Guest Contact Information
Paya Sample
Executive Coach & CEO
Peak Leaders Collective
Peak Leaders Collective
May 5, 2026
Paya Sample – Leadership is Human Work
Episode 74
“People need to know that we are dealing with humans, not cogs in a machine.”
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Paya Sample – Leadership is Human Work
Episode 74
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"Research actually shows when there's this lack of trust in a relationship, this lack of connection, the same part of our brain that processes physical pain gets activated when there's an emotional pain. Right? And so if I'm feeling rejected or I'm feeling like I'm not part of the team or I'm not valued in any way, that part of our brain activates and says, like, pain. And so if you think about it in that way, think about the number of people who are walking around your office every day in pain."
In Episode 74 of the She Lift Project Podcast, Cynthia Kirkpatrick sits down with Paya Sample, CEO of Peak Leaders Collective and executive coach to leaders across industries and education. Paya works with executives, administrators, and managers to build trust-based cultures, develop rising leaders, and lead with authenticity and purpose. Together, Cynthia and Paya explore what it actually means to lead with heart. Paya explains it all, from the neuroscience of emotional pain in the workplace to the personal story of walking away from a principal role she loved without a next step lined up.
This episode is for any woman who has ever been in a culture that drained her, led a team and wondered if she was doing it right, or stayed somewhere too long because leaving felt like quitting. You’ll learn Paya’s three-part framework for building trust through relationship, belonging, and vulnerability. You’ll also learn practical tools for shifting culture, giving feedback differently, and rediscovering your own zone of genius. After listening, you will be equipped to take immediate action as a leader or team member to start building the kind of workplace where people actually want to show up.
Show Notes
00:00 Introduction
01:24 What heart-centered leadership actually means
03:31 Why leaders have to want to change — coaching can’t fix what ownership won’t
06:26 The neuroscience of trust and emotional pain at work
08:55 How to start building trust: relationship, belonging, and vulnerability
11:20 Why pretending to know everything destroys credibility
12:43 Knowing your zone of genius — and where it ends
16:50 Inside Peak Leaders Collective: what the coaching work looks like
20:05 Paya’s journey: race cars, art, teaching, and becoming a principal
24:23 Leading a school through COVID — and what it cost her
28:26 Walking away without a plan: the hardest decision and what followed
33:13 The grief, the restoration, and rediscovering her brilliance
36:02 How consulting work led to Peak Leaders Collective
39:09 Using hard seasons to serve others more deeply
41:56 Knowing yourself so you know when you’re out of alignment
44:07 The wins folder: a practice every leader needs
47:00 Reframing feedback as a relationship-building tool
50:28 Get out of your office: why open door policies fail
55:24 What culture transformation actually looks like in practice
57:22 Real client transformations: trust rebuilt and confidence found
01:04:07 Leadership is not an innate talent — it has to be developed
01:06:15 The snowball effect of promoting without developing
01:09:09 Final thoughts and how to work with Paya
Content Notice
This podcast and all She Lift Project content represents the opinions of Cynthia Kirkpatrick and her guests. The content here is for informational purposes only, and should not be taken as professional advice – financial, legal, medical, or otherwise.
Views and opinions expressed in the podcast and across all She Lift Project media channels are our own and do not represent that of our places of work. While we make every effort to ensure that the information we are sharing is accurate, we welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.
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