Getting Out Of Her Own Way :: A Leadership Transformation

By Rachel Barbaro

There’s something powerful that happens when a business owner finally gives themselves permission to lead on her own terms. One of my clients - a founder, leader, and visionary came into coaching feeling the weight of it all. The work, the people, the expectations. She wasn’t burned out, but she was carrying too much, and the joy she once found in leading her business was starting to fade–a sign that a leadership transformation was needed.

Over time, through our work together, something remarkable happened: she got out of her own way.

This wasn’t about learning better time management or downloading another productivity tool. This was about challenging long-held beliefs, shifting mindset, reconnecting to joy and tapping into her deeper wisdom and knowing. As her coach, I guided her through a process of inquiry, accountability, and somatic coaching that helped her not only grow her business—but grow into the kind of leader she always wanted to be.

The Shift

The breakthrough didn’t happen all at once. Like any true leadership transformation, it emerged in stages:

• She reconnected with her zone of genius, and stopped taking on projects that didn’t align with her unique strengths. We made space.

• She began truly delegating - not just assigning tasks, but empowering her team to take ownership, even when it meant things wouldn’t be done her way.

• She started modelling what she wanted for her team: scheduling time for rest, reflection, and play. Giving herself—and her people—permission to pause and move out of reactivity.

• She committed to protecting space for deep work, and began saying no with more confidence, clarity, and compassion.

  
  

What changed everything was her willingness to slow down, tune in, and lead from her core. Through somatic coaching, we worked with how stress and limiting beliefs showed up in her body. We practiced noticing, naming, and releasing patterns that were holding her back. These weren’t abstract insights, they were felt, integrated, and transformational.

The Ripple Effect

What emerged was a leader who not only felt lighter and more energized, but who began enjoying her role again. Her team noticed it too. She started showing up differently, less reactive, more present. Less rushed, more intentional. And that energy became contagious.

She began to see that the success of her business wasn’t about her doing more, but about her being more—more grounded, more trusting, more clear. She stopped hustling for worth and started leading from alignment.

This is the heart of Southren Group’s Know :: Be :: Do :: Method in action. She clarified what she needed to know about herself and her vision. She became the kind of leader who could attract and cultivate the right opportunities. And she took the right actions, from the right mindset—actions that didn’t just build her business, but also improved the quality of her life.

Leadership Can Feel Good

The truth is: leadership doesn’t have to feel like a grind. With the right coaching, the right questions, and the right support, it can feel expansive, energizing, even fun.

If you're a leader ready to stop getting in your own way and start enjoying your role again, Southren Group is here to walk with you - every step of the way.