The Unlock Moment · 2026-02-09 · 46 min
What happens when success comes at the cost of authenticity? In this episode of The Unlock Moment, I’m joined by Dr Michelle K. Johnston - Distinguished Professor of Management, executive coach, and co-author with Marshall Goldsmith - to explore the moment that reshaped her leadership, her research, and her life. At just 28, Michelle was a rising academic star. But sitting alone in her office, reading student feedback she found hurtful, she realised something profound: she was succeeding by pretending to be someone she wasn’t. In trying to fit a command-and-control mould, she had silenced the very strengths that made her exceptional … her warmth, enthusiasm, and humanity. That moment sparked a seismic internal shift. One that led Michelle to a lifelong exploration of connection: with self, with others, and with the courage required to show up authentically in environments where you feel different or alone. We talk about growing up constantly adapting, why connection always begins within, the loneliness that often accompanies deep personal change, and why productivity without connection ultimately leads to emptiness.
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