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The Climb: Leadership Development and Confident Leader Podcast

The Climb: Leadership Development and Confident Leader Podcast

Written by: Rahul Karan Sharma | Leadership Development for Next Generation Leaders
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Leadership development for next generation leaders. Hosted by Rahul Karan Sharma, this Global Top 1.5% Podcast provides a practical roadmap to confident leadership. While many struggle to find their voice, The CLIMB offers the mindset shifts and career-advancement insights aspiring leaders need in the AI era. We help “accidental managers” build the human side of leadership—focusing on decision-making, self-awareness, and the executive presence that dashboards miss. Subscribe now to claim your seat at the table. Gain a new perspective on confident leadership and take charge of yourself.Rahul Karan Sharma | Leadership Development for Next Generation Leaders Economics Management Management & Leadership
Episodes
  • NextGen Leaders: How to Lead Without Authority and Break Organizational Silos
    Jan 22 2026
    Ranked in the Global Top 1.5% of podcasts, The Climb Leadership Development and Confident Leader is the premier resource for leadership development and executive growth. In this episode, Rahul Karan Sharma (Forbes Coaches Council) joins Jennifer Hawkins (Founder of Launched Performance) to discuss the transition from technical expert to enterprise strategist.For NextGen leaders, career advancement requires more than skill—it requires the mindset shifts necessary to lead without authority. We explore how Jennifer managed high-stakes operations across seven states while facing profound personal challenges, proving that confident leadership is a design of resilience. During our conversation, we reveal how to break organizational silos and lead "up, across, and out" to build a legacy that transcends the boardroom.STRATEGIC INSIGHTS FOR THE ENTERPRISE STRATEGIST:02:29 – The Legacy Blueprint: Why Purpose is the Foundation of Confident Leadership05:53 – Mindset Shifts: Maintaining Performance Standards During High-Stakes Personal Challenges07:36 – Organizational Architecture: Breaking Down Silos to Ensure NextGen Leaders Succeed13:26 – Leading Up, Across, and Out: The Essential Skills for Career Advancement28:02 – The CLIMB Connection: Navigating Leadership Stages from Invisible to InfluentialTHE CLIMB™ FRAMEWORK INSIGHT:This episode is a masterclass in C – Cultivate Your Mindset and B – Build Your Legacy. Jennifer Hawkins proves that confident leadership is forged in the fire of personal adversity. By implementing critical mindset shifts (C), she turned underperforming centers into top-tier successes. Her "SHIFT Method" perfectly complements the CLIMB™ Framework, showing NextGen leaders how to break silos and Magnify Your Impact (M) to ensure a lasting professional Legacy (B).ABOUT GUEST: JENNIFER HAWKINSJennifer Hawkins is the founder of Launched Performance, a premier leadership advisory firm specializing in succession planning and enterprise-level strategy. With a career spanning five industries, Jennifer is known for turning the worst-performing operations into top 20% performers, even during economic recessions. She famously led blood banking operations across seven states while managing a family health crisis from a hospital room. Today, she equips NextGen leaders with the strategy, confidence, and resilience needed for rapid career advancement.🌐 Connect with Jennifer: launchedperformance.comABOUT YOUR HOST: RAHUL KARAN SHARMA Rahul Karan Sharma | Forbes Coaches Council Global Leadership Expert and Staffing Industry SpecialistRahul solves the "Accidental Manager" crisis. Using his proprietary CLIMB Framework™, he transforms technical experts into executive-ready leaders. Ranked in the Global Top 1.5% of Podcasters, Rahul bridges the gap between Northern Virginia’s business ecosystem and international leadership standards. As a prominent member of the Loudoun Chambers and Greater Reston Chambers of Commerce, Rahul is the definitive advisor for firms from Ashburn to Arlington seeking Strategic Acceleration.🚀Audit Your Leadership: [⁠https://climb-leadership-audit.scoreapp.com/⁠] 📖 Get your copy of "Be Action Oriented": [⁠https://www.habits4miracles.com/jumpstart⁠]🌐Official Website: ⁠www.rahulkaransharma.com⁠📈Connect: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rahulkaransharma/🎙️ Search 'The CLIMB Rahul Karan Sharma' on Spotify and Apple#JenniferHawkins #theclimbpodcast #executivepresence #staffingindustry #dcleaders #rahulkaransharma #confidentleader #leadershipdevelopment #nextgenleaders #mindsetshifts #CareerAdvancement
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    37 mins
  • Conscious Leadership: How Human Connection Drives Executive Results
    Jan 20 2026

    Ranked in the Global Top 1.5% of podcasts, The Climb: Confident Leader podcast bridges the gap between technical expertise and executive legacy. In this episode, Rahul Karan Sharma (Forbes Coaches Council) joins Roxanne Chaput (Modern-Day Oracle & Leadership Strategist) to explore the frontier of "Conscious Leadership."


    Leadership is not a title; it is an energetic impact. We dismantle the "Profit-Only" paradox and reveal how human-centered leadership is the ultimate multiplier for productivity.


    STRATEGIC INSIGHTS FOR THE CONSCIOUS LEADER:

    • 02:05 – The Catalyst: Turning Near-Death Experiences into a Global Mission of Service

    • 04:44 – The Human-Centered Shift: Why Valuing People is the Secret to Scalable Morale

    • 09:42 – The Multiplier Mindset: Moving from "Management" to Empowering Authentic Growth

    • 14:04 – Radical Self-Awareness: The Leader’s Journey to Inner Mastery and Accountability

    • 19:54 – The Path to Healing: Overcoming Perfectionism to Reclaim Your Leadership Worth

    THE CLIMB™ FRAMEWORK INSIGHT:

    This session is a masterclass in C – Cultivate Your Mindset and I – Integrate Purpose & Vision. Roxanne highlights that perfectionism is often a "Worth Gap" that hinders a leader's ability to Leverage Strengths (L). By doing the inner work to heal and cultivate a conscious mindset, leaders can Integrate Purpose (I) that goes beyond quarterly earnings to create a lasting Legacy (B) of sovereign liberty and human reunification.

    About Guest: Roxanne Chaput

    Roxanne Chaput is a globally renowned leader in conscious leadership and an embodied oracle for change agents and disruptive heart leaders. She specializes in guiding intentional path-cutters to birth universal liberty and human reunification through her work. Roxanne is dedicated to returning humanity to a state of sovereign fulfillment through land-based and elemental creational kingdoms.


    • 🌐 Learn more about her work: theilluminationretreat.com

    ABOUT YOUR HOST: RAHUL KARAN SHARMA

    Rahul Karan Sharma | Forbes Coaches Council Global Leadership Expert and Staffing Industry Specialist

    Rahul solves the "Accidental Manager" crisis. Using his proprietary CLIMB Framework™, he transforms technical experts into executive-ready leaders. Ranked in the Global Top 1.5% of Podcasters,Rahul bridges the gap between Northern Virginia’s business ecosystem and international leadership standards. As a prominent member of the Loudoun County and Greater Reston Chambers of Commerce, Rahul is the definitive advisor for firms from Ashburn to Arlington seeking Strategic Acceleration.

    🚀Audit Your Leadership: [⁠https://climb-leadership-audit.scoreapp.com/⁠]

    📖 Get your copy of "Be Action Oriented": [⁠https://www.habits4miracles.com/jumpstart⁠]

    🌐Official Website: ⁠www.rahulkaransharma.com⁠

    📈Connect: [⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/rahulkaransharma/]⁠

    🎙️ Search 'The CLIMB Rahul Karan Sharma' on Spotify and Apple

    #theclimbpodcast #executivepresence #staffingindustry #dcleaders #rahulkaransharma #confidentleader #leadershipdevelopment #nextgenleaders #ConsciousLeadership #HumanCentered

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    28 mins
  • Why Your Leadership is Invisible: Racquel Maye David on Breaking Through the Executive Glass Ceiling
    Jan 15 2026

    Ranked in the Global Top 1.5%, The CLIMB: Confident Leader Podcast is the definitive global strategy for mastering Executive Presence and cross-border leadership. In this episode, Rahul Karan Sharma (Forbes Coaches Council) joins Racquel Maye David to dissect Media Visibility and the mindset shifts required for high-stakes leadership in the DC Metro area and for global executives scaling their influence.

    How do you transition from being "invisible" in corporate finance to a "Media Queen" commanding international visibility?

    🧠 In this episode, we explore the Breaking Barriers Framework. For leaders in Washington D.C. and global markets, the challenge of 2026 is moving beyond traditional management into Empowered Visibility.

    KEY TAKEAWAYS FOR GLOBAL LEADERS:

    00:00 – The Global Blueprint for Visibility: Introducing Racquel Maye David

    01:42 – Solving the "Invisible Executive" Crisis: Racquel’s Leadership Journey

    04:25 – Beyond Passive Learning: Why Implementation is the Only Metric for Success

    09:03 – The Reciprocity Hack: Leveraging Volunteering for Rapid Skill Acquisition

    12:36 – Breaking Barriers: Shifting Perspectives to Scale Influence Across Borders

    19:13 – Financial Freedom for Leaders: Diversifying Income and Betting on Yourself

    27:06 – Strategy Session: How to Measure Success in the Global 0.1%

    THE CLIMB FRAMEWORK™ INSIGHT:

    This episode provides a masterclass in Leveraging Strengths (L) to Magnify Impact (M). Rahul and Racquel discuss why Global Executive Presence requires a strategic inventory of your unique "Warrior" traits. You cannot Magnify your Impact (M) if your leadership brand remains hidden or underutilized. True authority is born when you stop trying to fix weaknesses and instead Leverage your Strengths (L) to step onto the global stage and command visibility.ABOUT OUR GUEST: RACQUEL MAYE DAVID

    Visionary TV Producer, Founder of Evolving Eve & Media Queen

    Racquel Maye David is a transformative force in the media industry, specializing in the intersection of Leadership, Visibility, and Empowerment. As the founder of Evolving Eve and producer of the hit show Breaking Barriers, Racquel has mastered the art of transitioning from a structured corporate career in finance to a high-impact media empire. She is a dedicated mentor who teaches entrepreneurs how to bet on themselves, diversify their income, and implement knowledge for sustainable success.

    🌐 Connect with Racquel: https://www.evolvedlifenow.com/

    ABOUT YOUR HOST: RAHUL KARAN SHARMA

    🏆 GLOBAL TOP 1.5% PODCAST | FORBES COACHES COUNCIL MEMBER | KEYNOTE SPEAKER

    COMMUNITY & INDUSTRY AUTHORITY

    A proud member of the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce and Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce, Rahul is deeply embedded in the Northern Virginia business ecosystem. As a Forbes Coaches Council member, he bridges the gap between local business needs and global leadership standards.

    THE CLIMB FRAMEWORK™ & LEADERSHIP AUDIT

    Using his proprietary CLIMB Framework™, Rahul helps firms in Arlington, Fairfax, Reston, and Ashburn build resilient Leadership Pipelines. He specializes in solving high turnover and performance gaps through Organizational Strategy and Executive Presence coaching.

    🚀 FREE RESOURCE: Take the CLIMB Leadership Audit to identify your organization's growth gaps: https://climb-leadership-audit.scoreapp.com/

    📖 FREE DOWNLOAD: Get your copy of "Be Action Oriented" – The definitive guide to overcoming stagnation and leading with high-velocity results:https://www.habits4miracles.com/jumpstart

    🏛️ DC METRO’S PREMIER KEYNOTE EXPERT: Trusted advisor for Fortune 500s across Northern Virginia and D.C.

    🔗 BOOK RAHUL: www.rahulkaransharma.com

    #TheClimbPodcast #ExecutivePresence #StaffingIndustry #DCLeaders #RahulKaranSharma #confidentleader #leadershipdevelopment #nextgenleader


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    30 mins
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