Emotional Self-Regulation for Leaders – Part 3: Honesty With Yourself

Telling yourself the truth might be the most radical leadership skill you’ll ever develop.

In part three of the Emotional Self-Regulation for Leaders series, Sarah Lockwood is joined by Beck Sydow and Marina Suholutsky for a conversation about the power of radical self-honesty in leadership. They explore how self-awareness for leaders isn’t just about introspection but a foundational strategy for building resilient businesses, leading aligned teams, and navigating high-stakes decisions with integrity.

Beck and Marina reveal how easy it is for entrepreneurs to hide from their own truths, especially when fear, ego, or pressure to perform take over. They unpack how avoidance and overcompensation often mask deeper insecurities and explain why facing those hidden parts with compassion is key to true emotional self-regulation. When leaders name what’s really going on without judgment, they create space for better decisions, stronger relationships, and more authentic leadership.

This episode offers a powerful reframe: self-honesty isn’t weakness, but actually one of the most courageous and transformative skills you can build.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 Why Radical Self-Honesty Is a Leadership Skill

02:56 How Your Relationship with Yourself Shapes Your Leadership

04:49 Embracing All Parts of Yourself to Build Self-Awareness

06:03 Coping Mechanisms That Lead to Dishonest Leadership

10:03 The Hidden Relief in Facing Hard Truths

14:07 Practicing Compassionate Accountability

17:59 Sovereignty, Self-Honesty, and Emotional Self-Regulation

21:32 Practical Tools to Strengthen Self-Honesty

25:02 Emotional Mastery for Leaders

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