71. Building your Authentic Leadership Style with Lacey Vestal
What does it actually mean to build your own leadership style? In this episode of Lead Into It, Sara sits down with Navy Captain Lacey Vestal to explore the journey of becoming an authentic leader in environments that often reward conformity, hierarchy, and playing it safe. From attending the Naval Academy to leading in high pressure military environments, recruiting top talent, and finding her voice in senior leadership roles, Lacey shares the experiences that shaped her approach to leadership. Together, they unpack authentic leadership, emotional intelligence, confidence, imposter syndrome, and the idea that many leaders spend too much time waiting to feel ready instead of stepping forward and growing into the role. They also explore an often overlooked leadership topic: wellness. Lacey shares how fitness, self leadership, and building healthier workplace cultures have influenced the way she leads and develops others. If you’ve ever questioned your leadership style, struggled to trust yourself, or wondered how to lead without losing who you are, this conversation is for you. In this episode, we cover: • Building your leadership style over time • Authentic leadership in high pressure environments • Confidence vs. competence • Navigating imposter syndrome • Emotional intelligence and the future of leadership • Lessons from military leadership • Fitness, wellness, and sustainable leadership • Finding your voice as a leader Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Lacey's Journey 03:56 Choosing the Naval Academy 06:46 Life on Deck: Early Leadership Experiences 09:25 Transitioning from Sea to Shore Duty 12:15 Navigating Leadership Challenges as a Woman 14:58 The Importance of Authentic Leadership 17:40 Building Authentic Leadership Skills 20:16 Finding Your Leadership Style 23:11 The Power of Introversion in Leadership 27:20 Finding Authenticity in Leadership 28:33 Navigating Imposter Syndrome 31:42 The Role of Intuition in Leadership 34:11 Fitness as a Path to Confidence 38:46 Integrating Personal Passions into Leadership 42:39 Trust-Based Leadership 46:06 The Future of Leadership and Female Energy 50:20 Embracing Authenticity and Doing Hard Things Let’s keep the conversation going—connect with me on Instagram and LinkedIn , subscribe to my Sunday newsletter , or reach out at sara@leadintoitco. Excited to be with you!
Mentioned
topics
- authentic leadership
- emotional intelligence
- imposter syndrome
- leadership style
- military leadership
- wellness
- confidence