Reclaiming Your Influence in Talent: A Conversation with Athanasia Corso from Insurance House

What does it take to stay anchored in your value as a talent leader when priorities shift, roles evolve and your seat at the table is never guaranteed?

In this episode of Impact at Work, Athanasia Corso, Head of Talent at Insurance House, shares what it looks like to reclaim your voice and reconnect with the impact you are capable of having, even in the most unpredictable conditions.

Find Your Why and Build From There

For Athanasia, clarity begins with one essential question: Why are you doing this work?

“Work out why you're in the role that you are — whether that is because you are pursuing budgets or high volume or pace or strategy or whatever kind of outcome it is that you're there for… then you're going to find your path really easily.”

She encourages talent professionals to stop running someone else’s race and instead reconnect with their own reasons for doing the work.

“If you're trying to cover all lanes or do things that aren't organic and authentic to yourself, then it's going to be really hard to get yourself back in the game.”

When Influence Slips, Anchor to Impact

In times of organisational change, it is common for talent leaders to feel sidelined. But that does not mean your influence is gone. It just might need to be reframed.

“If you align company objectives and you align your own value proposition, then there is somewhere and something that you can have impact with.”

That alignment, she says, is what turns frustration into forward momentum.

Escaping the Hamster Wheel

Many recruiters and talent leaders feel like they are constantly reacting, stuck in motion without direction.

“There’s going to be a hamster wheel version of any role that you're in if you don't understand why you're doing it or why you're feeling trapped in it.”

For Athanasia, the first step out is always returning to purpose, even when external conditions cannot be controlled.

Accepting Change Without Losing Yourself

Athanasia is open about the discomfort that comes with change, but also how she has learned to work with it rather than against it.

“Things do change and you're not... everyone's got a boss. Somebody's going to be asking you to change direction, and somebody's asked them to do the same thing.”

She encourages leaders to stop projecting their disappointment up or down the line and instead focus on the contribution they can still make.

Final Thoughts

This episode is a powerful reminder that you do not need permission to be influential. You need clarity, alignment and a willingness to show up, even when the road ahead is uncertain.

“You have a lot more power than you know.”

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