195. Defy: The Power of No in a World That Demands Yes with Dr. Sunita Sah

What does it really take to speak up when something doesn’t feel right, especially in systems that quietly reward compliance and silence?

In this episode of the Sacred Changemakers Podcast, I’m joined by Dr. Sunita Sah, award-winning Cornell professor, organizational psychologist, and one of the world’s leading researchers on authority, compliance, and defiance. Dr Sah’s work challenges the idea that defiance is disruptive or extreme, reframing it instead as a grounded act of integrity and courage.

We explore why good people so often go along with things they don’t agree with, how subtle psychological forces like Insinuation Anxiety shape our behavior, and why compliance is not a personal failing but a deeply human response to pressure. Dr Sah shares insights from her research, her background in medicine and systems leadership, and the practical frameworks she’s developed to help people move from inner knowing to ethical action.

This is a rich, illuminating conversation for coaches, leaders, and changemakers who sense that something essential is lost when we stay silent, and who want to reclaim their agency without becoming combative, burned out, or disconnected from their values.

About Dr. Sunita Sah

Dr. Sunita Sah is an award-winning, tenured professor at Cornell University and a leading expert in organizational psychology. A trained physician who practiced medicine in the UK, she has also worked as a management consultant and served as a Commissioner on the National Commission on Forensic Science. Sunita is a sought-after international speaker and advisor to government agencies, and her research has been widely published in leading academic journals and media, including The New York Times, Harvard Business Review, and Scientific American. She is the author of the bestselling book Defy: The Power of No in a World That Demands Yes, now available in paperback from February 24th.

Learn More About Today’s Guest

1. Dr. Sah’s latest book Defy paperback launches on Feb 24th 2026 → https://www.sunitasah.com/defy
2. Dr. Sah's website ****→ https://www.sunitasah.com/
3. Dr. Sah’s TEDx talk → youtube.com/watch?v=d-SWWnl3WLM
4. Dr. Sah on Substack ‘Defiant by Design’ → sunitasah.substack.com
5. Dr. Sah on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/drsunitasah/

About the Host

Jayne Warrilow is the founder of Sacred Changemakers, a global community and learning space exploring the intersection of human resonance, regenerative change, and conscious leadership.

Learn more at sacredchangemakers.com