Authentic Leadership, Conflict Analysis, and Self-Sabotage with Dr. Liz DuBois Erskine

Authentic Leadership, Conflict Analysis, and Self-Sabotage with Dr. Liz DuBois ErskineDr. Liz DuBois Erskine, a PhD conflict analyst and executive coach, discusses helping high performers stop self-sabotage driven by people-pleasing, burnout, and fear of judgment, especially in high-pressure, male-dominated environments. She reflects on rediscovering her “16-year-old self” after divorce, and describes her work as “like a therapist” for executives facing imposter syndrome and visibility pressure. The conversation explores why people shrink themselves for safety, how leadership is mishandled when promotions don’t include training, and how micromanagement often stems from insecurity and lack of trust. They discuss gender differences in self-doubt, rejecting rigid work-life balance in favor of flow, and her view that conflicts don’t resolve but evolve and can be essential for growth. Erskine addresses vulnerability vs oversharing, self-forgiveness after leadership missteps, sobriety, boundaries, and a mortality-driven commitment to not spending time on work she doesn’t want to do.00:00 Meet Dr Liz Erskine01:32 Finding Herself Again02:51 What Executive Coaching Means05:01 Why High Performers Self Sabotage05:49 Evolution And Visibility Pressure08:05 Promotion And Bad Leadership Models12:06 Micromanagement And Trust Issues13:47 Gender Confidence Gap At Work20:26 Pandemic And Default Gender Roles22:44 Work Life Flow Not Balance26:16 Conflict Analysis Not Resolution29:21 Why Conflict Can Be Healthy31:09 Conflict Fuels Progress31:44 AI In The Executive Suite34:24 Micromanagement And Insecurity35:22 Fear Of Judgment37:36 Vulnerability Vs Oversharing41:16 Becoming Your Real Self44:38 Self Worth And Acceptance47:26 Repairing Leadership Harm50:25 Protecting Your Wellbeing52:38 Sobriety And Temptation55:10 Mortality And Meaninghttps://drlizdubois.com/https://calendly.com/drliz_coaching/30min?month=2025-12https://www.instagram.com/thedrliz/https://www.linkedin.com/in/bizdrlizhttps://www.facebook.com/soul.dr.liz/mentions/