Change in leadership sounds inspiring—until you live it. Behind every policy win, reform effort, or equity initiative lies a personal story of risk, resistance, and resilience.

This week, I joined Dr. Brian Perkins on The Perkins Platform, now in its fourteenth year of bringing global thought leaders into dialogue about the challenges of leadership, to discuss “The Not-So-Subtle Costs of Change Leadership.”

In this candid 36-minute conversation, we talk about what happens after the press releases fade: the loneliness of leading equity work, the emotional toll of staying the course, and the professional consequences that can come when you push too hard against the status quo. We also explore how leaders can stay grounded in purpose when the cost of conviction feels high.

Drawing on my own journey, from scholar and advocate to dean and provost, I share the realities of changemaking in spaces that often prefer quiet compliance over courageous truth. Leadership, I argue, is not about popularity or comfort. It is about persistence, reflection, and the ability to keep walking even when the path narrows.

Dr. Perkins and I also discuss strategies for staying whole while leading:

• Building trusted networks of solidarity and mentorship
• Practicing transparency and empathy as leadership tools
• Recognizing when resilience must be paired with rest
• Learning to transform isolation into insight

If you’ve ever led change inside an institution—education, government, or otherwise—you’ll recognize the paradox we unpack: how those who seek to expand opportunity often face the sharpest resistance. Yet, as I note in our conversation, progress is rarely painless, but it is always possible.

🎧 Listen to the full episode here:

• Spotify
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• iHeartRadio
  or find The Perkins Platform below or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Why Some Leaders Get Heard & Others Dont (And Other Musings on Strategic Leadership) – The Perkins Platform

In this episode, I sit down with Yasar Ahmad, leadership coach, people leader and one of social media's most influential voices on career growth and workplace success. Known for his engaging content on TikTok and LinkedIn, Yasar has helped millions of professionals better understand topics such as executive presence, strategic thinking, influence, workplace dynamics and leadership effectiveness. Our conversation explores why great work alone is not always enough, how leaders can build influence without relying on authority and what separates professionals who consistently advance from those who remain overlooked. Whether you're an aspiring leader or a seasoned executive, this discussion offers practical insights into navigating organizations, increasing your impact and leading more strategically.

1. Why Some Leaders Get Heard & Others Dont (And Other Musings on Strategic Leadership) 35:02
2. Teams Follow Behavior, Not Intention 37:34
3. The Well-Being Advantage: How Caring Drives Performance 38:06
4. Leading at Large Scale: It's Not At 30,000 Feet After All 44:20
5. AI Is Coming Faster Than We Think: Lessons From the Pandemic 38:17

True leadership requires courage, community, and conviction. I hope this conversation offers both insight and encouragement to those who are walking that difficult—and necessary—path of change.

Dr. Julian Vasquez Heilig is a global leader in public scholarship whose work connects research, civic action, and public understanding. His Cloaking Inequity platform has reached more 1 million readers in 200 countries, while his LinkedIn account and newsletter Without Fear or Favor have drawn 1.5 million views in just six months. His research and commentary have been cited by The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, Associated Press, USA Today, and Education Week. He has appeared on Al Jazeera, ABC, CBS, PBS, NBC, NPR, Univision, Latino USA, Democracy Now!, and MSNBC, helping millions connect evidence to action. Through courage, clarity, and communication, he transforms scholarship into a civic force that advances democracy and the common good.