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Q: Who or what inspired you to be a Leadership Coach and why?What inspired me to be a leadership coach was following %u201cthe breadcrumbs%u201d and tuning into where I made the most impact using my natural strengths/skills of intense curiosity, ability to listen for the nuances and where I was most energized. I also started pretty broadly in my career early on in the field of Organizational Development which meant that I was in a %u201cplayground%u201d of trying out different things like working with leaders on training, facilitating, strategy, culture, and employee engagement and coaching. What I noticed was how profound the coaching relationship was for the client and the amazing results one could get through my work with them. And, tuning into that I honed in on coaching as the way I wanted to serve. Having been a leader of teams, I also acutely understand the pressures of leading, managing and the transitions within leadership itself. Leading is a very dynamic landscape today and so it keeps me, as the coach, on my toes to understand all the changes. I also deeply admire coaches like Marshall Goldsmith, who have gone before me, to pave the way for coaching. He%u2019s been an inspiration for sure. Q: What%u2019s the most dangerous behavior/trait that you have seen derail female leaders%u2019 careers?Imposter syndrome. Letting our insecure beliefs that we need to lead differently or be anyone else other than who we naturally are, get in the way and dominate how we show up. This can really create misalignment between who we are and how we show up as we take on a different persona to fit in. Q: How do you encourage women to not give up?I think this is a personal question %u2013 I encourage women to tap into what works for them to keep them in what I call, %u2018 the long game.%u2019 That means, if you need to have a mentor in your life to keep you inspired and going, do that. If you need to find a community within your workplace, join a women%u2019s ERG to find affinity and connection to not give up, do that. It%u2019s all about doing what works for you and that starts from a place of knowing yourself. Q: In your opinion, do women have a hard time getting promoted?Yes and no. I think that many women are stuck when they believe and live by the old mantra of %u201ckeep your head down, don%u2019t talk about your accomplishments, don%u2019t raise your hand %u2013 wait to be picked%u2026%u201d these types of beliefs when we are not aware of them and let them rule how we show up and how we live our work lives is absolutely dangerous to confidence and as a result, impacts how and what we do at work, which then means we don%u2019t%u2019 go for the promotion or the big visible projects or take that risk and ask for the promotion in the ways that men do. This results in less women being promoted.On the flip side, if we are aware of those limiting beliefs, actively work to go against it and show up for the things you want and act in accordance to it, then the woman will get the promotion.48 MOST MAGAZINE - ISSUE 45