67. Why Selfish Leaders Win: Putting Yourself First with Gary Parsons

In this episode of It Starts With YOU, Vic O'Farrell is joined by professional speaker and executive mentor Gary Parsons to challenge one of the most negatively loaded words in leadership: selfish.

Gary believes that the best leaders are selfish, but not in the way you might think. For him, being selfish means intentionally prioritising yourself, protecting your energy and setting boundaries so that you can show up at your best for the people who rely on you.

Gary also shares the deeply personal story behind his work. After developing Bell's palsy at 18 and being left with a visible facial difference, he spent years intensely aware of how other people might see him, eventually making the conscious decision to stop smiling. He talks openly about self-esteem, vulnerability, the impact of other people's words and what it took to change the way he saw himself.

Together, Vic and Gary explore boundaries, presenteeism, the pressure to always be available, the power of saying no and why good leadership isn't about sacrificing yourself for everyone else.

Because putting yourself first doesn't have to mean putting everybody else last.

Sometimes, it's exactly what allows you to lead them better.

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Thank you, Vic.

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