Oct 7, 2026 · 41 min · 12 segments
Sometimes the most productive thing a leader can do is stop doing. Kristi sits down with Rosie Ward, CEO and co-founder of Salveo Partners, to explore what happens when we trade autopilot for…
Rosie WardGuestChristie SkutnikHostThat, that is so important, that connection piece, but why do you think you ignore it and allow yourself to go into busy, productive, human doing versus human being? Like, is there, like, this, um, this, like, crossroads that you can identify that says, "This is where I veer off and this is when I don't"?
So one of the things in the work that we do is we talk about the fact that more often than not, our adult self is not who is in the driver's seat today.
It is our, and I use 10 lightly 'cause 7, 8, 9, 10 fit, where tho- those early years of our life that are very formative.
And as we're doing that, by observing our surroundings, our lived experiences, et cetera, our brains create a narrative or rules or programming about how the world works and where we're gonna be accepted, where we're gonna look good.
And the problem is that programming that our brains download, studies have shown that 70% of that programming is fundamentally flawed, it's negative, and it's self-sabotaging.
And so I share that because the work that we do every day with leaders is actually helping them heal that narrative and understanding where that programming went astray, and basically kick their 10-year-old self to the backseat so their adult self can show up, right? 'Cause you wouldn't let your 10-year-old self drive a car or, you know, make a major purchase.
And so I share that because I've done all this work on myself and I, despite it, I'm a human being, and if we think our, this work is done, like, you're, you're in for a rude awakening.
And so I know, like, I, from my early years of my life, I created programming that, you know, you, your value and you get praise by producing, getting stuff done, being the best.
If you're not shining above, if you're not perfect, then there's something wrong with you.
And so that is the flawed programming and narrative that I held for so many years.
And here's, here's the problem with that, is that that programming has a function.
It is designed to keep us safe, and that programming led me to getting multiple degrees.
That programming led to a lot of good, like Quote, unquote, "successful things" that people would look on the outside like, "Oh, you, you write books, you have a podcast," da, da, da, da, da, da.
And yes, it cer- like, I have an incredible work ethic that serves me well, and it has a tipping point when it goes from serving me well, and if I don't pay attention to it and I don't, I haven't learned how to set boundaries or I don't protect those boundaries, then all of a sudden, oops, that 10-year-old Rosie comes in that is like, "No, no, no, no, no, no, no," like, if I don't do this, that somehow there's something wrong with me or I'm gonna fail at this or I'm gonna be less than or whatever.
And so that's where my default wiring is, I go to where I add value is by how much I accomplish and how much I get done.
And when that's your wiring, guess what happens? It is so easy to then that flywheel of momentum picks up, and I coach so many successful leaders that on the outside they're these, they're rocking it, and on the inside they're tired and they're exhausted.
That, that is so important, that connection piece, but why do you think you ignore it and allow yourself to go into busy, productive, human doing versus human being? Like, is there, like, this, um, this, like, crossroads that you can identify that says, "This is where I veer off and this is when I don't"?
So one of the things in the work that we do is we talk about the fact that more often than not, our adult self is not who is in the driver's seat today.
It is our, and I use 10 lightly 'cause 7, 8, 9, 10 fit, where tho- those early years of our life that are very formative.
And as we're doing that, by observing our surroundings, our lived experiences, et cetera, our brains create a narrative or rules or programming about how the world works and where we're gonna be accepted, where we're gonna look good.
And the problem is that programming that our brains download, studies have shown that 70% of that programming is fundamentally flawed, it's negative, and it's self-sabotaging.
And so I share that because the work that we do every day with leaders is actually helping them heal that narrative and understanding where that programming went astray, and basically kick their 10-year-old self to the backseat so their adult self can show up, right? 'Cause you wouldn't let your 10-year-old self drive a car or, you know, make a major purchase.
And so I share that because I've done all this work on myself and I, despite it, I'm a human being, and if we think our, this work is done, like, you're, you're in for a rude awakening.
And so I know, like, I, from my early years of my life, I created programming that, you know, you, your value and you get praise by producing, getting stuff done, being the best.
If you're not shining above, if you're not perfect, then there's something wrong with you.
And so that is the flawed programming and narrative that I held for so many years.
And here's, here's the problem with that, is that that programming has a function.
It is designed to keep us safe, and that programming led me to getting multiple degrees.
That programming led to a lot of good, like Quote, unquote, "successful things" that people would look on the outside like, "Oh, you, you write books, you have a podcast," da, da, da, da, da, da.
And yes, it cer- like, I have an incredible work ethic that serves me well, and it has a tipping point when it goes from serving me well, and if I don't pay attention to it and I don't, I haven't learned how to set boundaries or I don't protect those boundaries, then all of a sudden, oops, that 10-year-old Rosie comes in that is like, "No, no, no, no, no, no, no," like, if I don't do this, that somehow there's something wrong with me or I'm gonna fail at this or I'm gonna be less than or whatever.
And so that's where my default wiring is, I go to where I add value is by how much I accomplish and how much I get done.
And when that's your wiring, guess what happens? It is so easy to then that flywheel of momentum picks up, and I coach so many successful leaders that on the outside they're these, they're rocking it, and on the inside they're tired and they're exhausted.
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