- Discover how to move beyond external validation and lead with authenticity, finding true fulfilment.
- Learn about the “silent middle” and how to break the cycle of relentless striving and burnout.
- Gain insights from Rob Regan on balancing corporate leadership with personal authenticity and purpose.
Resources:
- Contact Angela Cox on LinkedIn
- Visit The Leader Unmasked Podcast
- Explore coaching at Paseda360
Episode Highlights:
- [00:02:03 – 00:03:55] The Needy Mask: Rob reflects on craving external validation in his early career, seeking recognition and popularity, which left him unfulfilled and exhausted.
- [00:11:00 – 00:12:54] Personal Tragedies and Coping: Rob shares how the loss of his brother, mother, and sister, and his wife’s cancer diagnosis pushed him to use work as a mask to avoid emotional pain.
- [00:17:44 – 00:21:56] A Pivotal Break: Rob discusses taking a break from corporate life, which taught him about self-worth beyond external validation and status.
- [00:29:39 – 00:32:52] Embracing Vulnerability: Rob explains how sharing his struggles openly, despite initial fears, inspired others and reduced his need for external approval.
Three Powerful Quotes:
- [00:03:38] “The more I tried to please others, probably the less fulfilled… everything I was doing was about me giving the impression to others that I was successful.”
- [00:13:25] “Work was like almost my mask… all my validation, particularly external validation, and all my self-worth came through work.”
- [00:32:52] “I don’t worry about [negative opinions] as much as I might have 5 or 6 years ago… if one person makes a different decision, it’s worth it.”
About the Guest: Rob Regan, Chief Operating Officer of Principality Building Society, is a leader who transformed relentless striving into authentic leadership. With a career spanning manufacturing, financial services, and executive roles at Legal & General and Royal London, Rob once hid behind a “needy” mask, craving external validation to feel successful. Personal tragedies—losing his brother, mother, and sister, and facing his wife’s cancer diagnosis—pushed him to use work as a coping mechanism. A break from corporate life and a return to a values-driven role at Principality helped him find balance and self-worth. Rob’s journey resonates with the “silent middle”—leaders quietly struggling under pressure—offering a path to lead with vulnerability and purpose.