Leadership Pressure: Speaking Up Without Taking Criticism Personally
Leadership Communication in Action | Women Leaders Speaking Up in Meetings, Getting Women Promoted to Leadership · 2026-02-24 · 15 min
Episode notes
If you’ve ever felt your judgement questioned at work, struggled to stay calm under pressure, or found yourself over-explaining decisions in senior conversations, this episode will resonate. As you move into more senior roles, leadership pressure changes. Visibility increases, expectations rise, and decisions carry more weight. In this episode, Liz Boswell explores why experienced professionals (especially women) often feel greater scrutiny as responsibility increases, and how to handle pressure at work without losing your authority. We explore: • Why your judgement is questioned more at senior level • How pressure and risk change how people listen • The difference between healthy challenge and persistent doubt • Why high-performing women can over-explain or become defensive • How to stay calm and maintain authority under pressure If you’re navigating leadership transition, stepping into a more senior role, or making high-stakes decisions at work, this conversation will help you think clearly and respond with confidence.