About this episode

This episode discusses the complexities of leadership, focusing on mental toughness, psychological safety, and the importance of critical thinking.

We talk a lot about resilience, grit, and pushing through. But what if leadership isn’t just about holding on tighter? In this episode, I’m joined by Lianne Lyne, CEO of Mind Tough, for a conversation about what real toughness looks like in leadership. We talk about discomfort, growth, critical thinking, psychological safety, and why so many leaders misread uncertainty as a sign they’re doing something wrong. We also talk about career pivots, learning to let go of old identities, and the reality that growth often feels less like confidence and more like conscious incompetence. In other words: awkward, exposed, and necessary. A few things we explore in this conversation: Why mental toughness is more than grit The difference between caring for people and overprotecting them Why innovation cannot thrive in a culture of fear How leaders get stuck in competence and avoid growth Why critical thinking matters more than ever The danger of leading from assumptions instead of facts What psychological safety actually makes possible on a team Why the so-called soft skills are really the tough stuff If you’re in a season of stretch, change, or reinvention, this conversation will meet you…

More episodes of Change Is Hard

• [EP 43] Hourly vs Salary Mindset: Changing Pay Doesn't Change the Mindset · May 5, 2026 · 22 min
• [EP 41] Why Your Best People Don’t Want to Lead · April 21, 2026 · 23 min
• [EP 40] 3 Hidden Rules That Are Keeping You Small · April 14, 2026 · 19 min
• [EP 39] When Your Boss Is the Bottleneck · April 8, 2026 · 23 min
• [EP 38] Feeling Lost After a Promotion? Here's Why · March 31, 2026 · 22 min
• [EP 37] Clear is Kind: Why Your Expectations Go Unmet · March 24, 2026 · 17 min

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