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Breaking the VP Ceiling: Katy McFee on Cracking the Leadership Code | #TGV685
Are you stuck in middle management despite being a high performer? In this episode of The Guiding Voice, host Naveen Samala sits down with executive coach Katy McFee to discuss the "Director to VP Ceiling" and how to overcome the perception gap that keeps talented leaders from the C-suite. Katy shares her proven "Pyramid of Strategic Leadership" framework and explains why success at the executive level is more about strategic communication than just execution. Whether you are a woman in leadership or a professional looking to accelerate your career, this episode provides actionable insights to help you step into the roles you’ve earned. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why women often face a "perception problem" rather than a "skills problem." The 4 Pillars of Strategic Leadership: Expertise, Insights, Judgment, and Framing. How to pivot from a "Season of Yes" (early career) to a "Season of No" (strategic leadership). Red flags that indicate you might be in the wrong company culture for growth. How to build a business case for your own promotion, even in tough financial climates. Subscribe to The Guiding Voice for more transformative conversations that simplify and amplify your journey to success! Chapters 00:00 - Introduction to Katy McFee and the VP Ceiling 01:54 - Meet Katy McFee: Executive Coach & Growth Driver 02:48 - Why you should tune in: Getting unstuck in your career 03:45 - Rapid Fire Round 1: Fun & Quick Insights 05:15 - Katy’s Guiding Voice & Success Mantra 07:20 - The Perception Problem vs. The Skills Problem 09:36 - Why leaders struggle to give actionable feedback 12:00 - The 4 Pillars of Strategic Leadership Framework 15:03 - The turning point: Carving out thinking time 17:05 - How to tell if your company will ever promote you 19:50 - Asking for a promotion during financial constraints 22:10 - What to do when your boss is blocking your promotion 25:00 - Red flags: Are you in the right role? 27:24 - Advice for those feeling trapped in their current environment 29:26 - Busting the myth of Executive Presence 30:51 - Rapid Fire Round 2: Billboards and Career Mistakes 33:18 - Advice for young professionals building a brand 35:10 - Final thoughts and how to support The Guiding Voice 36:06 - Trivia: Interesting facts about Women in Leadership Guest LI profile link: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katy-mcfee-3880b4a/ Connect with the host on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naveensamala/ Also, Tune into our English, Telugu & Kannada podcasts here: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/THEGUIDINGVOICE https://www.youtube.com/c/TGVTelugu https://www.youtube.com/c/TGVKannada Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1GvX6tvmfelawEba0F6KS4 http://surl.li/tmksx (#tgvtelugu) If you wish to become a productivity monk, enroll in this course: http://surl.li/tmksi TGV Inspiring Lives Volume 1 & 2 are on Amazon Kindle: https://amzn.eu/d/cKTKtyC Paperback: https://amzn.eu/d/4Y1HAXj Volume 2: Notion Press: http://surl.li/tmkry Use the Coupon code: NAVEEN20 on notionpress.com to avail a 20% discount Kindle Edition: http://surl.li/tmmmn AMZ IN: http://surl.li/tmmnb AMZ UK: http://surl.li/tmmnl FOLLOW ON X: @guidingvoice @naveensamala Explore more at: https://www.theguidingvoice.net Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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