The Science of Showing Up: Sally Cornet
“CULTURE IS THE INVISIBLE HAND THAT SHAPES OUR NERVOUS SYSTEMS.”
Episode Description
In this episode of Leadership Matters, Sally Cornet, Executive CHRO Counselor at McLean & Company, joins host Kaylee Thomsen for a fascinating conversation on the science of the mind and how it shapes leadership. Sally unpacks what NLP actually is, why 90% of your brain operates on autopilot, and how that invisible programming impacts the way leaders show up. She shares why vulnerability builds more trust than perfection, how flexibility drives influence, and what it really takes to break free from the mental superhighways keeping leaders stuck. She also offers a simple but powerful first step any leader can take this week to start creating new ones.
Chapters
- 00:00 Intro: Meet Sally Cornet
- 00:34 What Is NLP?
- 02:36 Why 90% of the Brain Runs Unconsciously
- 04:51 Why She Pursued NLP Certification
- 06:04 How NLP Changed Her as a Leader
- 07:33 Why HR Has Flatlined in Strategic Influence
- 09:36 The Law of Requisite Variety
- 11:15 Adapting Communication to Influence Others
- 12:58 The Return on Failure
- 14:24 Why Vulnerability Is So Hard to Practice
- 16:50 Stepping Back So Others Can Step Forward
- 18:47 The Fishing Hole Story: Building New Neural Pathways
- 19:53 Recognizing She Was on Autopilot
- 21:25 The Courage to Leave a Well-Paved Path
- 22:35 Asking for Feedback From Your Team
- 24:34 Closing the Gap Between Intention and Impact
- 26:07 Culture as the Invisible Hand on Our Nervous System
- 28:29 Why Distributed Leadership Drives Growth
- 29:44 Healing From a Toxic Culture
- 31:41 How Coaching Has Shaped Her Own Growth
- 32:57 The HR Transformation That Didn't Go as Planned
- 35:39 What She Learned in the File Room
- 37:16 Final Advice: The Game Played Between Your Ears
More In The Series
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