There's a moment many leaders experience.

The role that once gave you energy, purpose and identity starts to feel heavier. Not because you've stopped caring or lost your capability — but because something no longer fits.

In this episode of Leading You, I sit down with Susan Simon — educator, former principal of three independent Queensland schools, and author of debut novel The Secrets of St Jude's — for a deeply honest conversation about what happens when your leadership identity starts to disconnect from who you're becoming.

After more than four decades in Australian school communities, Susan brings an insider's perspective on the emotional complexity of leadership: the joy of building empowered teams, the weight of competing stakeholder expectations, the politics, the pressure — and eventually, the grief of leaving a role that once defined her.

This conversation goes far beyond education. It's for anyone in leadership, corporate, or business who has quietly wondered: Is this still who I am?

What we cover:
Why strong leadership often feels invisible to the person doing it
The emotional load of leading complex organisations with competing expectations
The quiet warning signs that something has shifted — before crisis hits
Why leaving a leadership role can feel like grief, not just a career change
The risk of letting work become your entire identity
How to reconnect with yourself outside of your title
Why grounding practices aren't a luxury — they're a leadership necessity
Susan's debut novel and the psychological complexity of elite school communities

 

Timestamps
00:00 Life Components First
00:43 Meet Susan Simon
02:16 Leadership In Flow
08:09 Stakeholders And Pressure
11:05 When Identity Shifts
17:37 Leaving And New Paths
20:22 Grief And Attachment
24:34 Advice For Stuck Leaders
28:53 Inside The Debut Novel
33:11 Wrap Up And Reviews

 

Links:
Learn more about my group coaching program here
Get the Clarity Compass here

 

Connect with Julie:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-hyde/
Instagram:@juliehydeleads
Website: https://juliehyde.com.au


Connect with Susan:
Website:https://susan-simon.com/
Instagram:@susan.simon_author
Purchase link:https://www.simonandschuster.com.au/books/The-Secrets-of-St-Judes/Susan-Simon/9781922190154

There's a moment many leaders experience.
The role that once gave you energy, purpose and identity starts to feel heavier. Not because you've stopped caring or lost your capability &mdash; but because something no longer fits.
In this episode of Leading You, I sit down with Susan Simon &mdash; educator, former principal of three independent Queensland schools, and author of debut novel The Secrets of St Jude's &mdash; for a deeply honest conversation about what happens when your leadership identity starts to disconnect from who you're becoming.
After more than four decades in Australian school communities, Susan brings an insider's perspective on the emotional complexity of leadership: the joy of building empowered teams, the weight of competing stakeholder expectations, the politics, the pressure &mdash; and eventually, the grief of leaving a role that once defined her.
This conversation goes far beyond education. It's for anyone in leadership, corporate, or business who has quietly wondered: Is this still who I am?
What we cover:
<ul>
<li>Why strong leadership often feels invisible to the person doing it</li>
<li>The emotional load of leading complex organisations with competing expectations</li>
<li>The quiet warning signs that something has shifted &mdash; before crisis hits</li>
<li>Why leaving a leadership role can feel like grief, not just a career change</li>
<li>The risk of letting work become your entire identity</li>
<li>How to reconnect with yourself outside of your title</li>
<li>Why grounding practices aren't a luxury &mdash; they're a leadership necessity</li>
<li>Susan's debut novel and the psychological complexity of elite school communities</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
Timestamps 00:00 Life Components First 00:43 Meet Susan Simon 02:16 Leadership In Flow 08:09 Stakeholders And Pressure 11:05 When Identity Shifts 17:37 Leaving And New Paths 20:22 Grief And Attachment 24:34 Advice For Stuck Leaders 28:53 Inside The Debut Novel 33:11 Wrap Up And Reviews
&nbsp;
Links: Learn more about my group coaching program&nbsp;<a href="https://juliehyde.com.au/leadher-mastermind">here</a> Get the Clarity Compass <a href="https://programs.juliehyde.com.au/programs/claritycompass/">here</a>
&nbsp;
Connect with Julie: LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-hyde/" data-href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-hyde/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-hyde/</a> Instagram:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/juliehydeleads/" data-href="https://www.instagram.com/juliehydeleads/"> @juliehydeleads</a> Website:&nbsp;<a href="https://juliehyde.com.au">https://juliehyde.com.au</a>
 Connect with Susan: Website: <a href="https://susan-simon.com/">https://susan-simon.com/</a> Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/susan.simon_author/">@susan.simon_author</a> Purchase link: <a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com.au/books/The-Secrets-of-St-Judes/Susan-Simon/9781922190154">https://www.simonandschuster.com.au/books/The-Secrets-of-St-Judes/Susan-Simon/9781922190154</a>

Want to know the secret to confident and successful leadership?

Every week, Leading You showcases leadership of all kinds and you get the scoop on how to be an effective, modern leader who makes an impact.

There’s one thing we all have in common. We’re all leaders. First and foremost, you’re a leader of you. You don’t need a title to be a leader. Leadership is a mindset which anyone can adopt to create influence. The more leaders the world has, the better it will be.

I'll let you into something I know to be true - You can’t be a leader of others unless you’re a leader of self first. So if you want to have impact that leads to prosperity and happiness, it all starts with you. With your mindset and personal leadership toolbox, which Leading You will help you build up.

Leading you is hosted by Julie Hyde, an entrepreneur, corporate drop out and passionate leader. Julie knows one thing: you can’t control what happens to you but you can control how you respond. It’s why Leading You is important.

Each week, guests share their secret sauce. They reveal their roadmaps to success. How they’ve stayed anchored to who they are, insights into their courage and resilience and how to be emotionally and behaviourally agile. It’s a conversation, not an interrogation, and you’ll hear the human side of household names.

Want to know the secret to confident and successful leadership?
Every week, Leading You showcases leadership of all kinds and you get the scoop on how to be an effective, modern leader who makes an impact.
There’s one thing we all have in common. We’re all leaders. First and foremost, you’re a leader of you. You don’t need a title to be a leader. Leadership is a mindset which anyone can adopt to create influence. The more leaders the world has, the better it will be.
I'll let you into something I know to be true - You can’t be a leader of others unless you’re a leader of self first. So if you want to have impact that leads to prosperity and happiness, it all starts with you. With your mindset and personal leadership toolbox, which Leading You will help you build up.
Leading you is hosted by Julie Hyde, an entrepreneur, corporate drop out and passionate leader. Julie knows one thing: you can’t control what happens to you but you can control how you respond. It’s why Leading You is important.
Each week, guests share their secret sauce. They reveal their roadmaps to success. How they’ve stayed anchored to who they are, insights into their courage and resilience and how to be emotionally and behaviourally agile. It’s a conversation, not an interrogation, and you’ll hear the human side of household names.

A Podcast dedicated to business owners and leaders to inspire you to make it count

Leading You

Want to know the secret to confident and successful leadership?
Every week, Leading You showcases leadership of all kinds and you get the scoop on how to be an effective, modern leader who makes an impact.
There’s one thing we all have in common. We’re all leaders. First and foremost, you’re a leader of you. You don’t need a title to be a leader. Leadership is a mindset which anyone can adopt to create influence. The more leaders the world has, the better it will be.
I'll let you into something I know to be true - You can’t be a leader of others unless you’re a leader of self first. So if you want to have impact that leads to prosperity and happiness, it all starts with you. With your mindset and personal leadership toolbox, which Leading You will help you build up.
Leading you is hosted by Julie Hyde, an entrepreneur, corporate drop out and passionate leader. Julie knows one thing: you can’t control what happens to you but you can control how you respond. It’s why Leading You is important.
Each week, guests share their secret sauce. They reveal their roadmaps to success. How they’ve stayed anchored to who they are, insights into their courage and resilience and how to be emotionally and behaviourally agile. It’s a conversation, not an interrogation, and you’ll hear the human side of household names.