In this episode, Sarah challenges a common belief about promotion: that it’s purely based on performance. Drawing on her experience in HR leadership and executive coaching, she reveals why promotions are often blocked by hesitation, not capability, and what you can do to change how decision-makers see you.

If you’re aiming for your next senior role, this episode will show you exactly how to position yourself so that promotion feels like the obvious next step.

What You’ll Learn

• Why performance alone doesn’t get you promoted
• The real reason senior leaders hesitate in promotion decisions
• The 4 key signals that show you’re ready for the next level
• How to shift perception in the next 6 months
• A simple but powerful communication shift that changes how you’re seen

Timestamps

[00:00:00] Introduction to the podcast and who it’s for

[00:01:00] A powerful mindset shift: imagining the promotion discussion happening without you

[00:02:00] Why promotions are blocked by hesitation - not performance

[00:03:00] The hidden gap: “certainty of perception”

[00:04:00] Case study: why Client B got promoted over Client A

[00:05:00] Overview of the 4 signals that get you promoted

[00:05:30] Signal 1: Thinking beyond your function

[00:06:30] Signal 2: Handling ambiguity and pressure

[00:07:30] Signal 3: Stepping out of the operational “weeds”

[00:08:00] Signal 4: Already operating at the next level

[00:09:00] Why making your ambition visible matters

[00:09:45] The risk of silence: being seen as “content” where you are

[00:10:00] One strategic shift: stop reporting, start interpreting

[00:10:30] Final takeaway: promotion is about perception, not just performance

Key Takeaway

You don’t get promoted because you’ve done a great job—you get promoted when people can already see you operating at the next level. Your role is to remove any doubt that you’re ready.

Useful Links

Book a Free 121 Clarity Call

Sign up for Weekly Career Inspiration

Learn about Leadership & Advancement Coaching Programmes

Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn

Rate & Review the Podcast

If you found this episode of Unstuck & Unstoppable helpful, please do rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

If you're kind enough to leave a review, please do let Sarah know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: sarah@careertreecoaching.co.uk

In this episode, Sarah breaks down how executive recruiters actually operate - and why the typical “send your CV and wait” approach doesn’t work at a senior level. If you’re aiming for leadership roles, you’ll learn how to position yourself strategically, build strong recruiter relationships, and stand out as a credible, low-risk candidate.

What You’ll Learn

• The biggest misconception about executive recruiters
• How recruiters assess senior candidates
• Why positioning matters more than your CV
• 5 practical ways to work with recruiters effectively
• How to make recruiters a powerful part of your job search strategy

Timestamps

[00:00] Welcome & podcast introduction

[01:00] Global reach milestone + episode overview

[02:00] Client story: feeling stuck and overlooked by recruiters

[03:00] The biggest misconception about recruiters

[04:00] Why a passive job search strategy fails

[05:00] Case study: shifting positioning and strategy

[06:00] How executive recruiters actually think

[07:00] What makes you “easy to place”

[07:30] 5 practical strategies to work with recruiters

[07:30] 1. Be specific about what you want

[08:00] 2. Lead with value, not your CV

[08:30] 3. Build relationships, not transactions

[09:00] 4. Prepare properly for recruiter conversations

[09:30] 5. Don’t rely on recruiters alone

[10:00] The mindset shift: recruiters are part of your strategy

[11:00] Final thoughts + how to get support

Key Takeaway

Recruiters don’t find you a job - you position yourself so they can confidently place you. When you get clear, strategic, and visible, they become valuable allies rather than a frustrating dead end.

Useful Links

Sign up for Weekly Career Inspiration

Learn about Leadership & Advancement Coaching Programmes

Book a Free 121 Clarity Call

Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn

Rate & Review the Podcast

If you found this episode of Unstuck & Unstoppable helpful, please do rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

If you're kind enough to leave a review, please do let Sarah know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: sarah@careertreecoaching.co.uk

In this episode, Sarah explores the powerful concept of strategic hope and why it is a critical leadership skill for ambitious female leaders who want to prevent burnout and create real momentum in their careers.

Many high-performing women find themselves working hard while quietly hoping something changes - hoping for recognition, hoping for opportunities, hoping for better leadership or culture. But hope, in its most powerful form, isn’t wishful thinking.

Drawing on the work of positive psychologist C.R. Snyder, Sarah introduces Hope Theory and explains how hope is actually a practical leadership strategy built on three key elements: goals, pathways, and agency.

If you’ve been feeling stuck, flat, or unsure about your next step, this episode will help you shift from passive wishing to actively designing your future.

• The difference between passive hope and strategic hope
• Why high-performing female leaders lose hope in their careers
• The link between hope, motivation, and burnout prevention
• The three essential skills that build strategic hope
• How to create clear goals, practical pathways, and real agency
• Reflection questions to help you start designing your next move

00:00 – Introduction to Unstuck and Unstoppable and episode overview

01:30 – Why hope is the focus of this episode

02:00 – Passive hope vs strategic hope in female leadership

03:30 – Introduction to Hope Theory and C.R. Snyder’s research

04:30 – Reflection: Where are you hoping for change instead of designing it?

05:00 – Why female leaders lose strategic hope:

• 05:10 – Effort without progress and declining energy
• 05:45 – Immovable systems and limited pathways
• 07:00 – Over-responsibility and burnout risk

08:15 – The three strategic hope skills:

08:30 – Skill 1: Clarity and defining your goal

• Getting specific about what you want next in your career

10:45 – Skill 2: Creating pathways and designing your strategy

• Examples of pathways (networking, visibility, role design, internal and external opportunities)
• Planning for obstacles and contingencies

13:00 – Skill 3: Building agency through small actions

• Evidence-building and confidence through action

14:15 – Hope amplifiers

• Why power: connecting to meaning and purpose
• We power: support, accountability, and social connection

15:30 – Three reflection questions to build strategic hope

16:30 – Moving from wishing to designing your career

17:00 – Coaching support and closing message

1. What am I currently wishing would change in my career?
2. What goal sits behind that wish?
3. What is one pathway I could start this week?

Useful Links

Sign up for Weekly Career Inspiration

Learn about Leadership & Advancement Coaching Programmes

Book a Free 121 Clarity Call

Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn

Rate & Review the Podcast

If you found this episode of Unstuck & Unstoppable helpful, please do rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

If you're kind enough to leave a review, please do let Sarah know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: sarah@careertreecoaching.co.uk

In this episode Sarah explores the powerful but often overlooked role of weak ties in career growth and job searching.

If you're an ambitious woman looking to advance your career, increase your visibility, or access new opportunities, this episode will change how you think about networking. Sarah explains why the people you barely know may be the ones who open the biggest doors, and shares practical strategies to help you build and leverage these connections in a way that feels natural and authentic.

• What weak ties are and why they matter in your career
• Why most job opportunities come from people outside your inner circle
• How weak ties increase visibility and career mobility
• Simple and practical ways to build and maintain weak ties
• A quick exercise to start leveraging your network this week

00:00 – Welcome to Unstuck & Unstoppable

02:00 – What Are Weak Ties?

Understanding second and third-order connections and why acquaintances matter in career growth.

03:00 – Why Weak Ties Open More Doors

How weak ties access different networks and opportunities that your inner circle may not see.

04:00 – The Spiderweb Analogy

A powerful visual explanation of how networks work and where opportunities really come from.

05:00 – Research and Career Mobility

Why people who leverage weak ties find jobs faster and access hidden opportunities.

05:30 – How to Leverage Weak Ties (Practical Steps)

Intentional outreach during job search and asking for advice or connections.

05:50 – Using Introductions Strategically

Getting insider information and increasing your chances in recruitment processes.

06:00 – Maintaining Light Contact

Simple ways to stay visible through LinkedIn and quick check-ins.

06:30 – Networking Coffee Conversations

How short, informal conversations can strengthen weak ties.

07:00 – A Simple Networking Exercise

Identify one or two weak ties and reach out this week.

07:30 – Weak Ties as Part of Your Visibility Strategy

Why career growth is about who knows you and what you can do.

08:00 – Final Thoughts and Encouragement

Nurturing weak ties to open unexpected career doors.

Useful Links

Sign up for Weekly Career Inspiration

Learn about Leadership & Advancement Coaching Programmes

Book a Free 121 Clarity Call

Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn

Rate & Review the Podcast

If you found this episode of Unstuck & Unstoppable helpful, please do rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

If you're kind enough to leave a review, please do let Sarah know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: sarah@careertreecoaching.co.uk

Your next career opportunity may not come from your closest contacts - it may come from someone you’ve only spoken to once. Nurture your weak ties and watch new doors open.

In this episode, Sarah explores why the inner critic exists and how it often tries to protect us from perceived risks like rejection, failure, or judgement. The challenge is that while it may have good intentions, it can also keep us stuck, holding back from the opportunities we truly want.

Sarah shares three practical strategies to help you quieten your inner critic and strengthen your inner coach so you can move forward with more confidence and self-trust.

00:00 – Welcome to Unstuck and Unstoppable

01:17 – Episode introduction: The inner critic

Why this topic comes up frequently in coaching sessions and how it affects confidence, career progression, and leadership.

02:15 – What the inner critic sounds like

Common thoughts that trigger self-doubt and prevent action.

03:20 – Why we actually have an inner critic

Understanding the brain’s role in protecting us from physical and emotional risk.

05:00 – How limiting beliefs fuel the inner critic

Where these beliefs come from and how they become ammunition for self-doubt.

06:10 – Your inner narrative and the story you tell yourself

How unconscious scripts shape what you believe is possible for you.

07:10 – Strategy 1: Notice and rewrite the narrative

Becoming aware of the story you’re telling yourself and consciously editing it.

08:05 – Flipping the script

Using the perspective of how you would speak to a friend to create a more empowering narrative.

08:40 – Strategy 2: Evidence-based reframing

Using real achievements and experiences to challenge the inner critic.

09:25 – Client example: Recovering confidence after burnout

How reframing helped a client rebuild trust in herself and pursue leadership again.

11:20 – Strategy 3: Create distance from your inner critic

Naming and externalising the inner critic to reduce its power.

12:20 – Real client example: Visualising and managing the inner critic

How one creative technique dramatically quietened a client’s inner critic.

13:10 – Strengthening your inner coach

Why self-trust is essential for leadership growth.

14:05 – Reflection exercise for listeners

A simple question to help you challenge your inner critic this week.

Useful Links

Episode 51: How to Change Your Inner Critic into Your Inner Coach

Sign up for Weekly Career Inspiration

Learn about Leadership & Advancement Coaching Programmes

Book a Free 121 Clarity Call

Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn

Your inner critic isn’t trying to sabotage you - it’s trying to protect you. But when you learn how to rewrite the story it’s telling and strengthen your inner coach, you create the confidence and self-trust needed to step into bigger opportunities.

Rate & Review the Podcast

If you found this episode of Unstuck & Unstoppable helpful, please do rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

If you're kind enough to leave a review, please do let Sarah know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: sarah@careertreecoaching.co.uk

If you’re working hard but not getting the traction, visibility or progression you want, this episode will help you understand why.

Sarah breaks down the four core Influence Blockers she sees repeatedly in senior female leaders - the hidden patterns that quietly limit confidence, authority, and advancement. Once you can spot your blocker, you can shift it.

[00:00] Welcome to Unstuck and Unstoppabl-

[02:00] Why Hard Work Isn’t Enough

The unconscious patterns that hold capable women back.

[03:30] The Four Influence Blockers Overview

An introduction to the four key categories.

[04:00] Blocker 1: Internal Confidence & Identity

Second-guessing yourself, overthinking meetings, still feeling the need to prove your capability - and how this shrinks your influence.

[06:00] Blocker 2: Communication & Presence

Softening your message, over-explaining, speaking late in meetings, and why executive presence determines how much weight your words carry.

[07:00] Blocker 3: Strategic Positioning

Staying operational instead of visible at a strategic level. Why being excellent at delivery doesn’t automatically position you for promotion.

(Referenced: Episode 66 on strengthening strategic thinking.)

[08:30] Blocker 4: Environment & Power Dynamics

Navigating dominant personalities, organisational politics, and male-dominated cultures - and how your response shapes your influence.

[10:00] The Real Cost of Not Addressing Your Blocker

Staying stuck, being overlooked, watching less capable peers move ahead - and the damage self-doubt can cause.

[11:30] Your Action Step

Identify your primary blocker and decide what action you’ll take to shift the pattern.

[12:30] How to Get Support

How coaching can accelerate your influence and position you for the next level.

Influence blockers aren’t capability gaps - they’re patterns. And patterns can be changed.

If you’re ready to stop playing small and start positioning yourself as the leader you already are, this episode will give you the clarity to begin.

Useful Links

Episode 66 Strengthening Your Strategic Thinking: From Operational to Big Picture

Sign up for Weekly Career Inspiration

Learn about Leadership & Advancement Coaching Programmes

Book a Free 121 Clarity Call

Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn

Rate & Review the Podcast

If you found this episode of Unstuck & Unstoppable helpful, please do rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

If you're kind enough to leave a review, please do let Sarah know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: sarah@careertreecoaching.co.uk