Braver Leaders Podcast

<p>There's a moment many leaders hit after stepping into a role where they lead other leaders — it shows up as quiet confusion.</p><p>You're still good at the work. Your judgment hasn't disappeared. If anything, you can see issues more clearly than before. And yet, something feels off.</p><p>The same strengths that used to carry you now create friction. Decisions land more heavily. People wait more. Meetings feel slower — or strangely tense.</p><p>In this episode, Ian Browne explains what's actually happening when competence stops being currency and becomes ambient. He explores why your strengths start to misfire, how speed becomes a signal you didn't intend to send, and the competence trap that constrains the system around you.</p><p>If you've been privately wondering "If I'm still capable, why does this feel harder than it should?" — this conversation will show you the role has simply changed shape.</p><p>What You'll Learn</p><p><strong>When competence becomes ambient:</strong></p><p>Why being good at the job is no longer visible leverage at this level</p><p>How your ability stops solving problems and starts shaping behavior</p><p>The shift from currency to assumed baseline</p><p><strong>Why strengths start to misfire:</strong></p><p>How stepping in early creates deference you didn't ask for</p><p>Why the room adjusts to you without you realizing it</p><p>The difference between effort-based pressure and structural pressure</p><p><strong>Speed as an unintended signal:</strong></p><p>How quick thinking can make others feel hurried</p><p>Why resolving uncertainty too early atrophies leadership muscles</p><p>What "steadiness" actually means when you lead other leaders</p><p><strong>The competence trap:</strong></p><p>Why excellence can narrow the leadership around you</p><p>How the better you are, the more constrained the system can become</p><p>Why gravity has increased even though nothing formally changed</p><p><strong>What this level actually requires:</strong></p><p>How your presence shapes how pressure moves through the system</p><p>Why how you apply competence matters more than how much you have</p><p>The awareness that becomes the real work once competence is assumed</p><p>Key Insights</p><p>"Nothing you're good at has stopped being useful. It's just stopped being visible leverage."</p><p>"You're not being challenged more because you're failing. You're being leaned on more because you're reliable. That's why the pressure feels different."</p><p>"At this level, speed becomes a signal. If you move quickly, others feel hurried. If you resolve uncertainty too early, others stop holding it."</p><p>"The better you are, the more constrained the system can become. Not because you're domineering — but because gravity has increased."</p><p>"For many leaders, the relief comes when they realize: Nothing has gone wrong. The job has simply changed shape."</p><p>Resources Mentioned</p><p><strong>Leader of Leaders Diagnostic</strong> See where your influence may be creating clarity — and where it may be creating unintended drag. Acts as a mirror, not a test. → [<a target="_blank" href="https://tally.so/r/vGrElX">Link in show notes</a>]</p><p><strong>Read the full article on Substack</strong> This episode explores Ian's article on the competence trap. Get the complete piece with additional insights on deliberate leadership. → <a target="_blank" href="https://ianbrowne.substack.com/">Link</a></p><p>What's Coming Next Week</p><p>Next episode: <strong>"Why Over-Functioning Creates the Dependency You're Trying to Avoid"</strong></p><p>What happens when you try to solve structural pressure by working harder — and the specific moment when stepping in stops being helpful and starts weakening the system around you.</p><p>If this episode resonated, you'll want to hear how to break the pattern before it becomes chronic.</p><p>About Ian Browne</p><p>Ian Browne is the founder of Braver Leadership and author of the upcoming <em>Leading Leaders Handbook</em>. He specializes in helping experienced professionals navigate the transition from managing work to managing leaders — using behavioral science and the BRAVER™ framework to build regulated presence without requiring a personality transplant.</p><p><strong>Subscribe to the weekly newsletter:</strong> Every Saturday, Ian publishes in-depth articles on the leader-of-leaders transition. No corporate fluff. No psychobabble. Just the reality of this level. → Subscribe at <a target="_blank" href="http://ianbrowne.substack.com">ianbrowne.substack.com</a></p><p><strong>Connect with Ian:</strong></p><p>Website: <a target="_blank" href="http://braverleadership.com">braverleadership.com</a></p><p>LinkedIn: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ianbrowne-uk/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/ianbrowne-uk/</a></p><p>Substack: <a target="_blank" href="http://ianbrowne.substack.com">ianbrowne.substack.com</a></p><p>Subscribe to The Leadership Pause</p><p>New episodes every week exploring the first 100 days of leading other leaders.</p><p><strong>Apple Podcasts</strong> | <strong>Spotify</strong> | <strong>Substack</strong> | <strong>YouTube</strong></p><p>If this episode helped you see the role more clearly, share it with someone who's privately wondering why being good at the job suddenly isn't enough. They'll recognize themselves in it.</p><p>Transcript</p><p>[Full transcript available at <a target="_blank" href="http://ianbrowne.substack.com">ianbrowne.substack.com</a>]</p><p><strong>Episode Length:</strong> ~15 minutes<strong>Published:</strong> [Date]<strong>Season:</strong> [Season number if applicable]</p><p>Producer Notes</p><p><strong>Why this episode matters:</strong> Most leaders experience this shift but misinterpret it as personal doubt or loss of confidence. Ian names what's actually happening: competence hasn't disappeared, it's just stopped being the primary input. The role is asking for something different — and until that's named, leaders stay stuck wondering what's wrong with them.</p><p><strong>Who should listen:</strong></p><p>Leaders who are good at the work but feel friction they can't explain</p><p>Anyone privately asking "If I'm still capable, why does this feel harder?"</p><p>Leaders noticing decisions stacking up and people deferring more than before</p><p><strong>Share this episode if:</strong> Someone capable is struggling to understand why their strengths are creating drag instead of momentum. This gives them language for the shift — and shows them nothing has gone wrong.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://ianbrowne.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_1">ianbrowne.substack.com</a>

<p>There’s a moment in certain leadership roles that isn’t announced. No new title. No restructure. But something shifts — and the job feels heavier.</p><p>In this episode, Ian Browne breaks down what actually happens when you step up to lead other leaders. Not the official responsibilities. The invisible shift that changes how pressure moves through you, why your old playbook stops working, and what people actually need from you at this level.</p><p>If you’ve recently taken on a role where other leaders report to you, this conversation will name things you’ve been carrying without words for them.</p><p><p>Help me grow by sharing this article. Thanks</p></p><p>What You’ll Learn</p><p><strong>The shift no one briefs you on:</strong></p><p>* How pressure stops moving toward you and starts moving through you</p><p>* Why your tone, pace, and pauses become signals people calibrate to</p><p>* The moment when your habits become the system’s operating instructions</p><p><strong>Why over-functioning backfires:</strong></p><p>* The strange tension: “If I don’t step in, things wobble. If I do, everything leans on me.”</p><p>* How competence becomes a trap at this level</p><p>* Why absorbing pressure creates the dependency you’re trying to avoid</p><p><strong>What people actually need from you:</strong></p><p>* Why coherence matters more than certainty</p><p>* How to hold pressure without compressing it</p><p>* The difference between bearing and volume</p><p><strong>For those aspiring to this level:</strong></p><p>* Why capable people keep getting passed over (and it’s not what they think)</p><p>* The signal senior leaders are sensing but can’t articulate</p><p>* How to build steadiness before the promotion, not during the fire</p><p>Key Insights</p><p>“When you’re leading work, pressure moves toward you. When you’re leading people who lead work, pressure moves through you.”</p><p>“People don’t need certainty from you at this level. They need coherence — someone still holding the shape of the situation when the answer isn’t ready yet.”</p><p>“The tiredness feels different. It’s not the tiredness of long hours. It’s the weight of knowing how you show up shapes how others think, decide, and act.”</p><p>“Your space to think out loud shrinks. You can’t process uncertainty downward. You can’t vent sideways. So the thinking moves inward.”</p><p>Resources Mentioned</p><p><strong>Leader of Leaders Diagnostic</strong> Take the free diagnostic to see where pressure is currently moving through you — and where it might be leaking without your intention. Acts as a mirror, not a test. → [Link in show notes]</p><p><strong>Read the full article on Substack</strong> This episode is based on Ian’s weekly article exploring the leader-of-leaders transition. Get the complete piece with additional frameworks. → <a target="_blank" href="https://open.substack.com/pub/ianbrowne/p/the-day-the-room-started-taking-its">https://open.substack.com/pub/ianbrowne/p/the-day-the-room-started-taking-its</a></p><p>What’s Coming Next Week</p><p>Next episode: <strong>“Why Over-Functioning Creates the Dependency You’re Trying to Avoid”</strong></p><p>The specific pattern that makes capable leaders accidentally trap themselves — and what to do instead when you notice the system leaning too hard on you.</p><p>If this episode landed, you won’t want to miss that one.</p><p>About Ian Browne</p><p>Ian Browne is the founder of Braver Leadership and author of the upcoming <em>Leading Leaders Handbook</em>. He specializes in helping experienced professionals navigate the transition from managing work to managing leaders — using behavioral science and the BRAVER™ framework to build regulated presence without requiring a personality transplant.</p><p><strong>Subscribe to the weekly newsletter:</strong> Every Saturday, Ian publishes in-depth articles on the leader-of-leaders transition. No corporate fluff. No psychobabble. Just the reality of this level. → Subscribe at ianbrowne.substack.com</p><p><strong>Connect with Ian:</strong></p><p>* Website: braverleadership.com</p><p>* LinkedIn: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ianbrowne-uk/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/ianbrowne-uk/</a></p><p>* Substack: ianbrowne.substack.com</p><p><p>This is one element of being a Braver Leader - get weekly content to help you become Braver here.</p></p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://ianbrowne.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_1">ianbrowne.substack.com</a>

<p>Perfect! I found it. Let me create the podcast show notes for <strong>S13E02: "The Day the Room Started Taking Its Cue From You"</strong>.</p><p>Based on the content and following your established format for podcast episodes, here are the show notes:</p><p>S13E02: The Day the Room Started Taking Its Cue From You</p><p><strong>Show Notes</strong></p><p>There's a moment in certain leadership roles that isn't announced. No new title, no restructure, no email from HR. But something shifts.</p><p>In this episode, Ian explores what happens when the room starts taking its cue from you — that quiet transition when your presence begins to shape how teams think, decide, and act, often more than what you actually say.</p><p>What we cover:</p><p>The shift that changes everything: when your tone becomes a signal, your pace becomes the tempo, and your pauses create space</p><p>Why the job feels heavier — not harder — at this level</p><p>The myth of "managing up" when you're leading other leaders</p><p>How pressure moves through systems without words</p><p>The difference between holding pressure and regulating it</p><p>Why clarity, not effort, becomes the primary work</p><p>Key insight:</p><p>"You're not just accountable for outcomes anymore. You're accountable — informally but unmistakably — for how pressure settles across the system."</p><p>Resources mentioned:</p><p><strong>Take the Leader of Leaders Diagnostic</strong> — A mirror, not a test, reflecting where pressure is currently moving through you: [<a target="_blank" href="http://braverleadership.com">braverleadership.com</a>]</p><p><strong>Read the full article on Substack:</strong> <a target="_blank" href="https://ianbrowne.substack.com/p/the-day-the-room-started-taking-its?r=53qy5f">https://ianbrowne.substack.com/p/the-day-the-room-started-taking-its?r=53qy5f</a></p><p>New episodes drop weekly exploring the BRAVER™ framework and helping leaders navigate their first 100 days without burning out.</p><p>Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://ianbrowne.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_1">ianbrowne.substack.com</a>

<p>Week two of leading leaders doesn't feel like success. It feels like whiplash.</p><p>Same office. Same people. Sometimes even the same desk. But suddenly, everything's different. Every decision feels loaded. Every conversation has subtext you haven't learned to read yet. And there's a quiet voice asking: when does this start feeling normal?</p><p>In this episode, I break down what's actually happening in those disorienting first weeks when you step up to leading leaders—and why it happens to everyone, not just you.</p><p>You'll learn:</p><p>Why the first 100 days as a leader of leaders is so uniquely disorienting (and why there's so little support for this transition)</p><p>The identity lag: the gap between who you were and who you need to become—and why your internal operating system hasn't caught up to your new role yet</p><p>Two practical tools you can use today: the 60-second landing routine and how to name the whiplash without making it mean failure</p><p>What "ready" actually looks like if you're preparing for this transition (spoiler: it's not about having all the answers)</p><p>Whether you're in week two of the transition or positioning yourself for the step-up, this episode gives you a clear framework for navigating the moment nobody prepares you for.</p><p>This is leadership development grounded in behavioral science, free of corporate fluff, and built for the reality you're actually experiencing.</p><p><strong>RESOURCES MENTIONED:</strong></p><p>Take the free BRAVER™ Leadership Diagnostic: <a target="_blank" href="https://tally.so/r/vGrElX">https://tally.so/r/vGrElX</a></p><p>Subscribe to Braver Leadership (weekly insights): <a target="_blank" href="https://ianbrowne.substack.com">https://ianbrowne.substack.com</a></p><p>Read the full article version of this episode: <a target="_blank" href="https://ianbrowne.substack.com/p/the-moment-everything-changed">https://ianbrowne.substack.com/p/the-moment-everything-changed</a></p><p><strong>ABOUT BRAVER LEADERSHIP:</strong></p><p>I'm Ian Browne. I lead large-scale early careers and talent development programs, hold a Master's in Coaching, and am an ICF Professional Certified Coach. I created the BRAVER™ framework after coaching dozens of leaders through the specific transition from managing to leading leaders—because this transition kept breaking the same high-performing leaders in the same predictable ways.</p><p>The tools that got you promoted aren't the tools you need to succeed in the new role. This podcast helps you navigate the gap.</p><p>New episodes every Saturday.</p><p><strong>CONNECT:</strong></p><p>LinkedIn: <a target="_blank" href="https://linkedin.com/in/ianbrowne-uk">https://linkedin.com/in/ianbrowne-uk</a> Website: <a target="_blank" href="https://braverleadership.com">https://braverleadership.com</a> Substack: <a target="_blank" href="https://ianbrowne.substack.com">https://ianbrowne.substack.com</a></p><p><strong>TOPICS:</strong> leadership transition, leader of leaders, first 100 days, identity lag, BRAVER framework, leadership development, executive coaching, new leaders, management, regulation, presence</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://ianbrowne.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_1">ianbrowne.substack.com</a>

<p>The leadership development market has a curious blind spot.</p><p>Spend any time looking at what’s available and you’ll find two groups drowning in support.</p><p>First-time managers get shelves of affordable books, early careers programmes, and a wealth of “here’s how to delegate” advice. Step into the C-suite and the investment jumps dramatically—nearly 60% of companies spending heavily on their most senior leaders.</p><p>But between those two? The step from managing to leading leaders?</p><p>Remarkably little.</p><p>Despite research showing that managers at this level have larger skill gaps than the people they manage, it’s assumed you’ll figure it out yourself. Extrapolate from your first-time manager experience. Mimic what you’re seeing in the executives above you. Hope the patterns emerge.</p><p>And when they don’t—when week two hits and everything feels unfamiliar despite being in the same office with the same people—you’re left wondering if you’re the only one struggling.</p><p>You’re not.</p><p>This transition breaks high-performing leaders in predictable ways. Not because they lack capability. But because the tools that got them promoted aren’t the tools they need to succeed in the new role.</p><p>This episode explores the BRAVER framework and how it'll help make a success of those first 100 days </p><p><strong>Where to Start</strong></p><p>If you want to know which BRAVER™ dimension needs your attention first, take the 5-minute diagnostic.</p><p>It’ll show you where you’re strong, where you’re vulnerable, and three specific actions you can take this week.</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://tally.so/r/vGrElX"><strong>Take the diagnostic →</strong></a></p><p>And if you want weekly insights on this transition—practical, psychologically literate, free of corporate fluff—subscribe to Braver Leadership.</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://ianbrowne.substack.com/"><strong>Subscribe here →</strong></a></p><p>The work starts now. Not when you feel ready. Now.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://ianbrowne.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_1">ianbrowne.substack.com</a>