Saturday Mornings: Walking Away Is a Leadership Skill. Sally J. Clarke on Strategic Exits, Values, and Reinventing Careers

On Leaders in Action, Saturday Mornings Show host Glenn van Zutphen explores one of the most counterintuitive leadership ideas of the decade: walking away is not failure... it’s strategy. Author Sally J. Clarke joins us to discuss her new book Walk Away: Step Out to Step Up, a collection of 16 candid stories from high‑achieving women who left roles that no longer aligned with their values, identity, or ambition.

Sally explains why staying too long in the wrong job carries a real cost to health, career capital, and momentum.

She challenges the “Lean In” narrative, arguing that clarity, not endurance, is what builds meaningful careers. We explore the signals people miss when they’ve outgrown a role, how to plan a thoughtful exit, and why Singapore’s high‑performance culture makes these conversations especially urgent.

We also dive into her own story — the moment she stepped away, the risks she weighed, and how mentors shaped her decisions. Sally frames walking away as a skill anyone can cultivate, one that leads not to collapse but reinvention.

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