Leadership Growth with Dr. Julie Kennedy | The Breakdown Series

Most leaders think growth comes from doing more, pushing harder, or mastering the next big strategy. But what if the real breakthrough comes when you let go?

In this episode of the Inner Work series, The Breakdown, our reflective host MaryAnn Means-Dufrene and leadership coach Karen Finney revisit one of the most memorable conversations from the podcast: the sit-down with Dr. Julie Kennedy. Together, they uncover the hidden lessons in delegation, intuition, and the courage to face life’s inevitable “forest” moments head-on.

This isn’t theory. It’s leadership development shaped by real challenges, personal transformation, and the kind of breakthroughs that can only happen when you’re willing to do the inner work.

The Disruption: When Growth Becomes a Disguise

Every leader reaches a point where their own skills (no matter how sharp) aren’t enough. Dr. Kennedy shared her journey of moving from “doing it all” to trusting others with her vision. It wasn’t easy. Letting go meant confronting the fear that no one else would meet her standards.

MaryAnn and Karen explore how this exact moment is where so many leaders stall. Instead of empowering the experts they hire, they pull back control, stifling creativity, momentum, and team trust. True leadership development training starts here: releasing control so your team can rise.

The Inner Work: Emotional Fusion, Intimacy & Presence

“Trust your gut” is the advice we’ve all heard. For Dr. Kennedy, a functional medicine practitioner, it’s both literal and metaphorical. In the episode, the phrase became a bridge between health and leadership, reminding us that our bodies often know the truth before our minds catch up.

Karen and MaryAnn reflect on how leaders lose touch with this inner compass. They share moments when ignoring intuition led to burnout and how conscious choice became the turning point. Sometimes wisdom shows up in unexpected places, even in a children’s book that teaches you can’t go around the forest; you have to go through it.

The Rebuild: Confidence Over Control

If disruption shakes the foundation, rebuilding is where leaders redefine who they are. For Karen, that meant unlearning the belief that value comes from overextending herself. For MaryAnn, it meant recognizing that anger isn’t an enemy; it’s a signal something needs to change.

The conversation pulls back the curtain on the messy, non-linear nature of growth. Leaders don’t emerge stronger by avoiding discomfort; they do it by meeting it with curiosity, grace, and a willingness to set new boundaries.

What I Know Now

Breakdowns aren’t the end of the story; they’re the starting point for breakthroughs. When leaders develop the courage to trust themselves, delegate with intention, and see their bodies as allies in decision-making, they create a ripple effect of resilience across their executive teams.

The real lesson? Leadership isn’t about doing it all. It’s about doing the right inner work so you can lead with clarity, strength, and heart.

Key takeaways:

• “Breakdowns equal breakthroughs,  but only if we let ourselves learn from them.”
  
  
• “Delegation is a conscious choice that frees leaders to focus on what matters most.”
  
  
• “Trusting your gut is both a health practice and a leadership practice.”
  
  
• “Anger can be a signpost for change, not something to avoid.”
  
  
• “Your body will tell you what your mind refuses to see.”

🎧 Listen to the full episode now!