166 - Leadership Audit

Self-Leadership Audit — When You’re the Shark, the Suckerfish, and the Parasite

In this empowering episode of Unpacking Brain Drama, host Pratiti Pathak dives deep into a powerful leadership metaphor from Walter Bond’s bestselling book Swim: the Shark, the Suckerfish, and the Parasite—three archetypes that live within all of us and shape how we show up in life and business.

The Shark represents decisive ownership, clarity, and direction—the part of you that knows where you’re going and takes full responsibility for getting there. The Suckerfish symbolizes healthy partnerships and collaboration—the mentors, allies, and accountability relationships that amplify your strengths and accelerate momentum. And the Parasite reveals the habits, patterns, and relationships that drain your focus, energy, and confidence unless you create boundaries to protect your vision.

Pratiti invites you to take a Self-Leadership Audit to identify which archetype is running your day—and whether it’s helping you swim forward or keeping you treading water. Through relatable stories, practical examples, and powerful reflection questions, you’ll learn how to:

• Reclaim your direction and clarity when life feels chaotic (Shark energy)

• Build partnerships that multiply results instead of adding friction (Suckerfish energy)

• Spot and eliminate the subtle drains that sabotage your progress (Parasite energy)

• Create daily micro-shifts that strengthen your self-leadership muscle

This episode is a mirror, a guide, and a call to action. You’ll walk away with a 7-Day Leadership Challenge to design your week with intention—choosing one simple shift for each role:

• Shark: Define your one-sentence direction and create a two-number scoreboard.

• Suckerfish: Delegate one task or schedule one clarity conversation.

• Parasite: Seal one energy leak with a new boundary, tool, or rule.

As Pratiti reminds us, true leaders aren’t just managing others—they’re mastering their internal ecosystem. By the end, you’ll see that self-leadership isn’t about doing more; it’s about leading your thoughts, time, and energy on purpose.

✨ Key Takeaways:

• Direction over speed.

• Partnerships over pride.

• Boundaries over burnout.

• You choose which archetype leads—and you choose it consciously.

Whether you’re leading a team, a business, or your own transformation, this conversation will help you rise above default mode and create Results by Design.

🎧 Tune in, reflect, and join the challenge.
Because leadership starts with you—and it’s time to swim with intention.

👉 Share this episode with someone who struggles with overthinking or self-criticism — it might be exactly what they need to hear today.

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