The Empowered Leader Podcast Podcast By Margaret Williams MS ACC cover art

The Empowered Leader Podcast

The Empowered Leader Podcast

By: Margaret Williams MS ACC
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The Empowered Leader is the video podcast goes beneath surface-level leadership advice to name the real tensions leaders navigate inside systems not designed for them; visibility without backlash, authority without permission, and success without self-erasure. Each episode interrogates power, bias, and leadership norms while offering grounded perspective that reframes what’s personal, what’s systemic, and where real choice still exists

substack.iprofessionalcoaching.comMargaret Williams, MS, ACC Career Success Economics Personal Development Personal Success
Episodes
  • Purpose

    Purpose
    Mar 24 2026

    It’s not something you find, it’s something you live

    Let’s get straight to it.

    Most people are out here trying to find their purpose.

    Like it’s hidden somewhere.

    Like, one day it’s just going to show up.

    Like they’re waiting for clarity before they start moving.

    And that’s exactly why they stay stuck.

    Because the truth is:

    Purpose is not something you find.

    It’s something you build through how you live and what you do.

    What People Think Purpose Is

    People think purpose is:

    * One specific calling

    * One perfect path

    * One big moment of clarity

    * Something that shows up when everything finally “makes sense”

    So they wait.

    They overthink.

    They question everything.

    They delay action.

    And nothing moves.

    What Purpose Actually Is

    Purpose is much simpler than people make it.

    It’s how you:

    * Show up

    * Use what you have

    * Take responsibility

    * Contribute to something beyond yourself

    Purpose is built through:

    * Action

    * Experience

    * Growth

    * Impact

    Not waiting.

    Where People Get Stuck

    People want purpose but avoid what builds it.

    They want clarity but avoid action.

    They want direction but avoid decisions.

    They want meaning but avoid responsibility.

    You don’t figure your purpose out sitting still.

    You build it by moving, doing, and learning.

    Purpose vs. Waiting for Purpose

    Living with purpose:

    * You take action, even without full clarity

    * You use what’s in front of you

    * You stay consistent

    * You contribute where you are

    * You grow through experience

    Waiting for purpose:

    * You overthink everything

    * You delay decisions

    * You wait to feel “sure”

    * You stay stuck in indecision

    * You keep searching, but don’t move

    One creates direction.

    The other creates frustration.

    Warning Signs You’re Waiting Instead of Living It

    Be honest.

    * You keep asking, What’s my purpose?

    * You feel stuck, but aren’t taking action

    * You wait for clarity before moving

    * You start things, but don’t commit

    * You think too much, and do too little

    That’s not confusion.

    That’s inaction.

    The Leadership Truth

    Purpose isn’t just personal, it shows up in how you lead.

    People who are clear in their purpose:

    * Make decisions faster

    * Show up with consistency

    * Have direction

    * Create impact

    People who are waiting for purpose:

    * Hesitate

    * Overthink

    * Stay uncertain

    * Drift

    Clarity doesn’t come first.

    Movement does.

    The Shift

    Stop asking:

    What is my purpose?

    Start asking:

    What can I take responsibility for right now?

    That’s where purpose begins.

    What This Looks Like in Real Life

    * Do the work in front of you, well

    * Take ownership of your role

    * Use your skills to help someone else

    * Stay consistent, even when it’s not exciting

    * Build something, don’t just think about it

    Purpose grows through use.

    Real Talk

    I’ve seen people spend years trying to figure it out.

    Reading, thinking, planning.

    But not moving.

    And I’ve seen others just start—take action, make decisions, get involved.

    Those are the ones who found direction.

    Not because they had all the answers.

    Because they were willing to move without them.

    Closing Reflection

    Purpose isn’t a destination.

    It’s how you live daily.

    Because the truth is:

    You don’t find purpose by thinking about it.

    You build it by how you show up and what you commit to.

    So here’s the real question:

    Am I actually living with purpose, or just thinking about it?

    Purpose isn’t found. It’s built.



    This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit substack.iprofessionalcoaching.com/subscribe
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    7 mins
  • Facts vs. Truth

    Facts vs. Truth
    Mar 23 2026

    (Why leaders can have all the facts — and still miss what matters)

    I want to explore a tension that shows up in leadership more than we realize, the difference between facts and truth.

    Because leaders often rely on facts to make decisions.

    And facts matter.

    But here’s the problem:

    Facts don’t always tell the full story.

    And when leaders confuse facts with truth, they can make decisions that are technically correct, but fundamentally misaligned.

    Let me bring you in:

    * How do you distinguish between facts and truth in leadership?

    1. Facts: What Can Be Proven

    Facts are objective.

    They’re:

    * data

    * metrics

    * observable events

    * things that can be verified

    Facts answer:

    * What happened?

    * What are the numbers?

    * What can we measure?

    And strong leaders need facts.

    You can say:

    Facts give us structure. They help us make grounded decisions.

    Impact of Facts (When Used Well)

    * Clearer analysis

    * Better tracking of performance

    * More objective decision-making

    But facts have limits.

    Because…

    2. Truth: What Is Actually Being Experienced

    Truth goes deeper.

    Truth includes:

    * context

    * perception

    * lived experience

    * underlying dynamics

    Truth answers:

    * What does this mean?

    * What’s happening beneath the surface?

    * How is this being experienced by people?

    You can say:

    Two people can agree on the facts, and still be living two very different truths.

    That’s where leadership gets complex.

    Ask your guest:

    * Can you think of a time when the facts didn’t capture the full reality of a situation?

    3. When Leaders Hide Behind Facts

    This is where it becomes a leadership issue.

    Sometimes leaders use facts to:

    * avoid uncomfortable conversations

    * dismiss lived experiences

    * maintain control of the narrative

    It sounds like:

    * The data doesn’t support that.

    * That’s not what the report says.

    And while that may be factually correct

    It can still invalidate truth.

    Impact of Ignoring Truth

    * People feel unseen or dismissed

    * Trust begins to erode

    * Important issues stay unaddressed

    * Culture becomes performative instead of real

    And here’s the deeper cost:

    When truth is ignored, facts start to lose credibility.

    Because people stop trusting how they’re being used.

    4. The Leadership Responsibility

    Strong leadership requires holding both.

    Facts without truth create detached leadership.

    Truth without facts can create unstructured leadership.

    But together?

    They create informed and human-centered decisions.

    The shift is this:

    Leaders ask not only:

    * What are the facts?

    But also:

    * What truth might not be captured in these facts?

    Impact of This Shift

    * Better decision quality

    * Stronger trust across teams

    * More inclusive and accurate understanding of issues

    * Systems that reflect reality, not just reports

    Closing Reflection

    Facts tell you what’s visible.

    Truth tells you what’s real.

    And leadership requires the courage to engage with both.

    Facts inform decisions.

    Truth determines whether those decisions actually work.



    This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit substack.iprofessionalcoaching.com/subscribe
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    7 mins
  • Kindness vs. Tolerance

    Kindness vs. Tolerance
    Mar 23 2026
    Being kind doesn’t mean putting up with everythingLet’s clear this up.A lot of people think they’re being kindWhen they’re actually just tolerating behavior, they shouldn’t.And those are not the same thing.Kindness is intentional.Tolerance, when misused, is passive.And over time, that confusion costs people their boundaries, their voice, and their self-respect.What Kindness Really IsKindness is respect with awareness.It’s how you treat people.It looks like:* Being respectful* Listening without dismissing* Communicating with clarity* Showing empathy* Treating people with dignityBut let’s be clear:Kindness does not mean you avoid hard conversations.Kindness does not mean you accept disrespect.Real kindness includes honesty.What Tolerance Looks LikeTolerance, when it’s healthy, has its place.But when it’s overused, it turns into something else.It starts to look like:* Letting things slide that shouldn’t* Avoiding addressing issues* Making excuses for behavior* Staying quiet to keep the peace* Accepting less than what aligns with your standardsAnd people call that “being nice.”It’s not.It’s avoidance.The Difference That MattersKindness:* Respectful and clear* Honest, even when it’s uncomfortable* Maintains standards* Addresses issues directly* Protects both people and boundariesTolerance (when misused):* Passive and avoidant* Ignores issues* Lowers standards* Delays necessary conversations* Protects comfort, not growthOne builds respect.The other builds resentment.Where People Get It WrongPeople think:“If I say something, I’m not being kind.”“If I address it, I might upset someone.”“If I let it go, I’m being understanding.”No.What you’re doing is avoiding what needs to be addressed.And over time, that creates:* Frustration* Misalignment* Weak boundaries* Loss of respect; internally and externallyBecause when you tolerate what you shouldn’t, people adjust to that standard.Warning Signs You’re Tolerating Instead of LeadingBe honest with yourself.* You let things go that bother you* You avoid conversations you know you need to have* You make excuses for repeated behavior* You feel frustrated, but say nothing* You tell yourself, “It’s not a big deal,” when it actually is* You’re keeping the peace, but losing your voiceThat’s not kindness.That’s self-neglect.The Leadership RealityIn leadership, this shows up fast.Leaders who over-tolerate:* Let standards drop* Avoid accountability* Create confusion* Build quite a resentment on teamsBecause people don’t just respond to what you say.They respond to what you allow.And what you allow becomes the culture.The ShiftStop asking:“How do I be nice about this?”Start asking:“What needs to be addressed, and how do I do it clearly and respectfully?”That’s leadership.What This Looks Like in Practice* Address the issue early* Be direct, not harsh* Hold the standard consistently* Stop excusing repeated behavior* Say what needs to be said, without overexplainingYou can be respectful and firm at the same time.That’s not conflict.That’s clarity.Real TalkI’ve seen people who thought they were being kindBut they were tolerating behavior that was misaligned, disrespectful, or ineffective.And over time, it wore them down.Once they started speaking up, setting boundaries, and addressing things directly, everything shifted.Not because they became harsh.Because they became clear.Closing ReflectionKindness is a strength.But tolerance, without boundaries, turns into weakness.Because the truth is:What you tolerate, you reinforce.So, the real question is:“Am I being kind, or am I avoiding what needs to be addressed?”“Kindness speaks. Tolerance stays silent.” This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit substack.iprofessionalcoaching.com/subscribe
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    8 mins
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