Who Are You Without the Title? Leadership, Identity, and Clarity with Hanna Birna Kristjánsdóttir

We'd love to hear from you. Send us your questions, comments, and suggestions.In this episode of Overnight Wisdom, Chisom Udeze sits down with Hanna Birna Kristjánsdóttir, the former Mayor of Reykjavík, Iceland’s former Minister of the Interior, Chair of Women Political Leaders, and the founder and Chair of the Reykjavík Global Forum — to reflect on a leadership journey that was never planned, but deeply purposeful.With honesty, humor, and hard-won insight, Hanna speaks about what it means to lead with integrity in a world that wasn’t designed for women. She traces her path from a shy, bookish girl with no public speaking experience to one of Iceland’s most recognized political leaders and global conveners of women in power.Together, they explore:Why Hanna never intended to enter politics and how saying yes changed her lifeThe challenges of early leadership shaped by male templatesWhy women need spaces to breathe, lead, fail, and rise without performanceHow she built the Reykjavík Global Forum and why gathering 500+ women leaders each year mattersThe moment she resigned as Minister, and what that taught her about clarity, power, and reinventionHer thoughts on imposter syndrome, identity clarity, and why some leaders should know when to leaveWhat respect actually means and why she refuses to platform hate, even under the guise of “different views”This episode is a masterclass on evolving as a leader without losing yourself, and why leadership isn’t about titles — it’s about trust, courage, and clarity.Whether you’re a seasoned leader or just beginning your journey, Hanna’s story offers a reminder that we’re allowed to change, and sometimes the bravest thing a leader can do is walk away with clarity and integrity — and begin again.Support the show-----------------------------------On Overnight Wisdom, new solo episodes drop every Wednesday, with occasional guest and solo conversations released on Sundays.Streaming & Social LinksVisit our website https://overnightwisdom.com/YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@Chisom-Udeze Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/5pD7OuPqWKDsd5ymoo7lSzApple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/overnight-wisdom/id1804746544Instagram https://www.instagram.com/overnight.wisdom/TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@overnight.wisdomLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/overnightwisdom/ RSS Feed https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2464633.rssConnect with Chisom on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/chisomudeze/