Natalie Pickering 
I was interviewed by Authority Magzine on the back story and behind the scenes for my mission to equip leaders with an identity-first foundation. I’m honored to share my why right here. If identity-first leadership resonates, let’s talk! Or check out the identity-first field guide I wrote here!
We’ve crossed the AI threshold. Now the question is: who are you on the other side? AI is here and it’s woven into workflows, decisions, customer experiences, performance reviews, and knowledge work. Tasks once considered “strategic” have been automated. Judgment we once thought uniquely human is simulated with startling accuracy. In this moment, leaders are … Read more
Every leader I know, whether in a five-person business or a 400,000 multi-site employee system, feels the pressure to “drive engagement.” In a small business, that pressure feels personal—every person matters, every attitude shapes the atmosphere.In a large organization, it comes from dashboards, survey scores, and top-down goals. It’s a noble goal, an important goal—and … Read more
We often think of our strengths as the best parts of us—the qualities that help us succeed, lead, and connect. And they are! But here’s a leadership truth that often goes unspoken: under stress, those very strengths can become our biggest liabilities. This doesn’t mean our strengths vanish. They don’t. But stress hijacks them, puts … Read more
For years, I’ve worked with leaders, teams, and organizations across industries. One insight has remained constant: sustainable transformation doesn’t begin with new tools, new strategies, or new metrics. It begins with identity clarity. That’s why I coined the term identity-first leadership and have expanded it to a training offering, “Identity-First Teaming: From Me to We”. … Read more
In Leading Becomes You, I write about the emotional and psychological debris leaders accumulate — unresolved experiences, compromises, betrayals, and unprocessed wounds that clog the inner terrain of their leadership. One of the most significant kinds of debris is what psychologists now call moral injury, the disruption to one’s moral fiber that arises from committing … Read more
Leadership isn’t just about what you do. It’s about who you are—and who you’re becoming. For decades, leadership development has focused on skills, competencies, and behaviors: how to delegate, how to communicate, how to strategize. These matter—but they don’t explain why many highly skilled leaders still end up burned out, disconnected, or on autopilot. The … Read more
Most leaders don’t wake up and say, “Today I’ll lead on autopilot.”But if we’re honest, many of us slip into it without realizing: back-to-back meetings, urgent churn through emails, cuaght up in constant change. We keep moving, but not necessarily with awareness. Autopilot leadership feels safe and necessary—it keeps the wheels turning. But over time, … Read more
If you ask most leaders what they want, the answers are surprisingly consistent: These are the three non-negotiables of modern leadership. And yet, despite countless trainings, strategies, and “proven” tools, too many leaders are watching these priorities continue to dwindle and decline. Why? Because they’re trying to fix the symptoms instead of the root. The Real Issue … Read more
You’ve seen it before: A leader goes through a training. They learn how to motivate the team, engage a crucial conversation, delegate, hold one-on-ones, or communicate more clearly. For a few weeks, they try out their new skills. But soon old patterns creep back in. Or worse, the “new behaviors” vanish under pressure. Why? Because … Read more
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