Emotion at Work in Beautiful Leadership

Episode 88 - Emotion at Work in Beautiful Leadership

Episode Summary In this episode, Phil is joined by Dawn Stallwood, the brilliant author behind the book Beautiful Leadership and a seasoned corporate M&A lawyer. Dawn brings nearly three decades of experience in high-stakes environments to the table, sharing why she wrote this book as a legacy piece to mark her 50th birthday and to build an "army of beautiful leaders". The conversation begins with the signature "innocuous question", exploring the environments Dawn chooses when the pressure is on and she needs to create capacity. This sets the perfect stage for the episode, as Phil masterfully hijacks Dawn's book structure (the seven phases of a Red Admiral butterfly's flight) to use as the flight path for their conversation. They dive deep into capacity versus competence, the F.E.A.R. (False Evidence Appearing Real) framework, checking your "empathy tank", and the profound realisation that leadership is a human endeavour that requires bravery, not perfection.

Key Topics Discussed:

The Innocuous Question (01:27): Dawn shares how she creates capacity when the pressure is on, whether that is finding an unfamiliar quiet coffee shop, using noise-reducing headphones, or taking walking meetings.

The Red Admiral Metaphor (09:27): Why Dawn chose the Red Admiral butterfly as the emblem for her framework, recognising that everything needed for transformation is already present within us.

The Defining Mark & Istanbul (12:18): Dawn shares a touching story about her mother in Turkey and the phrase "Sen güzelsin" ("You are beautiful"), redefining beauty in leadership as how someone is experienced, received, and perceived.

Flight Pressure & Capacity (22:48): Exploring how high-pressure environments (like M&A deals) often expose a lack of capacity rather than a lack of competence, and how fear and pride can manifest as toxic workplace behaviours.

Wing Notes & F.E.A.R. (34:47): A life-changing reframe of fear as "False Evidence Appearing Real", and how this tool can stop leaders from catastrophising.

In Flight & Guarding Space (40:34): The importance of leaders setting boundaries, acting as stewards of their roles, and intentionally creating space so they do not get wrung out.

A Vulnerable Pivot (47:21): Dawn shares a deeply personal and recent story of a severe health scare that forced her to critically evaluate her own "always-on" operating model, highlighting the very real consequences of ignoring your capacity limits.

Stretch & The Empathy Tank (53:34): Understanding your superpowers versus your kryptonite, and how checking the building blocks of empathy can help you replenish your tank.

Release & Imperfection (01:02:09): The freeing realisation that you do not need to be a perfect leader; you just need to be a beautiful one

Guest Bio Dawn Stallwood is a corporate M&A lawyer and advisor with nearly 30 years of experience guiding CEOs, founders, and boards through high-stakes deals and critical transitions. She is the author of Beautiful Leadership, a book she wrote as a legacy piece to mark her 50th birthday. Dawn is on a mission to build an "army of beautiful leaders", helping professionals slow down, build true capacity, and embrace the beautiful imperfections of leading people.

Find out more about Dawn Stallwood:

Website & Book: www.thebeautifulleader.com

LinkedIn: Search for Dawn Stallwood

Email: dawn.stallwood@floodlightbusiness.com