Book News and Reviews!

I bought and read Brene Brown’s book, Strong Ground, on our family vacation last fall. It struck me how her metaphor of solidfying your leadership on firm ground. In her artful voice and classic use of metaphor, she advocates for the courage required to lead from a solid place with integrity, convictions, values and awareness in place.

I remember the feeling as I read, “Yes, yes yes… Exactly!” and in mind referenced back to my own newly published chapters inviting the leader reader into the deep work, considering the impact of their personal and professional story on how they lead today, getting honest about the faceplants and debris while also recovering buried treasure.

So seeing our books posted together here makes great sense, is an incredible honor, and I encourage you to read them both… TOGETHER!

If you’ve not gotten your copy of Leading Becomes You, check it out here!

Women’s Health at Work: The Hidden Load Many Women Are Carrying

In honor of Women’s Health Month, I wanted to illuminate the ongoing challenges for women in the workplace and leadership. And I realize we stand on the shoulders of many incredible advocates, men and women, who historically and today speak up and hire and pay and acknowledge the issues I outline here. While conversations often ... Read more

How a Paper Fortune Teller Explains Identity-First Leadership, Teaming and Workplaces

In my speaking, training and workshop experiences on my identity-first paradigm for leading, teaming, coaching and workplaces, I ask teams and leaders to make a paper fortune teller. Yes, there’s some initial hesitation and funny looks. But once we tear that bottom piece of paper off to make a square, they are all in. You ... Read more

The Identity-First Framework TM

The Foundation Beneath Leadership, Coaching, and Workplace Performance Leadership development has a sequencing problem. We teach people how to: And still— Leaders struggle under pressure, Teams fracture in moments that matter, Culture breaks down when it’s tested. Not because people lack skill. But because we’ve been building performance on top of something we’ve never explicitly ... Read more

Identity First: Why Mission Starts With People

Organizations are famous for crafting mission statements. But mission doesn’t exist at just one level. Rather, it exists at several layers of identity: • Personal mission — the contribution an individual’s story, roles, and experience brings• Leader mission — how someone’s self-as-leader influence guides others• Team mission — the shared purpose that aligns a group ... Read more

Leader Imposter Phenomenon is Not a Mindset Problem. It’s an Identity Gap

By Natalie Pickering, PhD Imposter phenomenon, referred to as imposter syndrome, is shorthand for high achievers who privately fear they are frauds– and that at any time, they will be found out. It is typically framed as a confidence issue. Leaders are told to reframe their mindset, internalize the good stuff, challenge maladaptive thinking, or ... Read more

Why Smart Leaders Still Make Decisions They Regret

Smart leaders still make decisions they regret. Not because they lack experience.Not because they didn’t think it through.And not because they aren’t competent. Regret in leadership rarely comes from ignorance.And it rarely comes from pressure alone. Pressure matters — but it mostly reveals what’s already happening beneath the surface. Because two people can make the ... Read more

AI Meets Human Coherence: Why Identity-First Leadership Is the New Competitive Edge

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

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