Your ego could be the reason you don't get promoted. Or worse—it could be the reason you get fired.
In this episode of Leading Through Growth, Tony Sanders sits down with Marcy Anderson, Chief Human Resources Officer at Quantic Bank and former Customer Service Supervisor at Southwest Airlines, for a conversation about what it really takes to lead people through growth, change, and complexity.
Marcy doesn't hold back. She shares the moment a leader pulled her aside and told her flat out: *"If you show up one more time with that attitude, they will fire you."* That wake-up call changed everything—and it's the kind of honest feedback most leaders never get until it's too late.
This episode unpacks what empathy in action actually looks like, why your presence matters more than your policy knowledge, and how to lead without letting your ego sabotage your success.
*What you'll learn:*
Why HR should be empathy in action, not compliance enforcement
The leadership shift that saved Marcy's career (and how ego almost cost her the job)
How Southwest Airlines built a culture where union employees worked outside their job descriptions
Why learning the business matters more than knowing the policy manual
The "sandbox" mindset: how to succeed within constraints instead of resisting them
Why leaders who lack empathy create environments where mistakes get hidden
How to build trust and psychological safety so people tell you the truth
The power of presence: why keeping your door open changes everything
What "swimming with your leaders" means and why it works better than classroom training
Why your ego is not your amigo
This episode is for leaders, HR professionals, and anyone navigating growth who wants to lead with impact, not just authority.
*CHAPTERS*
00:00:00 Intro
00:01:16 Empathy in Action: The Southwest Foundation
00:03:35 Taking Care of People During Growth
00:04:04 Breaking Down Silos: The Southwest Way
00:06:20 Swimming with Sharks: Coaching Leaders in Real Time
00:08:04 Business First, Compliance Second
00:10:16 The Wake-Up Call That Changed Everything
00:12:34 Success Must Be in This Sandbox
00:13:57 Building Trust Through Accountability
00:17:58 Presence Matters: The Open Door Philosophy
00:19:40 Your Ego Is Not Your Amigo
*CONNECT WITH MARCIE ANDERSON:*
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcieanderson/
*CONNECT WITH TONY SANDERS:*
Website: growwithgawlo.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonyrsanders/
*ABOUT LEADING THROUGH GROWTH*
Leading Through Growth is a podcast for leaders navigating the messy, high-stakes work of growing a company without letting it outpace your people. Hosted by Tony Sanders, leadership consultant and founder of Gawlo.
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