Confidence matters. But does confidence alone move your career forward? In this episode of Work Unscripted, Marlo Lyons sits down with Kirsteen Williamson-Guinn, founder of Elevate Women, to talk about what it really takes for women to grow, lead, and future-proof their career advancement in high-pressure, political workplaces.

After 32 years in banking, including senior leadership in a male-dominated environment, Kirsteen knows what it feels like to perform, push, navigate politics, and slowly lose connection with yourself in the process. Now, through Elevate Women, she helps women build confidence, strategic leadership, self-trust, and real career agency.

Marlo and Kirsteen talk about imposter syndrome, vague feedback like “you need more executive presence,” and what it really means for women in leadership, the shift from high performer to strategic leader, and why women have to stop taking on work that keeps them busy but does not move them forward.

You’ll learn:

• Why confidence alone is not a career strategy for women in leadership
• How women can move from performing to leading strategically and advancing their careers with intention
• What “executive presence” feedback for women may actually be pointing to
• Why imposter syndrome show up even at senior levels and what to do about it
• How to build strategic relationships and visibility at work before you need them
• Why non-promotable tasks can quietly stall women’s career advancement
• How to own your brand, your value, and your next move
• What future-ready women’s leadership looks like in a rapidly changing workplace

If you are a woman in leadership, a mid-career professional, or someone trying to build more confidence, visibility, and agency at work, this episode will help you stop waiting to be chosen and start leading your career with more intention. Whether you work in a male-dominiated industry, have been told you need more executive presence, or are navigating imposter syndrome at the senior level, thai conversation is for you.

Because the goal is not just to look confident. It is to trust yourself enough to act.

Learn more: elevate-women.co.uk/

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Work Unscripted is produced by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.