Natalie Pickering
The Self-Deceived Leader: Why Teams Work Around You (and What to Do About It)
It’s one of the most common complaints I hear from frustrated leaders: “Why won’t my team speak up?”“Why am I the last to know what’s going on?”“Why does everything seem to happen around me instead of with me?” The answer is hard to hear — but it’s also the key to unlocking the kind of … Read more
The Missing Metric: Why Knowing Your Self-As-Leader Is Your Most Powerful Performance Strategy
In our relentless pursuit of productivity hacks, meticulously tracked performance metrics, and the latest leadership frameworks, we’ve inadvertently overlooked the very foundation upon which all of these rest: identity clarity. Not personality tests.Not style assessments.Not generic competencies. Who you are—and how congruently you lead from that place—is the most predictive variable of your leadership effectiveness. … Read more
Finding Your Leadership Sweet Spot: Balancing Connection and Boundaries
We often think of leadership in terms of strategy, execution, and achieving results. But in today’s dynamic work environment, something more nuanced is required for the relationships you lead: emotional precision. At the heart of effective leadership lies the delicate art of balancing genuine human connection with clear professional boundaries – a “sweet spot” that … Read more
Beyond the Model: Where Liminality Meets the Stages of Change
When organizations embark on change, they usually reach for familiar tools: Gantt charts, strategy decks, maybe even a change curve. These are essential and I recommend them. But I find that rarely do we initiate or encourage talk about what change feels like—that strange terrain where the old ways no longer work, and the new … Read more
Beyond Change Management: The Human Experience in Big Change
No one likes the in-between. I’m supporting a lot of leaders with “How do we navigate this pending reduction in force?” and “How do I support my team through this change with my own future so uncertain?” Day-to-day changes might be a new policy, project, person. Change management is a vital skill for life and leadership. But … Read more
The Psychology of Leadership Identity: Why Knowing Yourself Is Step One
In my coaching work with leaders, I’m often asked how to become more confident, more effective, or more inspiring. And often we find ourselves backing up to a more foundational truth: you have to know who you are before you can decide how you lead. Leadership isn’t just a collection of skills—it’s an extension of … Read more
Why Leadership Development Needs a ‘Preventative Medicine’ Approach
Leadership development today is saturated with positivity. Strengths-based coaching, motivation workshops, and inspirational assessments dominate the field—all designed to help leaders become their “best selves.” But what if the real risk to long-term leadership success isn’t the absence of strengths… but the presence of unaddressed derailers? A compelling new study in Behavioral Sciences—“Leveraging Leadership Development … Read more
How Leaders Can Prevent Burnout While Driving Results
Leadership often comes with high expectations, relentless pressure, and the responsibility to deliver consistent outcomes—all of which can take a toll. For many leaders, burnout creeps in slowly, masked as productivity or disguised as “just part of the job.” But unchecked burnout doesn’t just affect your well-being—it impacts your decision-making, your relationships, and your ability … Read more
How to Be an Empathetic Leader Without Losing Authority
Empathy is an essential leadership skill, strengthening relationships, building trust, and improving team morale. Yet many leaders hesitate to lean into empathy for fear of seeming weak or overly accommodating. Striking the right balance between understanding and authority is key to maintaining leadership effectiveness. Empathetic leadership does not mean lowering standards or avoiding difficult conversations. … Read more