When Your Greatest Strengths Get Hijacked by Stress (And What to Do About It)

Guitar strength on fire overdone

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

What Is Identity-First Leadership? A New Framework for Leadership and Coaching

Planting

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

Why Leadership Behaviors Don’t Stick Without Identity

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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

Beyond the Model: Where Liminality Meets the Stages of Change

Cocoon

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

The Power of Community: How True You Collective Can Fuel Your Personal and Professional Growth

The Power of Community_ How True You Collective Can Fuel Your Personal and Professional Growth

In a world where independence and self-reliance are often celebrated, we sometimes overlook the incredible power of community. Being part of a supportive, resource-rich community can be transformative, offering guidance, accountability, and motivation for both personal and professional growth. True You Collective was built on this idea—to provide a space where individuals can find the support, resources, … Read more

Going to Higher Places Requires Letting Go

Triple falls nc

I chose the Dupont National Forest, NC as the venue for my bi-annual personal retreat this year (practicing what I preach to my coaching clients!) And the Triple Falls Trail (pictured) did not disappoint! While these get-aways are in part purposed for me to set goals, vision cast and strategically plan the upcoming half-year, they have also … Read more

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