In this episode of The BOLT Podcast, Todd sits down with Kathy Sullivan—organizational development consultant, executive coach, and author of Moms Eat First—for a powerful conversation on leadership, emotional intelligence, and the human side of change. Kathy shares how her personal journey, professional experience, and hard-won lessons shaped her approach to sustainable growth, both at work and at home. Together, Todd and Kathy explore why real change is not about pushing harder, but about slowing down, reflecting honestly, and creating the space to lead with greater clarity, intention, and resilience.
From organizational transformation to personal well-being, this episode unpacks the systems, mindset shifts, and leadership behaviors that help change actually stick. Kathy introduces her five RE principles—Reflect, Rediscover, Reset, Reclaim, and Release—and explains how they can help anyone navigate disruption without losing themselves in the process.
Topics discussed in this episode:
- Why sustainable change starts with putting your own oxygen mask on first
- The leadership cost of burnout, overwhelm, and operating in fight-or-flight
- Why organizations need a people plan, not just a technical change plan
- How emotional intelligence helps leaders turn pressure into presence
- The role of self-awareness, reflection, and honest feedback in growth
- Why change fatigue is real—and how leaders can create space for dialogue
- How manager mindset and leadership buy-in ripple through teams
- Kathy’s five RE principles for creating and sustaining meaningful change
- Reflection as a daily and weekly practice for clarity and better decisions
- How to rediscover possibilities when you feel stuck in constraints
- Resetting priorities and getting clear on what truly matters
- Reclaiming your goals in the face of outside influences and resistance
- Releasing control, comparison, and outdated expectations
- The importance of boundaries, accountability, and supportive community
- Why buy-in beats compliance when leading lasting change
- How negotiation skills help in difficult conversations and major life decisions
- Resilience as an iterative process—not a straight line or a perfect plan
https://www.toddbertsch.com/podcast/leadership-power-of-putting-yourself-first-with-kathy-sullivan/
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