
Lead Between the Lines: The Unwritten Rules of Leadership & Power
Welcome to Lead Between the Lines, the podcast where we expose the unspoken truths and hidden strategies that fuel real power and lasting leadership. I’m Lois St. Germaine, your guide into the sophisticated, no-BS arena of authentic influence. This space is designed for the accomplished woman who’s ready to play a bolder, deeper game—who wants more than surface-level success and is ready to embrace the true essence of what it means to lead.
Each episode dives beneath the conventional, dissecting the subtle dynamics that define power in both corporate and entrepreneurial worlds. From breaking down the myths of authority to exploring the transformative journey of self-mastery, this podcast brings you raw insights, candid conversations, and the unfiltered strategies that will challenge you to step into your full power.
Here, we go beyond the expected. You’ll explore the hidden principles of influence and authority that don’t make it into the guidebooks but drive real, lasting impact. This isn’t just a podcast—it’s an invitation to forge your own path, navigate uncharted territory, and define success on your terms. If you’re ready to rethink leadership, challenge the status quo, and unlock the power to lead between the lines, then let’s dive in.
Get ready to see leadership differently. Here, we navigate the unspoken rules of power and unleash the leader within.
Lead Between the Lines: The Unwritten Rules of Leadership & Power
Power Line Part 2: The Front Line
The Power of Self-Leadership: Charting Your Path to True Success
In this episode of 'Lead Between the Lines and the Power Line' mini-series, we delve into self-leadership, a critical foundation for personal and professional success. Explore the 'Reinvention Roadmap,' a strategic guide for transforming yourself into a trailblazing leader who embodies growth and authenticity. Learn to take full responsibility for your choices, align your decisions with your deepest values, and define your 'True North'—a principle guiding your life and legacy. The discussion emphasizes the importance of living by your own standards, making small but honest choices, and stepping up to lead yourself. Embark on the challenge to stop waiting for others and start charting your own path towards a life free from external expectations. The episode concludes with a teaser for transforming significant, bold changes in your life.
00:00 Introduction to Self-Leadership
00:38 The Importance of Self-Leadership
01:27 Taking Responsibility for Your Choices
02:06 Personal Story: Embracing Self-Leadership
03:22 The Connection Between Power and Responsibility
06:32 Embodying Your Standards
07:33 Developing Your Prowess
09:01 Avoiding the Illusion of Expansion
12:04 The Power Move: Taking Responsibility
12:21 Taking Responsibility for Decisions
12:31 The Reinvention Roadmap
13:40 Evolving Your Identity
15:06 Trailblazing Your Own Path
20:42 Finding Your True North
23:55 Self-Leadership and Ownership
25:34 Conclusion and Next Steps
Ready to elevate your personal power and step into your most authentic self? Download the Reinvention Roadmap now and start your journey toward unmatched clarity, self-mastery, and bold transformation. This powerful guide will help you redefine your path and create a vision for your future that aligns with your deepest values and aspirations. Get instant access and begin crafting the life you’re meant to lead.
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Welcome back to lead between the lines and the power line. Mini-series last time we set your bottom line today. We're stepping on to the frontline. This isn't just about talking the talk. This is where you actually start living your standards. Now that, you know, your non-negotiables it's time to step to the frontline. This isn't about leading anyone else it's about leading you. If you don't have your own back, no one will. If you can't lead yourself, someone else will gladly take over. I believe that self-leadership is the cornerstone of everything without it. You're building success on borrowed ideas and borrowed time. But here's the thing about self-leadership it doesn't come with applause. There's no one there to tell you that you're doing a great job. In fact, you might feel like the only person who even cares. But that's exactly what makes it powerful. If you can lead yourself. You'll find that the rest falls right into place. And if you can't lead yourself, someone else will and you'll end up someplace. You never intended to be. Your life, your choices, your responsibility. No one else will set the direction for you. Self leadership is about taking full ownership of your path. It's about recognizing that no one else is responsible for your growth, your success, or your happiness. If you're not willing to lead yourself, you're giving away your power before you've even started. Because the truth is there's no one else who can do this for you. No coach, no mentor, no partner. It's on you. Waiting for someone else to lead you is the fastest way to surrender your power. Real leaders don't ask for permission. They take it. There was a moment in my own career where I had to make a choice. Stay in the safety of what I knew. Or take a step into the unknown. I was comfortable, but I knew I wasn't growing and deep down. I knew that if I stayed, I'd be selling myself short. I'd be, um, settling, if you will. It was one of the hardest decisions I've ever made. Not because I didn't know what I wanted, but because I had to be the one to give it to myself. I had to decide that I was worth the risk. That moment taught me that self-leadership. Isn't always about making the right choice, but making the choice right. Sometimes it's about making the choice that scares you. The one that pushes you to your own path completely. Sometimes it's about leaning in instead of leaning back. Self-leadership means taking full responsibility, not just for your actions, but ultimately your results. Real growth. Isn't about the easy decisions. It's about choosing to lead, even when no one's watching. So there's a connection between power and responsibility. That's inescapable. If you're not willing to take responsibility for your choices, then you've given away your power. And every time you avoid responsibility, you're handing your power over to someone or something else. Power without responsibility is empty. It's a house built on sand. Think about it. When you refuse to own your choices, who do you expect to step up and take the weight? The moment you Dodge responsibility, you're abdicating your power. You're saying this isn't mine to deal with you. Take it. And you're leaving your destiny. In someone else's hands. Now, whether it's a person, a circumstance, or even a belief, your letting something else, steer your life. If you're going to be on the frontline of your own life, that means taking full responsibility. Not just for the victories, but the mistakes, the failures and the missteps as well. This is the price of real power. Remember the famous quote from uncle Ben to Peter Parker, right. When he told Peter with great power comes great responsibility. If you can't handle the consequences of your choices, then you're not really in control. And here's the thing you can't truly have your own back if you're not willing to own every decision, every consequence, every implication of those choices. When you take responsibility, your reclaiming, your power. Because every time you own your choices, your proving to yourself that you're capable of leading your own life. This is what it means to have your own back, to know that no matter what. You'll stand by the choices you make. And I'll tell you right now, dodging responsibility is just another way of telling the world that you're okay with mediocrity, but I don't believe you are. Think about where you've dodged responsibility. What have you been avoiding owning your choices means you're strong enough to face the follow-up. It means you're ready to lead. So ask yourself. If you were truly standing on the frontline. Ready to own every decision. What would change? What choices would you make differently if you knew that you'd have to stand for them? No matter what. Self leadership is about accountability. It's about looking at every choice you make and saying, this is mine. I own it. Because when you do that, you're proving to yourself that you're strong enough, resilient enough and powerful enough to handle whatever comes next. That's what it means to have your own back to be the one who's always there taking responsibility, reclaiming your power and leading your life from the front. So I want to challenge you to embody your standards. So you've set your bottom line. You know what you want and what you won't tolerate, but here's the real question. Are you ready to live? It?'cause embodying your own standards means showing up for them every single day. It means taking ownership of your choices, even when no one is watching. So do you lead yourself with integrity? When things get tough? Are you willing to be the one who says this is my life and I'm going to live it on my terms. Or are you still waiting for someone else to make it easier for you? To give you permission to take that next step or even do it for you. Self-leadership means having the guts to make choices that align with your standards, even when their heart. Especially when they're hard. So I want to talk for a minute about how. You can begin to embody. Power and prowess. And how the, um, Tolerance of stagnation. Might be. Preventing you from actually even knowing that this is what needs to happen. So your current environment might be perfectly tolerant of you not developing your prowess. You might be surrounded by people who are fine with you staying exactly the way you are, because it doesn't challenge them. Maybe you're in a workplace that doesn't expect more from you because you're already hitting their benchmarks. But here's the danger. Just because your environment allows you to coast doesn't mean you should. In fact, it's a trap. If you're not developing your prowess, your subconscious is going to push you to seek expansion. In other ways, often through dramatic shifts. Maybe you'll feel compelled to change jobs or leave corporate for entrepreneurship, or even blow up your own business. Thinking that these moves will bring the growth that you're craving. But here's the truth. Until you develop real prowess, those moves are just illusions of expansion. Their traps. They keep you circling the same issues running from growth instead of embodying it. Now your ego might already be capped out with nowhere else to expand in your current setting. So it starts telling you that you need to go somewhere else. Try something new. Because the problem is out there, but in reality, the problem is internal. Without developing your prowess. No change in environment. We'll give you the expansion you're looking for. You'll just end up in the same loop, making missteps that don't bring real progress. True expansion. Doesn't come from running. It comes from standing firm on the front line, willing to do the work where you are. If you're always looking for the next best thing to satisfy your ego. You'll end up sacrificing your legacy at the altar of superficial change. So think about where you might be tempted to blow things up. Where you feel the need to escape or to move on or to shake things up? Are those impulses really about growth or are they ways to avoid deeper work of developing your own power or your own prowess? What would happen if you stayed where you are not physically, but mentally, and truly leaned into developing your capabilities right here right now. In Ryan holiday's book, right thing right now he states. Justice can be the standards we hold ourselves to. The way we treat people, the promises, we keep the integrity we bring to our words. And he also states virtual is practiced every day. Doing the right thing is not something you put off for when it's convenient. It's a habit, a lifestyle. And I think this highlights the importance of consistent effort in self-leadership. Underscoring that developing one's prowess is a daily commitment, not something reserved for ideal conditions. So this is the moment to decide. Will you chase the illusion of expansion? Or will you step onto the front line and build real power? Because I believe if you don't develop your prowess. Your at the risk of staying in the loop, that will cost you not just time or energy. But ultimately your legacy. The choice is yours, keep running or plant your feet, do the work and become the leader who doesn't just dream of growth, but embodies it. So here's your power move for this episode? Define one decision. That you've been avoiding and commit to taking responsibility for it this week. That's it. Just one. It doesn't have to be big. Can be small just to begin the practice. Of taking responsibility for decisions. All right. Let's pause right here. If you're serious about stepping up, if you're done with the old stories and ready to embrace your next level, you're going to want to hear this because this piece isn't just an add on it's the foundation. So let's talk about the reinvention roadmap. Imagine the re-invention roadmap as your strategic playbook, a manual, not for incremental steps, but for radical identity elevation. This is about evolving into the woman who can hold the kind of power. That brings your deepest vision to life with unwavering presence and clarity. Without this deep internal work, you risk collapsing back into the familiar arms of your current identity. You'll find yourself slipping back into patterns of old beliefs and outdated tactics, inadvertently stepping away from your boldest ambitions. This is where most high-achievers falter. Aiming for bigger circumstances. while, anchored in a smaller identity. The reality is to create your desired impact. You must first become the woman who can sustain the level of power and resilience that your vision requires. This roadmap isn't about making surface level tweaks. It's about consciously deconstructing. What no longer serves you. And rebuilding from a place of deliberate design. It's a confrontation with the shadow operating system. The default way of being that keeps you playing small. The roadmap guide you through pivotal transformations that dissolve old narratives and reveal the true landscape of your potential. Abandoning the roadmap means abandoning the very structure you need to stop sabotaging your vision. It's a self-sustaining mechanism calling you to hold yourself accountable, to embody a relentless committed version to yourself. That doesn't flinch at the first sign of resistance. By evolving your identity. You unlock the capacity to hold and wield the power, your legacy demands. If you're ready to evolve beyond your current identity and step into the woman who can hold the power, her legacy demands. Go to the show notes and claim your re-invention roadmap now. Don't just think about it. Take the first step and transform who you're becoming. Choosing. To do this work makes you a trailblazer. And pioneering or trailblazing isn't about following someone else's path. It's about creating your own, even when there's no map, no guide and no promises of safety. When you're pioneering for yourself, you're saying. I trust my instincts, my capabilities. And my vision enough to go where no one else has gone before. You don't need evidence before you move. Leading yourself through this transformation and beyond is about stepping into the unknown with confidence. It's about deciding that your standards are your compass and they'll guide you through any challenge. When you're pioneering for yourself, you don't need someone else to set the destination or validate your journey. You choose where you're going and you lead yourself there with conviction. Trailblazing isn't about perfection or knowing all the answers it's about having the courage to take the first step, even when you're uncertain. And I believe that it's having the courage to take thousands of first steps. We don't have to know the second, third, fourth, fifth step. We just have to keep stepping one step at a time. And it's about forging ahead, trusting that you'll figure it out along the way. And it means being willing to confront yourself, honestly, to course correct when necessary and hold yourself accountable every step of the way. Trailblazers don't wait for permission or follow someone else's path. They carve out their own. They lead themselves with the conviction that they are their own greatest guide. So leading yourself through this power line transformation means making decisions based on your own standards. Not the expectations others have set for you. It means trusting your instincts when others doubt you. And it means committing to the path, even when it feels uncomfortable or seems impossible. Pioneering. Isn't just about taking risks. It's about aligning every move with your vision and your values. As you continue to move through this journey, ask yourself what would it look like to fully commit to pioneering this path for yourself? What if, instead of waiting for a clear path, you decided to be the one who forges it. Being a pioneer means embracing the responsibility of leadership, not just for others, but for yourself. It means being your own source of motivation, your own guide, your own mentor. Think about at the very beginning of your journey when you were, you know, in your twenties and excited about the future that you knew you were capable of building. Get back to that feeling. That, um, invincibility, if you will. That's a pioneer feeling. You didn't have any idea. Of how to get where you knew you were headed, right? You had this destination in mind and you just started moving towards it with blind faith that you were going to get there. That's the feeling. That is missing in your world right now because you got comfortable. Like I mentioned, in the last episode, I was afraid to X. To risk what I had built in order to take this kind of make this kind of a move. But that's exactly what has to happen. Because this transformation. Also isn't about getting to a finish line. It's about continually leading yourself into new territory, knowing that you're capable of handling whatever lies ahead. And I think. At some point in our lives, we, um, stop leading ourselves into new territory and we'd just stay in the one we built. Cause it feels pretty dang good. Right? So ask yourself. Are you willing to step into the unknown and keep going? Even when you don't have all the answers. And are you ready to be the trailblazer of your own life? Not because it's easy, but because it's necessary. Think about the decisions that you've been hesitant to make the risks you've been avoiding and the times where you've let fear hold you back. What would it look like to move forward with the mindset of a trailblazer? Where would you go? If you knew that you had everything you needed to create your own path? Because you're not here to follow. You're here to lead yourself your life and your legacy. Pioneering isn't easy, but it's the path for those who are truly committed to living by their own standards. So as you move forward, remember you're not just on a journey of transformation, you're blazing a trail that uniquely yours and. The only permission you need is the one you give yourself. Building a legacy requires clear direction without it you'll drift towards everyone. Else's version of success, not your own. If you're not anchored to your own values, it's easy to get pulled by what everyone else thinks you should do. This is why finding your true north is essential. It's more than just defining non-negotiables. It's about committing to a guiding principle that won't let you stray, no matter how loud the noise gets. Think of your true north as the ultimate filter, it keeps you aligned with your purpose, even when others are trying to influence your path. Instead of being pulled by others' ideas of success, you're driven by a direction that's uniquely yours. Your true north isn't about meeting external expectations. It's about building a life. That's true to you. Now I see too many people drifting, reacting to whatever comes their way, but the ones who succeed. Mean, truly succeed are those who know exactly where they're headed. You either have a direction or you're lost. It's that simple. When, you know your true north, you don't waste time. Wondering if you're on the right path. You know, you are. You may not have all of the steps, figure it out, but you're secure in the direction. That certainty frees you from constantly seeking validation. You're not trying to fit into someone else's mold. You're building a legacy that only you can create. So in my opinion, if you don't have a true north, you're not building a legacy, you're just hoping one appearance. And that's not how legacies are made. So the challenge I have for you is what drives you? What's the principle that keeps you steady, even when everyone else has a different opinion on what you should do. If you don't know, it's time to get clear without a strong sense of purpose. You're just reacting to the world around you rather than shaping it. Are you willing to let others opinions shape your path? Or will you define your own? Because if you don't know your true north, someone else will decide it for you. So, what are you committed to? Not just today, but for the long run. Define your true north and make it the backbone of every decision. Let it guide you. Not because it's easy, but because it's worth it. When you live by your own direction, you're no longer at the mercy of everyone. Else's expectations. You're building a life that's aligned with who you are and that's where your true power comes from. So find your true north and use it to shape the legacy. That's yours alone. The bottom line is. You're either pulled by your values or pushed by others expectations. Make your true north on. Shakable. So as we wrap up, I want you to be honest. Where are you hoping someone else will step in so that you don't have to take the lead? Imagine, what would change if you committed to leading yourself right now? This is your chance to step up. Self-leadership starts with small choices. It starts with being honest about where you're letting yourself off the hook. Where you're waiting for someone else to do the hard things for you. So ask yourself if you had to lead yourself from this moment on. What would you do differently? What decisions would you make right now that align with your standards? Leading yourself means refusing to be a spectator in your own life. It's about stepping up and saying I've got this and then proving it day in and day out. If you're not stepping up for yourself, someone else is always ready to call the shots. You have everything you need to lead yourself to stand on the front line of your own life. With power and prowess. But only if you're willing to step up and take ownership. It's not easy, but it's worth it because the moment you decide to lead yourself, you take control of your destiny. Again, you have everything you need to stand on the frontline of your own life. This isn't for everyone, but if you're here, it's because you're ready to lead yourself. So next week, our next episode. We're talking about jumping the line. If you're done playing small and you're ready to make quantum mus. I'll see you in the next episode.