The Leadership Void No One Is Talking About (with Kate Anderson Foley)
Leadership gaps don’t usually appear overnight.
They form slowly, through burnout, early exits, and systems that promote people faster than they’re prepared to lead.
In this episode of the Lead Smarter Podcast, I sit down with Kate Anderson Foley, Founder & CEO of a private education and leadership consultancy, to unpack what’s really happening behind today’s leadership void — and why it’s showing up across every sector, not just education.
Kate brings a rare perspective shaped by work at the district, state, and national policy level, combined with deep experience coaching senior leaders who are navigating volatility, political pressure, and rapid organizational change.
We talk candidly about:
- Why experienced leaders are leaving earlier than expected
- The hidden pressure placed on emerging leaders who are promoted too fast
- How COVID accelerated leadership gaps instead of creating them
- The difference between culture and climate — and why leaders confuse the two
- What agile leadership actually means (and what it doesn’t)
- Why psychological safety isn’t “soft,” and why trust can’t be mandated
- How coaching supports leaders without turning into control or correction
- What organizations get wrong about developing and retaining leaders
This conversation isn’t theoretical.
It’s grounded in real systems, real people, and the consequences leaders rarely see until it’s too late.
If you’re leading a team, stepping into leadership sooner than expected, or responsible for developing leaders inside your organization, this episode will give you language, clarity, and perspective you can actually use.
00:00 – Why leadership gaps are growing
03:40 – COVID, burnout, and early exits
07:15 – Emerging leaders promoted too fast
11:10 – Why leadership becomes lonely at the top
14:45 – What agile leadership really means
18:30 – Culture vs climate (and why leaders confuse them)
23:00 – Psychological safety and trust in real organizations
28:10 – Coaching leaders without creating dependency
33:20 – Why feedback often fails new leaders
37:50 – Leading closer to the “street level”
41:40 – Investing in leaders before they burn out
44:10 – Kate’s advice to leaders navigating uncertainty
About the Host
David Kent is the host of The Lead Smarter Podcast, where he has honest, grounded conversations with leaders shaping the future of work, leadership, and organizational growth.
🎧 LISTEN ON THE WEBSITE: https://leadsmarterpod.com/
🔗 Follow David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-james-kent/
They form slowly, through burnout, early exits, and systems that promote people faster than they’re prepared to lead.
In this episode of the Lead Smarter Podcast, I sit down with Kate Anderson Foley, Founder & CEO of a private education and leadership consultancy, to unpack what’s really happening behind today’s leadership void — and why it’s showing up across every sector, not just education.
Kate brings a rare perspective shaped by work at the district, state, and national policy level, combined with deep experience coaching senior leaders who are navigating volatility, political pressure, and rapid organizational change.
We talk candidly about:
- Why experienced leaders are leaving earlier than expected
- The hidden pressure placed on emerging leaders who are promoted too fast
- How COVID accelerated leadership gaps instead of creating them
- The difference between culture and climate — and why leaders confuse the two
- What agile leadership actually means (and what it doesn’t)
- Why psychological safety isn’t “soft,” and why trust can’t be mandated
- How coaching supports leaders without turning into control or correction
- What organizations get wrong about developing and retaining leaders
This conversation isn’t theoretical.
It’s grounded in real systems, real people, and the consequences leaders rarely see until it’s too late.
If you’re leading a team, stepping into leadership sooner than expected, or responsible for developing leaders inside your organization, this episode will give you language, clarity, and perspective you can actually use.
00:00 – Why leadership gaps are growing
03:40 – COVID, burnout, and early exits
07:15 – Emerging leaders promoted too fast
11:10 – Why leadership becomes lonely at the top
14:45 – What agile leadership really means
18:30 – Culture vs climate (and why leaders confuse them)
23:00 – Psychological safety and trust in real organizations
28:10 – Coaching leaders without creating dependency
33:20 – Why feedback often fails new leaders
37:50 – Leading closer to the “street level”
41:40 – Investing in leaders before they burn out
44:10 – Kate’s advice to leaders navigating uncertainty
About the Host
David Kent is the host of The Lead Smarter Podcast, where he has honest, grounded conversations with leaders shaping the future of work, leadership, and organizational growth.
🎧 LISTEN ON THE WEBSITE: https://leadsmarterpod.com/
🔗 Follow David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-james-kent/
