Season 8 kicks off with a timely conversation on what it takes to lead in today’s high-pressure environment.Bart sits down with Carolyn Lawrence, founder of ClearPath and former Global Head of DEI at Deloitte, and Jennifer Laidlaw, founder of Cre8 Coaching, to explore the growing pressure leaders are facing today, particularly those from diverse backgrounds. As expectations rise and roles continue to expand, many leaders are feeling the weight of increased responsibility and scrutiny, often without clear support on how to navigate it.Carolyn shares what she’s learned from years of working inside organizations on how to embed inclusion into the way businesses actually operate, not just as programs, but as systems that drive performance. Jennifer brings the complementary perspective of the “inner game,” helping leaders understand how their state of mind shapes how they show up, make decisions, and sustain energy over time.Together, they offer a practical and honest look at how to navigate these pressures, with clear ideas leaders can apply right away to better support themselves, their teams, and the systems they’re part of.Show Notes00:23 Show intro01:01 Welcoming Carolyn and Jennifer02:01 The idea for this episode03:22 How Jennifer and Carolyn partnered03:57 Carolyn’s passion for equity and inclusion04:12 Women of Influence organization04:47 Leading Deloitte’s DEI efforts05:18 Systematizing DEI05:48 Avoiding backlash07:04 Jennifer’s background07:35 The 30% Club in Canada08:01 The inner game08:49 How Carolyn and Jennifer work together09:13 Combining the inner and systemic revolution09:59 Responding to the shift away from DEI10:45 Why many DEI programs faltered12:15 Getting the tactics wrong13:26 What leaders are experiencing today17:14 The pressure of rising to the top17:48 Example of an executive navigating these challenges20:04 Addressing inclusion challenges in a constructive way22:20 Advice for leaders feeling this pressure23:23 Mindfulness25:32 How mindfulness helps26:24 Reality vs the stories we tell ourselves26:57 Staying grounded in high-pressure environments28:11 Returning to the present moment29:47 Working on yourself vs the system30:21 Three ways to improve organizational systems31:13 Ask31:54 Articulate33:51 Accountability34:11 Defining visible metrics34:52 Measuring inclusion37:22 What success looks like personally38:09 Getting into flow40:41 Final advice42:23 Thank yous42:42 Outro