Leadership Without the Politics: Ashley Rudolph on Confidence, Influence & Emotional Intelligence

Welcome back to the Grey Areas podcast! Today’s episode is all about navigating the messy middle, that murky space where leadership, influence, and emotional intelligence collide. Our guest is Ashley Rudolph, an executive coach, former tech VP, and the founder of a leadership coaching practice that empowers high achievers to rise fast without losing themselves along the way.

In this episode, we unpack how to build influence before you have the title, what it really means to lead with emotional intelligence, and why knowing your values might be the ultimate leadership hack.

Highlights include:
 • 2:10 – How a company-wide layoff became the catalyst for Ashley’s pivot into coaching, and how she showed up as the leader she wanted to be.
 • 10:30 – The myth that titles bring influence and why real leadership begins before you’re promoted.
 • 13:50 – Generational clashes in the workplace: How to lead Gen Z without pandering and motivate across differences.
 • 21:40 – From performance to confidence: Ashley’s framework for helping leaders actually feel as strong as they look on the outside.
 • 31:55 – How values-based leadership helps high performers avoid burnout and align ambition with well-being.
 • 36:40 – Crying at work? Ashley shares when it’s a powerful human moment and when it might be something else.
 • 52:30 – Dealing with a Grey Area: A manager undermined by a long-tenured direct report—and Ashley’s advice on rebuilding trust, setting boundaries, and asserting your role with clarity.

If you’re ready to lead with confidence, no matter your title, this episode with Ashley Rudolph is packed with actionable insights to help you navigate the gray areas of leadership with clarity and strength.

Ashley’s Links:
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