Leadership that builds clarity, accountability, and connection.

Leadership Lessons From Prison

The Leadership Mask

Unmasked

A 12-week group program for leaders who are tired of holding it all together, and ready to feel like themselves again.
Why so many capable leaders feel one step from being found out. And what changes when they stop hiding it.

THE PROBLEM

From the outside, you look like you have it all together. Capable. Confident. The one people count on.

Inside, it can feel like a different story.

Maybe you project confidence because admitting the self-doubt feels too risky. Maybe you would never ask for help, because needing it feels like being a burden. Maybe you are quietly managing more anxiety or stress than anyone knows, and it is easier to hide it than admit it.

Maybe you think everyone else has it figured out, and you are the only one holding on this tightly.

You are not. So many capable leaders are doing exactly the same thing. Holding it together all day, then arriving home with nothing left.

There is a name for the front we put on to get through it. The mask. And keeping it up is quietly exhausting you.

THE REFRAME

The mask is not a flaw. It is something you learned, somewhere along the way, to keep yourself safe. To look capable. To not be a burden. To never let them see you strain.

It made sense. But it comes at a cost. The energy it takes to hold it up. The distance it puts between you and the people you lead. The way it slowly chips at the very confidence it was meant to protect.

Here is the part most leaders never hear. When you set the mask down, you do not become less of a leader. You become more of one. More trusted, more connected, and finally more like yourself.

WHAT CHANGES

Imagine leading without the constant effort of holding it all together.

By the end of 12 weeks, you will:

• Feel lighter, with the energy that went into keeping up a front given back to you

• Lead with real confidence, the kind that does not depend on hiding the hard parts

• Connect more honestly with your team, because you have stopped managing the distance

• Ask for what you need without feeling like a burden

• Understand the mask you have been wearing, why you put it on, and how to set it down

WHAT IS INSIDE

Live group coaching

One live session a week with Shannon over 12 weeks, in a group of no more than 10. This is where the real work happens, honest conversation and practical tools you can use right away.

A safe, confidential space

A small, private group of leaders who are carrying the same things you are. No performing, no judgement. For many people, it is the first place they have been able to say the quiet part out loud, with others who truly get it.

A proven, honest approach

Each session builds on the last, moving you from seeing the mask to setting it down, with tools drawn from real leadership experience, not theory.

Tools and recordings

Practical tools and worksheets you keep, plus recordings of every session so you never miss the learning if a week gets away from you.

WHO THIS IS FOR

Unmasked is for managers, directors, and executives who look like they have it handled and are quietly tired of holding it together.

If you have read this far and something in it feels like you, it is for you.

ABOUT SHANNON

Shannon Talbot spent 17 years in senior corporate leadership at Scotiabank, Loblaw, and Publicis Groupe. For years she hid near-crippling anxiety behind a calm, confident front so practiced it had started to feel like the truth. She was the confident one in the room. She was also the one taking half a Gravol before high-pressure meetings.

When she finally stopped leading from behind the mask, everything changed. She left a VP role, built a leadership speaking and facilitation business, wrote a book, and found herself mentoring men at a California medium-security prison who were doing the hardest leadership work she had ever witnessed. Men who had nothing left to hide behind.

That combination of boardroom experience and unexpected wisdom is what she brings into Unmasked. Not theory. Not inspiration. Real understanding, from someone who has worn the mask too.

THE DETAILS

Program: Unmasked

Format: Live group coaching sessions, online

Duration: 12 weeks, one hour live per week plus reflection time between sessions

Cohort size: 10 leaders maximum

Start date: Late September 2026

Investment: $1,997 for founding cohort members

This is a founding cohort. The rate will not be offered again.

HOW IT WORKS

Spots are limited to 10, and the founding cohort will fill on a first-come, first-served basis.

Step 1: Join the waitlist

Free, no commitment. Answer a few short questions so Shannon knows a little about you and what you are looking for.

Step 2: Get first access

When registration opens in late July, waitlist members hear first and have first chance to claim one of the 10 spots.

Step 3: Secure your spot

Your place is confirmed once you register at the founding member rate. First come, first served.

READY TO SET THE MASK DOWN?

Join the waitlist for Unmasked.

You will be the first to know when registration opens, with first access to one of just 10 founding spots at a rate that will not be offered again.

FAQ

Who is this program for?

Managers, directors, and executives ready to do honest leadership work in a small, trusted group.

How much time will it require?

One live hour a week over 12 weeks, plus some reflection between sessions. The work is designed to fit a busy leadership schedule.

What if I cannot make a session?

Sessions are recorded so you can catch up. That said, the live experience is where the real work happens, so attendance matters.

Is this therapy?

No. This is leadership coaching, grounded in real leadership experience, practical tools, and honest conversation. Shannon is not a therapist, and if deeper support is needed, she will say so.

Is it confidential?

Yes. The group is small and private, and what is shared in the room stays in the room. It is built to be a safe space to be honest.

How do I secure a spot?

Spots are first come, first served. Waitlist members get first access when registration opens, and your place is confirmed once you register at the founding rate.

Will there be future cohorts?

Yes, but the founding rate of $1,997 will not be offered again.

I am not sure if I am ready. How do I know?

If something here is resonating, you are likely ready. Join the waitlist and decide when registration opens.

BEHIND THE MASK

Honest leadership insights for the weeks when the polished version isn't cutting it. Stories from the boardroom, the prison, and everywhere in between.

FOLLOW SHANNON

(c) 2026 Shannon Talbot. All rights reserved.