Leadership: Beyond the Facade with Phillip Stenger of Ascent

Are you tired of trying to win everyone's approval and losing your authenticity in the process? In this episode, Phillip Stenger drops truth bombs about leadership, fear, conflict, and the courage it takes to be real. Get ready to challenge everything you thought leadership should be — because real change begins when you embrace the uncomfortable. In this episode: The difference between respect and likeability, and why it matters How fear of not being liked can sabotage your leadership Building trust through honesty — even in tough decisions The power of embracing mistakes and vulnerability Practical tools for courageous leadership on your toughest days The role of meditation and mental health routines in resilient leadership Why you should own your wrongs — and celebrate your failures How to lead with confidence without losing yourself The concept of "confidence humility" rooted in self-awareness Moving beyond superficial niceness to real, tough conversations Timestamps 00:00 - Authenticity over approval in leadership 02:05 - First lesson on being liked in finance 06:14 - Respect vs. likeability: what leaders can actually control 08:23 - Building a company while managing external approval 10:42 - Fear, uncertainty, and how experience builds confidence 12:18 - Meditation, mental health, and leadership presence 14:37 - Making unpopular decisions with honesty 19:47 - The danger of “nice” cultures that avoid hard conversations 22:26 - What courageous leadership looks like in the moment 24:39 - Confident humility: strong opinions, open mind 25:10 - Advice for early-career professionals afraid of being disliked 28:35 - The permission slip: leaders can be wrong 30:24 - Building a culture that learns from mistakes Resources & Links: Radical Candor by Kim Scott: https://www.radicalcandor.com/the-book/ The Courageous Leadership Series: https://www.thevanguardnetwork.com/co... “Confidence Humility” book: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/bo... Meditation for Leaders - Headspace: https://www.headspace.com/articles/mi... Own Your Mistakes - Harvard Business Review: https://store.hbr.org/product/be-a-le... Connect with Phillip Stenger:   / phillipstegner   Thanks for listening to “The Courageous Choice.” Be sure to leave us a review and subscribe so you don’t miss any conversations. For more information, visit gigtalentagency.com or email us at [email protected] if you have any questions.