Sabina Nawaz (see her bio below) has advised leaders at the very top - Bill Gates, Steve Ballmer, and executives across Fortune 500 companies. But her journey wasn’t a straight line. Starting as a software developer, nearly getting fired from Microsoft, and then pivoting into leadership development, Sabina has built a career helping thousands of leaders around the world discover what it really means to lead. In our conversation, she shares: Why pressure, not power, is the real force that corrupts leaders. How her sabbatical at Microsoft led to a life-changing career shift. The story behind her new book, You’re the Boss, and the lessons drawn from 12,000 pages of executive feedback. The surprising role theater and even stunt fighting played in shaping her leadership skills. Why integrity matters more than authenticity and how busyness has become one of the biggest traps for managers. Sabina also introduces practical tools like the “Yes List” and “Micro Habits,” making leadership development actionable instead of theoretical. Her insights are candid, data-driven, and deeply human—a powerful reminder that leadership isn’t about titles, it’s about impact.   This episode is brought to you by... Ever wish your company updates could be less "quarterly earnings report" and more "late-night talk show"? At Pelaccio & Partners, we're revolutionizing internal communications with podcasts that employees actually want to listen to. Imagine podcast episodes that make your employees laugh while staying informed. Our founder, Jeff Pelaccio, doesn't just create podcasts; he creates conversations that break through the noise. Whether you're a growing startup or a massive corporation, we turn your company's story into audio gold. Leadership becomes human. Remote teams feel connected. Your message cuts through the clutter. Jeff is happy to share his insights on podcasting with you. You can contact him via LinkedIn or schedule a Zoom call via this link - 15-minute call with Jeff.   About Sabina: Sabina Nawaz is an elite executive coach who advises C-level executives and teams at Fortune 500 corporations, governmentagencies, nonprofits, and academic institutions around the world.Sabina routinely gives speeches each year and teaches faculty atNortheastern and Drexel Universities. During her fourteen-year tenure at Microsoft, she went frommanaging software development teams to leading the company’sexecutive development and succession planning efforts for over11,000 managers and nearly a thousand executives, advising BillGates and Steve Ballmer directly. She has written for and been featured in Harvard BusinessReview, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Inc., Fast Company, NBC,Nasdaq, and MarketWatch.