the power of the pause and a short mental rehearsal before high-pressure moments.
The conversation also tackles “repellent energy” (neediness that leaks through communication), how to stay ambitious without over-attaching to outcomes and why many leaders build confidence on external validation. Sara introduces internal scaffolding, a steadier confidence that holds up when work and life shake your identity.
Key Topics Discussed
Emotional mastery and emotional neutrality
The regulation pathway: awareness, acceptance, processing
The pause (hard hack) vs mental rehearsal (easy hack)
“Repellent energy” and reducing attachment to outcomes
External vs internal confidence scaffolding
Using challenges as “stress tests” to strengthen identity and self-worth
They share a practical pathway, awareness, acknowledgement, acceptance, labelling and processing, plus two quick regulation tools: the power of the pause and a short mental rehearsal before high-pressure moments.
The conversation also tackles “repellent energy” (neediness that leaks through communication), how to stay ambitious without over-attaching to outcomes and why many leaders build confidence on external validation. Sara introduces internal scaffolding, a steadier confidence that holds up when work and life shake your identity.
Key Topics Discussed
Emotional mastery and emotional neutrality
The regulation pathway: awareness, acceptance, processing
The pause (hard hack) vs mental rehearsal (easy hack)
“Repellent energy” and reducing attachment to outcomes
External vs internal confidence scaffolding
Using challenges as “stress tests” to strengthen identity and self-worth
Strategically Quit To Achieve Your Dreams
Entrepreneurship is a hard road. Made harder by staying in it for ego reasons, rather than a genuine love and passion for your mission. Enter the concept of strategic quitting. I talk about this more in my video.
#executivecoaching #entrepreneurship #strategicquitting
#executivecoaching #entrepreneurship #strategicquitting
Question Time: How do I Develop More Executive Presence?
It's easy to mix up presence and charisma and decide that it's something you're either "naturally born" with or not. In reality, very few people have natural gravitas and presence. The good news is that it's a skill that can be learned. Here's what to consider!
#executivecoaching #executivecoach #executivepresence #communication
#executivecoaching #executivecoach #executivepresence #communication
The Purpose of Empathy in the Workplace
Empathy is an oft misunderstood term - the purpose of it in the workplace is not about helping people feel good all the time. It's the key to influencing people. In this video, I explain why and how.
#emotionalintelligence #empathy #executivecoaching
#emotionalintelligence #empathy #executivecoaching
Relationships At Work: Taking Self-Responsibility (Not Blame)
You can't change other people but you can change your reactions and in so doing, you usually shift the relationship dynamic positively. But there's a fine line between self-responsibility (constructive) and blame (destructive). Here's how to tell the difference.
#executivecoaching #executivecoach #leadershipdevelopment #relationshipsatwork
#executivecoaching #executivecoach #leadershipdevelopment #relationshipsatwork
Question Time: Why Do I Lose Confidence When Things aren't Going Well?
This may seem obvious! Because things aren't going well! But the thing that differentiates the top performers from the rest is the "internal scaffolding" of confidence that exists regardless of what's going on externally. In this video, I explain more.
#resilience #executivecoaching #confidence
#resilience #executivecoaching #confidence
3 Steps to a Great Presentation
In this video, I go through 3 crucial steps to delivering a great presentation. This follows on from the video "I've prepared so well for this. Why wasn't it a success?"
#executivecoaching #executivecoach #communication #emotionalintelligence
#executivecoaching #executivecoach #communication #emotionalintelligence
Deferring Commitments to Yourself?
Executives are used to keeping commitments at work but will very often defer commitments to themselves. Citing "some day I'll have more time". Here's why some day might never come and how it holds your career back.
Pain Now vs. Pain Later
We are wired to pick short term gains over long term gains, thinking it avoids pain. But as an executive in the business world, this approach is often far from optimal. In this video, I talk about what really happens when we pick the short term gain!
#executive #executivecoaching
#executive #executivecoaching
Question Time: What Do You Mean by Artificial Emotional Highs & Lows?
In this video, I talk about one of the keys to emotional mastery. Neutrality. And recognising when you are too high or too low for rational thinking, so you can balance yourself out fast!
#emotionalresilience #leadershipdevelopment #executivecoaching
#emotionalresilience #leadershipdevelopment #executivecoaching
Why people pleasing is creating a success ceiling
You may think that being a martyr to the cause at work is what you need to do to get ahead. And it may well have worked at one point in your career to get you to executive level. However, it can start to create a success ceiling, later in your career. Here's why.
#executivecoach #executivecoaching
#executivecoach #executivecoaching
Question time: Not everyone on my team is high performing! What do I do?
I work with high performing executives, who often feel disappointment when they encounter people on their team that don't have the same MO and/or outlook as they do. The good news is to have a high performing team, you don't have to! Here's how to look at building strong teams instead.
#executivecoach #executivecoaching #highperformanceculture
#executivecoach #executivecoaching #highperformanceculture
Keys to Success: Delayed Gratification
In an age of instant gratification and addiction to quick dopamine hits: one of the keys to resilience and sustained long term success and growth is training yourself to delay gratification. In this video, I give you a tip for how to do that.
#neuroscienceinsights #executivecoach #executivecoaching #successmindset
#neuroscienceinsights #executivecoach #executivecoaching #successmindset
Question Time: What is emotional mastery?
The term emotional mastery is often misunderstood. In this video, I explain what it is and why it is one of the core tenets of a successful work life.
#emotionalresilience #executivecoach #executivecoaching
#emotionalresilience #executivecoach #executivecoaching
Slow January Start is OK! Here's Why.
The collective narrative is "hit the ground hard" in January. And that works for some people. However, achieving success is a marathon not a sprint, so here's how you can slow down and still achieve your goals!
Question Time: I've prepared so well for this! Why wasn't it a success?
When a meeting/presentation/pitch is important; it's natural to prepare thoroughly. However, there's an oft overlooked ingredient in success which can make all the difference in how you show up and how you're received. In this video, I talk about that.
A Holiday Message!
Wishing you all a happy and peaceful end to 2025, and a great start to 2026!
A Better Approach to New Year's Resolutions
The majority of people give up on New Year's Resolutions by February. In this video, I give my take on why that is and how to set New Year's goals that you actually stick to so that they change your life!
#executivecoaching #executivecoach
#executivecoaching #executivecoach
Forming Habits: Change Location Change Perspective
In this video, I talk about easy ways to form new, positive habits; and why changing location can be helpful for this purpose.
#neuroscienceinsights #executivecoach #executivecoaching
#neuroscienceinsights #executivecoach #executivecoaching
Question Time: 2 Things that Hold Execs Back from their Goals
I was recently asked for my top things that I see holding executives back in the workplace. In this video, I share what they are.
#executivecoach #executivecoaching #performancedevelopment
#executivecoach #executivecoaching #performancedevelopment
The Confidence Competence Alignment
Why is it that the more competent we get, the less confident we feel? In this video, I explain this phenomenon, and give you a simple tool to get your confidence up.
#executivecoach #executivecoaching #confidence
#executivecoach #executivecoaching #confidence
Question Time: AI Trends for 2026?
Following on from talking about workplace trends I predict for 2026, in this video, I talk about the one must-have for you to put AI to the best use within your company.
#ai #executivecoach #2026trends #leadership
#ai #executivecoach #2026trends #leadership
Good Thing, Bad Thing. Who Knows.
How to get out of "victim" mindset, so you can have the energy and headspace to focus on what actually needs to be done to move forward.
#executivecoaching #executivecoach #performance #resilience
#executivecoaching #executivecoach #performance #resilience
Qn Time: Key Workplace Trends for 2026?
In this video, I talk about 3 trends that I predict will be gathering momentum in the workplace in 2026.
#executivecoaching #executivecoach #2026
#executivecoaching #executivecoach #2026
Question Time: Who are your clients and why do they come to you?
In this video, I talk about the clients that I serve, why I'm industry agnostic and what the top 3 reasons executives come to me for coaching are.
#executivecoach #executivecoaching #leadershipdevelopment
#executivecoach #executivecoaching #leadershipdevelopment
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