Julie Schniers knows that you can't build authentic leadership by pretending to be someone else. You have to become more fully yourself, and then help your people do the same.
As an award-winning leadership speaker who spent 13 years transforming cultures in schools, the military, and Fortune 500 companies, Julie has seen firsthand what separates leaders who create thriving teams from those who just manage people. The difference? It's rarely about strategy or titles. It's about communication, connection, and genuine confidence.
In this honest, practical conversation with host Jodie O'Brien, Julie reveals the real costs of outdated leadership practices—especially for women stepping into power and wondering if they have to sacrifice authenticity to do it. She doesn't just identify the problems; she offers a different way forward.
This episode tackles the gap between who you think you need to be as a leader and who you actually are—the conversations most workplaces still avoid. Julie shares:
- Why the SOS Strategy System flips traditional planning on its head — Self first, then Others, then Strategy (not the other way around)
- The three non-negotiable elements of high-performing cultures — Communication, Connection, and Confidence work together in ways most leaders never learn
- The "believe it as you brave it" shift — Why seeking confidence is actually stronger than faking it till you make it
- How to build stable cultures in unstable environments — When your team changes every year but your culture stays intact
- The hidden mistake leaders make — Starting with goals instead of people (and what changes when you reverse it)
- Why authenticity is your greatest competitive advantage — How being fully yourself creates more impact than any persona ever could
- The power of sisterhood in leadership — Why women accomplish more when they build together instead of competing alone
This episode is essential listening for:
- Leaders building or scaling teams and sensing something's missing from their current approach
- Women stepping into leadership roles and wondering if they have to become someone else to succeed
- Corporate and nonprofit leaders wanting to strengthen culture without burning people out
- Anyone struggling with imposter syndrome and wondering if it ever actually goes away
- Entrepreneurs building their own cultures from scratch and wanting to do it differently
- Women juggling ambition, doubt, and the pressure to prove themselves
- Leaders who sense their current approach isn't working but aren't sure what to change
- Anyone ready to stop performing and start actually leading
