How to FIND THE COURAGE TO CHANGE in 2026 with Joanna Howes

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Dec 18, 2025

Conversations about finding courage to change, even when it feels risky. Short stories about quitting without a safety net and trusting connection skills over comfort. Talks on being direct, challenging conformity, and embracing disruption as growth. Reflections on how leaders' inner work shapes high performing teams.

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INSIGHT

Change Challenges Identity

Change now challenges identity, not just plans, and forces leaders to reassess who they are.
Joanna Howes argues courage, not strategy, is the core skill leaders need to evolve.

ANECDOTE

Purpose Requires Brutal Self-Work

Dave Buonaguidi describes purpose as what you love doing and the deeper reason behind it.
He warns many avoid the painful self-analysis required to discover true purpose.

INSIGHT

Courage Comes Before Confidence

Courage precedes confidence; confidence often appears after taking the leap.
Lauren Spearman says confidence is wave-like and grows from being authentic and trying things.

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How do you find the courage to change, even when it feels uncomfortable?

I’m closing out the year on the Courageous Leaders Podcast with one of our most honest and practical episodes yet. Leaders everywhere are feeling the pressure to adapt quicker than ever before, and it’s easy to worry you’re not keeping up.

In this episode, I share the real conversations I’ve had with guests who’ve faced huge decisions, dealt with self-doubt, and taken bold leaps without always having a perfect plan. We get into letting go of old ways of working, saying the hard things, dealing with uncertainty, and what it really takes to lead high performing teams.

If you want practical advice on leading through change (and those leadership development skills that actually stick), you’re in the right place.

We Cover:

00:00 – Introduction

01:12 – Why change is faster (and scarier) than ever

03:02 – Dave Buonaguidi: How to define your true purpose at work

04:35 – Lauren Spearman: Why courage comes before confidence

06:39 – Karen Martin: The untold challenges of confident leaders

07:44 – Kerry Collinge: Directness as a leadership superpower

08:28 – The risk (and reward) of no longer fitting in

09:05 – When growth feels disruptive and what to do next

10:02 – Xavier Reeves: Making bold moves when you feel safe

11:34 – Kerttu Inkeroinen: Quitting without a backup plan: is it ever right?

12:29 – Facing risks (and what you actually regret)

13:09 – Building high performance teams starts with you

14:42 – Why you need to act even if it scares you

Don’t miss this honest look at what it really takes to lead yourself and others through the messiness of change.

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