Tracy Slusser | Executive Leadership & Performance Coach | "This is what I do. This is not who I am."

In today's episode of Win More, Live Better, I sit down with Tracy Slusser, an executive leadership and performance coach and former collegiate and international swim coach. For more than 20 years, Tracy lived inside Division I athletics, which started as a student-athlete at Purdue University, then led to 17 years coaching at the highest levels in the sport of swimming. She coached three National Championship teams, represented the United States as a National Team coach, and worked with Olympic medalists and other world-class athletes. Today, she brings that experience into her work supporting coaches and leaders through values-based leadership and executive coaching. In our conversation, we unpack the identity trap of tying self-worth to wins and losses, how to separate what you do from who you are, coaching from freedom instead of fear, and the paradox of grit and self-compassion for achievers. She shares why values-based leadership is a key foundation for her work with coaches and offers some practical recommendations for how coaches can protect their energy and create a more sustainable relationship with coaching. Here's some notable highlights from our conversation:[5:33] — Impostor Syndrome in Coaching[8:54] — The Fear of Screwing It Up[11:34] — The Identity Trap[15:51] — Leading Yourself First[18:05] — Values In Action[20:30] — The Paradox Between Grit and Compassion[24:18] — Who Coaches the Coaches?[29:40] — The Courage to Leave Coaching[34:04] — What Coaches Are Struggling With[35:56] — The Iceberg Beneath the Issue[39:54] — Values-Based Leadership[45:24] — Giving Coaches Permission to Ask for Help[50:55] — Protecting Your Energy[53:55] — Realities Women Face in Coaching[58:32] — Creating a Values-Aligned LifeLearn More About Tracy:You can learn more about Tracy and her work on her website here.Learn More About Zach:If you’re a coach or leader striving for more clarity, consistency, and fulfillment, feel free to sign up for a free discovery call to see how I can best support you: https://calendly.com/zachbrandon/discoverycallFor more practical tools and mindset stories like this, you can subscribe to my free newsletter here: https://winningwithwords.beehiiv.com/You can watch the video recordings of the podcast on YouTube here.