Cockpit Lessons on Imposter Syndrome

What if the secret to overcoming imposter syndrome isn't getting rid of your fear, but learning to invert your perspective and use it as fuel?In this episode of Glass Ceilings and Sticky Floors, Erica Rooney sits down with Michelle "Mace" Curran, a former F-16 fighter pilot and lead solo pilot for the US Air Force Thunderbirds. As only one of two women in history to hold that title, Michelle has flown inverted inches from her wingman at 500 mph—all while battling the same inner critic that many high-achieving women face in the boardroom.Michelle shares how she moved from a shy, introverted high-achiever to a decorated combat veteran, revealing the mental discipline required to override survival instincts and the power of "call sign culture" in building psychological safety.Inside the Episode:Training Over Instinct: Michelle explains how the "insane" maneuvers of an air show are actually the result of thousands of hours of repetition, and how that same building of competence is the foundation for confidence in any male-dominated career.The Survival Brain in the Boardroom: How to distinguish between real physical danger and the primal fear of social judgment. Michelle shares her "zoom out" method to get worst-case scenarios out of your head and onto paper.The "Costume" of Confidence: Michelle opens up about her early career struggles in Japan, where she felt like she had to wear a "Type A costume" to belong, and the shock to her identity when she realized she couldn't be a "golden child" on day one.The Inner Voice vs. The Verdict: A breakdown of how to identify your inner critic—Michelle’s looked like a "tactical older male pilot"—and why recognizing the source of that voice takes away its power.MACE: The Call Sign Story: The vulnerable story behind Michelle's call sign (Mock At Circle Entry) and how a near-catastrophic mistake involving 9 G-forces became her ultimate badge of honor.Call Sign Culture & Safety: Why having a nickname based on a mistake is actually a tool for psychological safety, encouraging a "debrief culture" where even the highest-ranking leaders openly admit their errors.Inverting Your Perspective: A look at Michelle’s book, The Flip Side, and how to use the "action creates confidence" loop to navigate moments where "the shit hits the fan."If you’re waiting to "feel ready" before chasing your biggest dreams, this episode is the reality check you need to start taking action in the presence of doubt.🔗 Resources:Get Michelle’s book: The Flip Side: How to Invert Your Perspective and Turn Fear into Your Superpower.Learn more about Michelle Curran at Upside Down Dreams.Connect with Erica Rooney on LinkedIn. BUY THE BOOK - Glass Ceilings and Sticky Floors Connect with me on LinkedInBe a Book Launch Insider!!!My FREE 5x5 Starter Kit for LinkedInFREE WEEKLY SUCCESS PLANNERJoin our Facebook Group! Find me on InstagramCheck out our PINS on PinterestAnd YES - I'm on TikTok!

What if the biggest barrier to your business growth isn't your vision, but your refusal to look at the numbers?In this episode of Glass Ceilings and Sticky Floors, Erica Rooney sits down with Danielle Hendon, founder of Four Corners CFO. After a decade in corporate finance, Danielle realized that many entrepreneurs are brilliant at their craft but paralyzed by their books. She’s on a mission to turn founders into confident financial leaders by simplifying complex "money talk" into actionable strategy.Join them as they discuss why you can't lead where you don't look, how to stop letting your bank account define your self-worth, and the vital mindset shift needed to move from a "stagnant pond" to a "flowing river" of wealth.Inside the Episode:The Music to Math Pipeline: Danielle shares her unconventional journey from aspiring opera singer to CPA, explaining the scientific mesh between musical patterns and numerical data.The Judgment Trap: Why women often feel like their financial statements are a "grade" on their performance as a human, and how to start viewing numbers as neutral tools for decision-making.Forecasting as Leadership: Danielle breaks down why the goal of a budget isn't necessarily to hit it—it’s a roadmap to help you understand the "why" behind your business's story.The "Stagnant Pond" vs. "Flowing River": A powerful visual analogy for shifting from a scarcity mindset to an abundance mindset, and why you must "spend money to make money."The Power of Profit: Why paying yourself first is not selfish, but a requirement for sustainable growth and the ability to eventually delegate tasks.Sticky Floors of Delegation: Danielle opens up about her own struggle with hiring and "letting go," revealing why the first revenue-generating hire is the hardest yet most necessary step to shatter your glass ceiling.Pricing for Value: A look at why hourly billing often penalizes expertise, and why shifting to flat-fee pricing allows you to profit from your own efficiency.If you’ve been putting your head in the sand when it comes to your business finances, this episode is the clarity and encouragement you need to step into the power of profit.🔗 Resources:Visit Danielle's dedicated landing page for listeners: 4cornerscfo.com/glassceilings.Connect with Erica Rooney on LinkedIn. BUY THE BOOK - Glass Ceilings and Sticky Floors Connect with me on LinkedInBe a Book Launch Insider!!!My FREE 5x5 Starter Kit for LinkedInFREE WEEKLY SUCCESS PLANNERJoin our Facebook Group! Find me on InstagramCheck out our PINS on PinterestAnd YES - I'm on TikTok!

What if the secret to conquering self-doubt and negotiating your worth at work begins with lowering your tolerance for compromise in your most intimate relationships?In this episode of Glass Ceilings and Sticky Floors, Erica Rooney sits down with Jingjin Liu, serial entrepreneur, investor, and global advocate. Jingjin is the founder of the Elevate Group and the co-founder of Zazu, Asia's first sexual wellness company for women. She proves a radical truth: confidence in the bedroom leads to confidence in the boardroom.Jingjin shares her fascinating journey from a "weird girl" in Beijing to the youngest Global Marketing Director in a male-dominated industry, revealing how deep-seated societal conditioning and a high tolerance for small compromises at home are the sticky floors keeping women stuck in their careers.Inside the Episode:The Bedroom to Boardroom Link: Jingjin breaks down how women's tendency to make compromises in the bedroom (e.g., accommodating a partner's sleep or TV habits, or silence about sexual desire) builds a pattern of accommodating behavior that is carried directly into the workplace.The Snoring Analogy: A powerful and relatable example of the high tolerance for "bullshit" women build at home—from sleeping poorly due to a partner's snoring to not asking for dishes to be washed—and why lowering that tolerance is the first step toward self-assertion.The LIE of Self-Worth: How making small, repeated compromises at home leads to the deep, intrinsic belief that "I am not worth it," making it impossible to ask for a bigger budget or better salary at work.The Twin Sticky Floors: The two most common traps for high-achieving women in corporate settings: The Likability Trap & PerfectionismFighting for the Whole Cookie: How to move past the "tall poppy syndrome" and scarcity mindset that pits women against each other. Jing Jin argues that women are often distracted by fighting for the crumbs instead of demanding the whole damn cookie for everyone.The Global Sisterhood: Jingjin shares the exciting evolution of the Elevate Group's mission, shifting from focusing only on Asian women to impacting 5 million women in business globally, recognizing that gender discrimination and self-doubt are universal challenges.If you are ready to reclaim your power, fight back against sexism, and elevate your ambition by dismantling the inner conditioning that holds you back, this episode is a courageous call to action.🔗 Resources:Watch Jing Jin Luu's TED Talk: Confidence in the Bedroom leads to Confidence in the Boardroom.Learn more about Jing Jin Luu and her mission at Elevate Group.Connect with Erica Rooney on LinkedIn.Connect with Walk West: walkwest.com BUY THE BOOK - Glass Ceilings and Sticky Floors Connect with me on LinkedInBe a Book Launch Insider!!!My FREE 5x5 Starter Kit for LinkedInFREE WEEKLY SUCCESS PLANNERJoin our Facebook Group! Find me on InstagramCheck out our PINS on PinterestAnd YES - I'm on TikTok!

Are you ready to stop sprinting toward the end of the year and instead lean into the magic of the in-between?In this solo episode, host Erica Rooney challenges the traditional "hustle harder" holiday advice. She encourages you to view this time as a refractory period—a natural exhale before the big inhale of 2026—and gives you radical permission to slow down and be present.Erica reveals her secret to managing the season's chaos: strategically using AI to clear the clutter, protect her energy, and free up her mental load so she can focus on the moments that truly matter.Inside the Episode:The Refractory Pause: Why you should stop viewing the holidays as a sprint to the finish line and instead embrace the season's slower rhythm as a necessary time for rest and self-reconnection.Permission to be Present: A call to action to stop doing all the things you think you "should" do and start doing the things that genuinely matter to you (like sitting on the couch or baking horrific cookies).AI for the Invisible Labor: Erica demonstrates exactly how she uses simple AI prompts (like Chat GPT or Google Gemini) to eliminate time-consuming planning and mental clutter:Magical Meal PlanningCreative Gift IdeasThe Calm December Prompt: The specific AI prompt Erica used to design a weekly rhythm that prioritized feeling calm, intentional, and grounded, while carving out dedicated time for connection, rest, and joy.Protecting Your Energy: Why using AI is not about replacing humanity, but about clearing the invisible labor and protecting your mental energy so you don't lose your balance (or your shit) on those you love.If you’re ready to ditch the guilt and use modern tools to move through the holidays with clarity, grounding, and magic, this episode is your essential guide.🔗 Resources:Join the community for support, coaching, and tools to free up your mental energy: DM Erica for a link to Her Collective.Connect with Erica Rooney on LinkedIn.BUY THE BOOK - Glass Ceilings and Sticky Floors Connect with me on LinkedInBe a Book Launch Insider!!!My FREE 5x5 Starter Kit for LinkedInFREE WEEKLY SUCCESS PLANNERJoin our Facebook Group! Find me on InstagramCheck out our PINS on PinterestAnd YES - I'm on TikTok!

What if the ultimate key to professional success and unlocking your full potential isn't external competition, but the internal wisdom gained from managing your mind and emotions?In this episode of Glass Ceilings and Sticky Floors, host Erica Rooney sits down with Meredith Haberfield, CEO and Founder of Think Human. With a unique background blending molecular biochemistry, executive leadership, and even Whitewater River guiding, Meredith proves that igniting transformational change in innovative companies requires blending social, psychological, and neurological science.Join them as they explore why focusing on internal growth is the only way to overcome the "sticky floors" of people-pleasing and self-doubt, and how to use the science of your brain to make courageous leadership feel less scary.Inside the Episode:From Biochemistry to CEO: Meredith shares her fascinating journey, explaining how her early experiences as a Whitewater River guide and her research on stress hormones and the immune system shaped her understanding that human behavior isn't dictated by logic.The People-Pleasing Trap: The most common "sticky floor" Meredith sees with high-achieving women: using external validation (like a boss's approval) as a food source, and how to disconnect from that need to author your own path.Time-Bound Sacrifices: Powerful advice for women making sacrifices for their team: why you must put a time boundary around those sacrifices to prevent them from becoming an ugly, permanent reality.Intentionality Over Anxiety: A discussion on the difference between intention (which speaks in statements) and anxiety (which speaks in questions), and how to create a clear picture of what you're aiming for to mobilize the subconscious brain.Blind Spot Hunting: A counter-intuitive approach to uncovering your hidden flaws. Learn why you must get "excited about seeing the ugly stuff" and approach your self-judgments with compassion and curiosity, much like a detective.The Stretch Zone Advantage: The scientific reason (apoptosis) why operating in your stretch zone—just outside your comfort zone—is not only beneficial for mental growth but actively optimizes your physical immune system.The Fire-Fueling Reaction: What to do immediately after a professional failure or rejection: commit to a "boatload of action"—do 10 small things right now—to spark new possibilities and avoid the narrative of failure.If you're ready to stop waiting for external validation and unlock the internal capabilities needed to lead with unparalleled clarity and courage, this episode is your scientific playbook.🔗 Resources:Learn more about Meredith Haberfield and her leadership development programs at think-human.com.Connect with Erica Rooney on LinkedIn. BUY THE BOOK - Glass Ceilings and Sticky Floors Connect with me on LinkedInBe a Book Launch Insider!!!My FREE 5x5 Starter Kit for LinkedInFREE WEEKLY SUCCESS PLANNERJoin our Facebook Group! Find me on InstagramCheck out our PINS on PinterestAnd YES - I'm on TikTok!

What if the secret to building an authentic, successful career isn't a linear path, but embracing the chaos of a playground model and leveraging your most human qualities?In this episode of Glass Ceilings and Sticky Floors, Erica Rooney sits down with Ashley Faus, Head of Lifecycle Management at Atlassian and author of the upcoming book, Human-Centered Marketing, How to Connect with Audiences in the Age of AI. Ashley brings a fresh perspective, blending her deep expertise in marketing and technology with her background in musical theater and vocal performance.Join them as they explore how the empathy skills of a theater kid translate directly into high-level business strategy, and how women can build true trust, authority, and influence using Ashley's four pillars of thought leadership.Inside the Episode:The Theater Kid to Tech Leader Pipeline: Ashley reveals the surprising synergy between musical theater and marketing, explaining how stepping into a character's shoes directly translates into high-level audience empathy and strategic business connection.The Problem with "Bright Girls": A discussion on why the linear structure of traditional education is a disservice to high-achieving women, leading them to believe that career snags mean they're "not smart."The Career as a Playground: Why the traditional career funnel doesn't work and how to view your professional journey as a playground where you can climb the slide or use skills in "the wrong way" (e.g., a lateral move) for massive long-term growth.The Checkers vs. Chess Promotion Rule: Critical advice for ambitious women on how to play the "smart game of checkers" for 12 months after a promotion, avoiding the frustration of unrealistic growth expectations in large companies.The Four Pillars of Thought Leadership: Ashley breaks down her framework for building influence: Credibility, Profile, Being Prolific, and Depth of Ideas. Learn which pillar is likely your weakest point and how to strengthen it.Building Trust in the Age of AI: The three essential human elements (Logic, Empathy, and Authenticity) that are critical for building genuine trust and authority when the digital world is flooded with AI-generated content.The Minimum Viable Action (MVA): A practical strategy for managing your energy and relationships, maintaining a "warm" baseline (e.g., a quick text) so you don't always have to start from zero.If you're ready to embrace a non-linear career path and use your innate human connection skills to build lasting influence and authority, this episode is your strategic guide.🔗 Resources:Connect with Ashley Faus on LinkedIn to continue the conversation.Find her book, Human-Centered Marketing, How to Connect with Audiences in the Age of AI, wherever books are sold.Connect with Erica Rooney on LinkedIn. BUY THE BOOK - Glass Ceilings and Sticky Floors Connect with me on LinkedInBe a Book Launch Insider!!!My FREE 5x5 Starter Kit for LinkedInFREE WEEKLY SUCCESS PLANNERJoin our Facebook Group! Find me on InstagramCheck out our PINS on PinterestAnd YES - I'm on TikTok!

What if the secret to conquering the mental load and preventing burnout lies in using technology to center your core values—not just to boost productivity?In this fireside chat, Erica Rooney is joined by Tara Ryan, a technology leader, certified Fair Play facilitator, and founder of Confidant AI. Tara shares her powerful journey from scaling corporate software teams and navigating infertility to building a women-centric AI tool that tackles the unseen labor that plagues high-achieving women.Join them as they dive into the challenges of the invisible labor gap, the guilt of delegation, and how to harness emerging technology like Confidant AI to pause, self-regulate, and make values-based decisions every day.Inside the Episode:The Invisible Labor Crisis: Tara breaks down the stark reality of the 35,000 small decisions women make daily and how this constant cognitive load leads to burnout and career barriers.Fair Play Explained: A breakdown of the Fair Play method and why it’s essential for creating a fair, not necessarily equal, division of unpaid labor and emotional management in the home.The Guilt of Delegation: How to overcome the guilt of redistributing labor by establishing a "minimum standard of care" with your partner, ensuring tasks are handled to a mutually agreed-upon level.The Systemic Barrier: Erica and Tara discuss how the lack of paid parental leave creates a "path dependency," preventing couples from renegotiating duties and locking women into the role of the default caregiver.Building Mother-Centric AI: A look inside Confidant AI and the groundbreaking concept of Vibe Coding—using creativity and language to build technology—to create tools that actually support women instead of just disconnecting them.Pre-Baby Conversations: Tara shares how her journey through infertility gave her and her partner the unique opportunity to have deep, intentional conversations about their core family values before their first child arrived.Revisiting Your Rules: The powerful advice Tara would give her younger self: to examine the unwritten rules and external expectations governing her life to ensure they align with her true, deeply held belief system.If you’re ready to stop shouldering the entire mental load and explore how to use technology to live a more regulated, values-driven life, this conversation is your next step.🔗 Resources:Learn more about Tara Ryan and her work at Confidant AI.Fair Play: Explore the book and methodology by Eve Rodsky (Tara is a certified facilitator).Vibe Coding: Look up resources on how to prompt AI to generate code.Connect with Erica Rooney on LinkedIn. BUY THE BOOK - Glass Ceilings and Sticky Floors Connect with me on LinkedInBe a Book Launch Insider!!!My FREE 5x5 Starter Kit for LinkedInFREE WEEKLY SUCCESS PLANNERJoin our Facebook Group! Find me on InstagramCheck out our PINS on PinterestAnd YES - I'm on TikTok!

What if the most impactful leadership strategy isn't focused on your team, but on the inner wisdom and grounding you gain from managing yourself?In this episode of Glass Ceilings and Sticky Floors, host Erica Rooney sits down with Margaret Andrews, author of Managing Yourself to Lead Others and the educator behind Harvard's most popular leadership program. Margaret reveals that true, authentic leadership unlocks when you first achieve self-mastery.Join them as they explore the foundational questions needed to understand your own influences, values, and definitions of success. Learn why knowing yourself roots you, giving you the inner strength to lead without conforming to outdated molds, and how to use simple tools to make grounded decisions even under extreme pressure.Inside the Episode:The Stinging Catalyst: Margaret's personal story of receiving harsh feedback ("You're not self-aware") that propelled her to create a revolutionary leadership program.The Foundational Questions: Identifying the deep questions necessary to understand who and what has shaped you, and what core values you're actually living.Beyond the Prescription of Success: Why women need to define success based on how they want to feel, not just outward achievements.Actionable Tools for Pressure: Simple techniques like "Write it out, shake it out" to handle big emotions and make grounded decisions.The Power of Being Rooted: How self-understanding makes you less knocked off balance by the behavior of others, allowing you to lead authentically.If you're ready to stop conforming and unlock the unique, powerful leader only you can be, this episode is your playbook for inner transformation.🔗 Resources:Find Margaret Andrews' book, Managing Yourself to Lead Others, wherever books are sold.Connect with Erica Rooney on LinkedIn. BUY THE BOOK - Glass Ceilings and Sticky Floors Connect with me on LinkedInBe a Book Launch Insider!!!My FREE 5x5 Starter Kit for LinkedInFREE WEEKLY SUCCESS PLANNERJoin our Facebook Group! Find me on InstagramCheck out our PINS on PinterestAnd YES - I'm on TikTok!

Are you sprinting toward the end of the year on fumes, feeling the pressure to achieve "perfection" when you're already doing the work of three people?In this solo episode, host Erica Rooney flips the script on the year-end hustle. She argues that finishing the year strong doesn't mean doing more, it means choosing better and slowing down on purpose to align your efforts. This is the antidote to the corporate finish line chaos.Erica introduces her simple, three-part weekly audit designed to replace emotion with evidence, cut the endless activity that keeps you stuck, and ensure your time is spent on tasks that guarantee future growth, not burnout.Inside the Episode:The Year-End Pressure Cooker: A candid look at the relentless demands of Q4—from performance reviews and budget season to the inevitable holiday hosting and perfectionism.Activity vs. Impact: Why being busy doesn't mean you're being valuable. Erica shares how to stop doing the "busy work" (like organizing your makeup drawer!) and identify the three things that truly move the needle toward your goals.The Energy Check: The importance of tracking your physical state. Learn the color-coded calendar method to identify what activities (meetings, projects, or people) leave you energized versus totally drained.Eating the Frog Strategically: How to make dreaded, energy-sucking tasks less draining by strategically placing them in your schedule to clear up mental space and anxiety.The Alignment Test (Bridge vs. Cliff): A crucial test for any task:Bridge Activities: Set you up for future growth, recognition, and long-term alignment.Cliff Activities: Take your time and energy but get you nowhere toward your long-term vision. (Hint: Reformatting slides is a cliff!)Your Weekly Action Plan: A simple, low-effort routine for Friday evening to map your calendar, cut the drains, and prioritize the bridge activities that guarantee you start the new year rested and ahead of the curve.If you are ready to get off the corporate hamster wheel and create a life you don't have to feel like you're escaping from, this episode is your strategic guide to ending the year aligned, not exhausted.🔗 Resources:Revisit the SNAP Method (Stop and Notice) in previous episodes for an easy way to check in with your body.Connect with Erica Rooney on LinkedIn.BUY THE BOOK - Glass Ceilings and Sticky Floors Connect with me on LinkedInBe a Book Launch Insider!!!My FREE 5x5 Starter Kit for LinkedInFREE WEEKLY SUCCESS PLANNERJoin our Facebook Group! Find me on InstagramCheck out our PINS on PinterestAnd YES - I'm on TikTok!

In this episode of Glass Ceilings and Sticky Floors, Erica Rooney sits down with Claude Silver, Chief Heart Officer at VaynerMedia and author of Be Yourself At Work. Claude leads a global organization by proving that emotional intelligence is not a "soft skill," but a core business function that drives sustainable, high-growth culture. She shares the origin story of her unique role, revealing how to infuse empathy from the top down and why showing your full humanity is the ultimate strategy for success in a fast-paced, high-pressure world.Inside the Episode:The Chief Heart Officer (CHO) Role: Claude details the evolution of her groundbreaking role, defining it as the executive responsible for the "heartbeat" of the entire organization.Be Yourself At Work: The core message of her book, written for anyone who has felt the need to "shapeshift" or "code-switch" to survive the corporate day.The New Work Paradox: How the emerging Gen Z and Gen Alpha workforce is demanding self-awareness and mental health resources, forcing companies to move beyond toxic cultural norms.Emotional Intelligence as a Superpower: How women can reframe and own their EQ, transforming the "too emotional" label into their most valuable leadership asset.Shutting Down the Inner Critic: Claude introduces the LIE Exercise—a science-backed method for combating imposter syndrome.Fierce Empathy in Action: What kind candor looks like when delivering tough feedback, fostering "genuine care" so that hard conversations are seen as connection, not correction.The Non-Technical Skill of Tomorrow: Claude argues that empathy is the single most critical skill for future leaders.Advice for the Un-Evolved Workplace: How to continue being your authentic self and a champion for others, even in environments that don't support it.If you’re ready to stop hiding who you are and learn how to make your humanity your biggest competitive advantage, this episode is a powerful call to action.🔗 Resources:Download the first chapter of Be Yourself At Work for free at https://www.google.com/search?q=beyourselfbook.com.Visit Claude's website at claude silver.com.Connect with Claude Silver on LinkedIn. BUY THE BOOK - Glass Ceilings and Sticky Floors Connect with me on LinkedInBe a Book Launch Insider!!!My FREE 5x5 Starter Kit for LinkedInFREE WEEKLY SUCCESS PLANNERJoin our Facebook Group! Find me on InstagramCheck out our PINS on PinterestAnd YES - I'm on TikTok!