Leadership, Kindness & Psychological Safety (ft. Sarah A. Scala, PCC)

Kindness isn’t soft—it’s strategic. Consultant, coach, and educator Sarah A. Scala (she/her) joins Empowered & Out to unpack how empathy and accountability can—and should—coexist, why psychological safety fuels performance, and what LGBTQ+ leaders need to sustain success with resilience, optimism, and grit.

What we cover

• Sarah’s origin story: from adventure learning to executive coaching
• Kindness as a performance driver (not a lowered bar)
• Practical ways leaders build psychological safety day-to-day
• The empathy + accountability balance (and why both matter)
• Resilience strategies for LGBTQ+ pros and teams
• Cross-cultural leadership lessons from global work
• Inclusion as a business outcome—not a “nice to have”

• “Kindness with accountability doesn’t lower standards—it raises performance.”
• “Psychological safety is the engine of innovation.”
• “Inclusion isn’t separate from results—it drives them.”

• Website: https://www.sarahscala.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahscala/
• LGBTQ+ Solutions: https://www.sarahscala.com/lgbtq-solutions
• BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/sarahascala.bsky.social
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SarahScalaConsulting

• https://linktr.ee/empoweredandout

If this episode helped you, share it with a leader who needs it. Then rate & review on Apple/Spotify—it helps more LGBTQ+ pros find the show. 🌈