What does it really take to be in the top 5% of leaders - without burning yourself out or armouring up?In this episode of Driving Impact: The Top 5% Method, Katheline Jean-Pierre sits down with Victoria Pelletier - “turnaround queen”, transformation executive, and former “Iron Maiden” - to unpack what healthy resilience looks like in real life, and how to lead as a whole human in an AI-driven world.Born to a drug-addicted teenage mother, adopted into a low-income family, and carrying decades of unprocessed trauma, Victoria became a COO at 24 and a CEO at 41. In this conversation, she shares how she moved from rigid armour to authentic, vulnerable leadership - and why that shift unlocked deeper trust, better teams, and bigger business results.We also dive into how organizations can implement AI in a way that actually works for people, not just for the slide deck.In this episode, we cover:Healthy resilience vs. protective armour - why “toughing it out” eventually breaks youHow Victoria carried her “Iron Maiden” persona for decades - and what finally cracked itBecoming COO at 24 and leading a 6,000-person organization without a traditional pathWhy confidence is often mistaken for competence (and how she backs it up with execution)Building high-performing teams and earning the nickname “turnaround queen”Values-driven leadership: saying no to performative DEI and misaligned workWhole-human leadership - bringing your full lived experience into the way you leadHow to balance high expectations with genuine care, trust, and vulnerabilityThe 3 A’s of AI transformation: Alignment, Adoption & AbilityWhy AI success is 70% people and process, not just algorithms and toolingWhat Victoria learned from horrible leaders (and how not to lead)The biggest lie about success - and how she defines it nowWhat the top 5% achievers do that the other 95% don’tThe one lesson every founder needs to hear about not doing it all themselvesConnect with Victoria Pelletier via her website: victoria-pelletier.comSubscribe for more conversations with top 5% leaders who are building careers, companies, and cultures that truly drive impact.If this episode resonated, hit like, share it with a leader or founder who needs to hear it, and drop your favourite insight in the comments.