Niiamah Ashong talks with an author, coach and speaker who left a 26-year corporate career, in a Tribe 1:1 session on the Outlier's Edge Podcast about her book and what it means to be the chief soul officer of her own life. She shares how she wrote the book unapologetically, learned to surrender to her soul's process and chose courage over comfort, before Niiamah Ashong coaches her on how to keep blazing trails as her message reaches more people. What emerged is that surrender, for her, looks like showing up as herself in every conversation, and that protecting her white space keeps her in alignment.
Episode at a glance
- Host: Niiamah Ashong, coach to outlier leaders
- Show: Outlier’s Edge Podcast, released March 14, 2020
- Format: session, 63 minutes
- Topics: Becoming the chief soul officer, Authenticity as rebellion, Surrendering to the soul's process, Not editing her own story, Courage over comfort, Living her legacy
What this session is about
She spent 26 years in corporate America, and her last corporate role was chief marketing officer for one of the most iconic brands in the world, a career that looked from the outside like every box of traditional success was ticked. She left the corporate world three and a half years before this conversation and has since written a book that is raw, vulnerable and unapologetically her, grounded in her belief that authenticity is the truest form of rebellion. Her mission is to liberate a billion souls and spark a movement where more and more people embrace their role as chief soul officer of their lives. She is also exploring how to help more progressive companies build cultures where time off is a prerequisite for smart work, creativity and innovation, not just a payoff for hard work.
What emerged
Two lessons from her writing run through the conversation: she had to surrender to her soul's process instead of applying corporate productivity goals, and she wrote the story first without editing herself, a lesson she still carries day to day because editing a story while it's still in someone's head keeps so many people from getting into action. When Niiamah Ashong asked what her soul was asking for as her message becomes more mainstream, she landed on surrendering to the next chapter the same way she did to write the book. For her, that surrender looks like showing up as a fully unapologetic rebel in every conversation, client session and media interview, and her practice for staying aligned is to slow down and protect the white space that keeps her in integrity and creativity.
Questions this episode answers
What does it mean to be the chief soul officer of your life?
The author describes her approach as a way of being that is more authentic, more courageous and more on purpose, and she says authenticity is the truest form of rebellion. One of the principles she has drafted for a chief soul officer is choosing courage over comfort.
How do you write honestly about your own life when other people are part of the story?
She wrote the story she wanted to write first, without editing herself along the way, and worked with an editor who understood her voice. She is clear that she can only author her own story, and she shared how she had represented many of the other people's stories with them and gave everyone the option to have their name changed.
What does surrender look like for a leader used to setting goals?
While writing, she set corporate productivity goals, like a number of words per day, and the words weren't coming. When she was asked what her soul was asking for and followed it, from a walk on the beach to lunch with an old friend, she learned to trust herself a little more each day, and once she returned the writing started pouring out of her.
Why does asking for help matter for a leader?
She says the important part of her writing story is that she asked for help and let herself be vulnerable. That became a pivot point in learning that vulnerability was okay and would help her get the support she needed.
How can a leader stay in alignment as their work grows?
Niiamah Ashong says the point isn't forcing alignment but having awareness of when a leader is stepping out of it, like a barometer or a little radar. Her practice is to slow down, intentionally build space and protect the white space that keeps her in integrity and creativity.
In their words
I now say authenticity is the truest form of rebellion.
A participant
We edit our story before it even has a chance to get out in the world.
A participant
We model the world that we want to see in the future today.
Niiamah Ashong
Key moments
00:01 – Who she had to become
02:41 – Every box of traditional success
09:50 – Authenticity as rebellion
18:45 – Surrendering to her soul's process
23:53 – Asking for help
28:35 – Writing the story first
36:52 – Choosing courage over comfort
39:26 – What her soul is asking for
52:18 – Trailblazing inside companies
57:30 – A radar for alignment
About Niiamah Ashong
Niiamah Ashong is a coach to outlier leaders, host of the Outlier’s Edge Podcast, and founder of the Trailblazer Collective. He coaches leaders who are creating something only they can make: a company, a body of work or a movement. Make a difference with your difference.
Work with Niiamah: 1:1 with Niiamah | World of Difference
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