About | Cathleen O'Sullivan

Beyond the bio

When I’m not supporting you, I’m spending time with my family, exploring hiking trails, listening to music, or hosting conversations on the Legendary Leaders podcast. Outstanding leadership isn't just about what we do in the office—it's about what we do out of it too.

Weekend Explorer

When I'm not helping leaders transform their careers, you'll find me chasing sunrises on hiking trails or planning my next adventure. Nature isn't just an escape—it's where I find the clarity that I bring to my work with clients.

A neon sign that reads: "Wired differently"

Leadership Library

My current reads reflect my passion for practical wisdom:

Essentialism by Greg McKeown
The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor
Rememberings by Sinead O’Connor
Let My People Go Surfing by Yvon Chouinard and Naomi Klein
Swords of Illumination by David C Olcott

Daily Rituals

Morning: A morning walk—combined with my son’s school run. Breathing exercises. Listening to cultural highlights on the radio, so I can check in with what’s new and get new perspectives every day.

Evening: Bed between 10 and 11 to ensure I get enough sleep. We’re not getting any younger, right?

Somebody pouring water from a glass bottle into a glass tumbler filled with water and lemon slices

Songs I Have Recently Listened To

A playlist I just can’t live without:

Cover art of Cathleen's Spotify playlist

Listen Now

The bad. And the ugly.

Or: Yes, I’ve absolutely been there. If you’ve made it this far, then you know I strongly believe that leadership isn’t about perfection. It’s about showing up as you are and learning along the way. Here are three cringe-worthy moments from my own career that still make me wince (but taught me everything):

The Façade

Fresh into my first management role in Germany, I bought into the "never let them see you sweat" myth. Picture me in business lunches, obsessing over using the correct fork instead of connecting with colleagues. I wore professionalism like armor—abrupt in meetings, guarded with peers—thinking vulnerability was weakness. The result? It took years to build genuine trust with my team. Turns out people don’t follow titles—they follow humans.

Takeaway

Work isn’t a performance. The moment I swapped “perfect manager” for “real-life person”, everything shifted.

The Power Trip

Fast-forward to my UK “reliable achiever” era: targets were being met, the team was known to be reliable, all that good stuff. But, when new members joined, I’d think: “Why reinvent the wheel? My way works.” My non-verbal communication said it all. Cue the brutal 360 feedback: “Unapproachable.” “Inflexible.” Ouch. Turns out “efficiency” without empathy just breeds resentment.

The Turning Point

When I realised that I was always right, but never present. That gut-punch made me ditch the “final word” act for good.

A Real Cow

Let’s quote Past Cathy: “I must’ve been a real cow to work for.” True story—prioritising results over people so intensely that I’d not be surprised if my team had dubbed meetings “The Tribunal.” The wake-up call? Realising my “high standards” were just fear of losing control masquerading as leadership.

What Changed

I started asking instead of telling. Listening instead of defending. Turns out teams innovate best when their leader isn’t a real cow.

Listen to my interview with "Beyond the Crucible" podcast to hear more about how I overcame this.

But that's enough about me—back to you!

Let’s make SPACE for you to lead in a way that feels right—for your career and your life.

But that's enough about me—back to you!

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The Legendary Leaders Podcast

Every fortnight, I encourage you to identify ways to reach your potential, and make an impact on those around you, whilst maintaining what makes you, you.

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