Episode 349

What if the key to advancing your career wasn’t about climbing faster, but about understanding yourself more deeply?

In this episode of UNSCRIPTED, host Sarah Nicastro sits down with Adam Gloss, Chief Operating Officer at Impel and a Stand Out 50 2025 honoree, to explore why self-awareness is one of the most powerful leadership skills you can develop.

Through candid reflection and real-world examples, Adam shares how learning what really drives you and what you can't compromise can help you make better career choices, lead better, and feel more fulfilled in the long run. This conversation challenges what we think of as success and gives a clear view on how to balance ambition, values, culture, and personal sustainability.

What You'll Learn

• Why self-awareness is foundational to effective leadership
• How to identify the 3–4 drivers that sustain motivation over time
• How to make intentional career tradeoffs without losing clarity or agency
• Why money matters—but rarely as much as alignment and impact
• How to evaluate culture fit beyond stated values
• How leaders can filter urgency vs. importance in a hyper-connected world
• Why intentional disconnection is essential for long-term performance

About the Guest(s)

Adam Gloss is the Chief Operating Officer at Impel, where he helps drive organizational scale, operational clarity, and people-centric leadership. With a career spanning public, private, and PE-backed organizations, Adam brings a pragmatic and values-driven approach to leadership.

A Future of Field Service Stand Out 50 honoree, Adam is known for his openness, mentorship, and thoughtful reflection on what it truly means to lead well. He regularly shares insights on leadership, career growth, and self-awareness, emphasizing that sustainable success begins with knowing yourself.

Follow Along

• 00:00 – Welcome & Episode Framing
• 02:00 – Why Leaders Get Asked for Advice
• 04:00 – Identifying What Truly Drives You
• 07:00 – Career Fit, Values & Hard Lessons Learned
• 12:00 – Money, Tradeoffs & Fair Compensation
• 17:00 – Overperformance, Boundaries & Self-Honesty
• 23:00 – Advancement vs. Fulfillment
• 29:00 – Culture Fit & Non-Negotiables
• 35:00 – Filtering Urgency vs. Importance
• 41:00 – Disconnection, Nature & Human Connection
• 47:00 – Self-Awareness as a Lifelong Practice
• 49:30 – Final Reflections & Closing Thoughts

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