Roar with Lakecia Gunter Radical Self-Acceptance: The Secret to Transformational Leadership with Dr. Laura Gallaher
In this enlightening episode of ROAR, host Lakecia Gunter sits down with organizational psychologist Dr. Laura Gallaher to explore how self-acceptance is the often-missing link in strong, effective leadership. Drawing on her work with NASA in the wake of the Columbia tragedy, as well as with leaders at Disney and high-growth companies, Dr. Gallaher explains how psychological safety, inner judgment, and cultural dynamics all shape the effectiveness of leaders—and their teams.
The conversation is a powerful reminder that true leadership begins within. Dr. Gallaher shares candid moments from her own journey of growth, including the impact of unexpected 360-degree feedback and how she used it to deepen her awareness. She offers practical tools like her self-acceptance quiz and the daily practice of "taking credit," illustrating how introspection and vulnerability can catalyze real change in organizations. If you’ve ever tied your worth to external success, this episode is your invitation to lead from the inside out.
In This Episode, You Will Learn:
- (04:55) – How a lack of psychological safety—not technical failure—was a major factor in the Columbia shuttle disaster
- (10:40) – Why even NASA, rated the best place to work, needed a cultural transformation
- (13:30) – The truth about defensiveness: how internal self-judgment impacts your leadership
- (16:35) – Dr. Gallaher’s raw story of feedback that changed how she led her team
- (20:40) – How radical self-acceptance is the antidote to perfectionism and fear-based leadership
- (23:15) – Why high-achievers often misunderstand self-acceptance—and how to shift your mindset
- (28:00) – The “taking credit” practice: a simple daily habit to boost confidence and growth
- (34:15) – How leaders who do inner work impact their team’s performance, trust, and collaboration
- (36:40) – Key takeaways from Dr. Gallaher’s book The Missing Links and how to build an intentional culture
- (38:45) – The Inside-Out Model: a framework for taking ownership of change as a leader
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