Pressure Tested

Failure is inevitable. The strongest leaders know how to use it.In this episode of Pressure Tested, Chris Steer and Amy Larkin explore what it means to lead with a failure-forward mindset. They discuss how vulnerability, honest reflection, and a “next play” mentality help leaders learn faster, rebuild momentum, and create cultures where people can take risks, innovate, and grow.Because failure doesn’t have to hold you back. When handled well, it can become fuel for what comes next.

The strongest leaders don’t achieve results alone. They build teams capable of delivering without them.In this episode of Pressure Tested, Chris Steer and Amy Larkin explore the essential leadership shift from doing to developing. Drawing lessons from sports and business, they share how trust, clear expectations, self-awareness, and coaching help leaders strengthen their bench and multiply their impact.Because winning isn’t about being the best player on the field. It’s about developing the people around you to perform when the pressure is on.

High performance isn’t built by pushing harder without pause. It requires knowing when and how to recover.In this episode of Pressure Tested, Chris Steer and Amy Larkin explore why rest, reflection, and boundaries are essential performance strategies, not signs of weakness. They unpack how intentional recovery strengthens resilience, restores energy, improves decision-making, and enables individuals and teams to perform when the pressure is on.The ability to sustain performance depends on how well you recover.

Pressure doesn’t just reveal talent. It reveals whether you’re willing to listen, adjust, and grow.In this episode, Chris and Amy sit down with three Division I student-athletes (their children), Kendall Steer and Lauren Steer of Georgetown University and AJ Larkin of the University of Maryland, to explore what it really means to be coachable.Through a candid conversation about feedback, accountability, humility, and trust, they unpack how high performers respond when challenged, corrected, or asked to change. While their experiences were shaped through athletics, the lessons extend far beyond the field into leadership, business, and life.Because the best performers don’t have all the answers. They remain open to coaching, committed to growth, and ready to adapt when the pressure is on.

The leaders and organizations that thrive are the ones that stay curious, embrace change, and remain committed to growth.In this episode, Amy and Chris sit down with Jayne, VP of People at COCOLAB, to explore Permanent Beta, the mindset of always learning, always growing, and recognizing that none of us is ever a finished product.Together, they discuss why leadership isn’t about chasing perfection, but about building the curiosity, resilience, and adaptability needed to navigate uncertainty. The conversation also explores how embracing continuous growth can strengthen organizational culture, unlock individual and collective potential, and elevate the human skills at the heart of every high-performing team.

The leaders who thrive today are the ones who adapt, stay composed under pressure, and bring others with them.In this episode, National Lacrosse Hall of Famer Sheehan Stanwick Burch shares what real adaptability looks like from the inside. From record-setting collegiate athlete to U.S. National Team member, CBS Sports and ESPN analyst, leader, and mom of four young athletes, Sheehan has continually reinvented herself while staying true to her core values.Growing up as the oldest of eight siblings in one of lacrosse's most accomplished families, with a combined 20 All-American honors, Sheehan offers insights on navigating change, embracing reinvention, and leading with clarity when the pressure is on.