What's more valuable at work, being good at your job, or looking like you are?
Diana reconnects with longtime friend and guest Sarah Gallagher, President of The Persimmon Group and creator of the popular LinkedIn newsletter Big Dumb Questions. They dive into a lively, honest conversation about why confidence often outpaces competence in career advancement and why that might not be a bad thing. They also unpack Sarah's career journey, her sobriety story, and how she's redefining leadership on her own terms.
Where the idea for Big Dumb Questions came from
Confidence vs. competence at work
Career growth myths and when they break
Sarah's journey from Middle Eastern Studies to PM consulting
Why project managers are not product managers
Navigating sobriety, leadership, and life balance
What leaders actually need from their teams
Creating a job instead of waiting for one
⏳ Timestamps
02:18 The origin of Big Dumb Questions
07:06 PM vs BA vs Product Manager – untangling the mess
15:00 Career lessons from real-life project experience
21:30 Sarah's unconventional career path
30:30 From Gantt charts to consulting: how she made the leap
34:40 Becoming president… days before the pandemic
38:30 Sobriety and leadership: getting real
43:50 Why outside outlets matter when you lead
47:48 Work-from-home as a leadership strategy
49:00 Confidence vs. competence in promotions
54:00 What leaders can do to counter hiring bias
59:50 Final thoughts on creating work that fits
💡 Take action
🔥 Subscribe for future episodes → https://www.youtube.com/@dianaalt
📖 Grab my Resume Don'ts Guide → https://www.dianaalt.com/resumedonts
❌ Avoid these common job search mistakes → https://www.jobsearchmistakes.com
🚪 Wondering if it's time to walk away? → https://www.isittimetowalk.com
💼 Work with me → https://www.dianaalt.com
📢 Connect with Sarah Gallagher
🌐 The Persimmon Group → https://www.thepersimmongroup.com
🔗 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahgallagher
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