
#74 - Paya Sample: Leadership is Human Work
From She Lift Project Podcast by Cynthia Kirkpatrick
May 5, 2026 · 1h 13m · Episode 74
About this episode
Cynthia Kirkpatrick interviews Paya Sample about leading with heart and building trust in workplace cultures.
In Episode 74 of the She Lift Project Podcast, Cynthia Kirkpatrick sits down with Paya Sample, CEO of Peak Leaders Collective and executive coach to leaders across industries and education. Paya works with executives, administrators, and managers to build trust-based cultures, develop rising leaders, and lead with authenticity and purpose. Together, Cynthia and Paya explore what it actually means to lead with heart. Paya explains it all, from the neuroscience of emotional pain in the workplace to the personal story of walking away from a principal role she loved without a next step lined up. This episode is for any woman who has ever been in a culture that drained her, led a team and wondered if she was doing it right, or stayed somewhere too long because leaving felt like quitting. You'll learn Paya's three-part framework for building trust through relationship, belonging, and vulnerability. You'll also learn practical tools for shifting culture, giving feedback differently, and rediscovering your own zone of genius. After listening, you will be equipped to take immediate action as a leader or team member to start building the kind of workplace where people actually want to show…
People in this episode
Host: Cynthia Kirkpatrick
Guest: Paya Sample
Topics covered
- leadership
- trust-based cultures
- emotional intelligence
- women in leadership
- authenticity
- workplace culture
Keywords
- leadership
- trust
- vulnerability
- workplace culture
- emotional pain
- feedback
- women leaders
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Peak Leaders Collective
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