004: The Best Leaders Don’t Have the Answer. Here’s What They Do Instead | Hannah Yardley

The best leaders don’t have all the answers, and the ones who think they do often hold their teams back.In this episode of The Impact List, Laurie Fainer sits down with Hannah Yardley - who has spent two decades advising Fortune 500 companies, leading people strategy at a global SaaS platform, and earning a seat at some of the most consequential executive tables in tech -  to explore the leadership mindset shift from expert to leader, and what great leaders do instead. She’s also back in school, in a room with 47 strangers: defense workers, oil refinery managers, school teachers, people who are - right now -  shaping how she leads today.That’s not a contradiction. That’s the point.As your career grows, so does your experience. One of Hannah's most important discoveries is that the more experience you accumulate, the more intentional you have to be about when to use it - stepping back, asking better questions, and trusting others to think, decide, and lead.This is the shift from being the smartest person in the room to building rooms full of capable people.In this episode, you’ll discover:Why the best leaders don’t rely on having all the answersHow a strong leadership mindset is built through curiosity, not controlWhy perfection is one of the biggest barriers to effective leadershipHow to create clarity and structure without micromanaging your teamThe role of emotional intelligence in modern leadershipHow to build trust and psychological safety within your organizationWhy strong leadership skills require letting go of controlWe talk about:00:00 Leadership starts with how you think02:30 Finding perspective and staying grounded as a leader04:00 Curiosity vs judgment in leadership05:30 The importance of flexibility in leadership roles08:30 The shift from giving answers to asking better questions11:30 Decision-making and leadership clarity at the executive level13:00 Defining roles and responsibilities in leadership teams15:00 Why structure and boundaries improve performance17:00 Letting go of control while maintaining direction21:00 Unlearning the need to have all the answers22:30 Building confidence and capability within your team26:00 The importance of peer support in leadership28:00 Why leadership doesn’t have to be isolatingConnect with HannahLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannahyardley/ Website: https://www.achievers.com/ Connect with meInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/dynamicalchemyadvisors LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dynamic-alchemy-advisors/Personal LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriefainer/ Website: https://amplified-authenticity.com/ Music created and produced by Riley Fouchier, DarkSky Productions