Hey Leader,
I wasn’t just frustrated—I’d crossed into full-on mad.
I’d been sold this vision of work-life balance, collaborative leadership, and a boss who genuinely cared about their team.
But then came a major decision (one we’d talked about extensively in SLT meetings and agreed on), with real consequences for my team.
And that same leader? Completely ignored what we’d agreed on. No warning, acknowledgement, or apology.
My team looked at me like: “WTF just happened?!”
In one day, the culture shifted & trust eroded. My team (and I) felt like we didn’t have stable ground to stand on.
And I couldn’t fix it, at least not right away.
That’s the moment I stopped believing leadership was about what you say.
Because behavior? Behavior tells the truth.
Does a leader get to do that? Yes. But just because a leader can doesn’t mean they should. There’s always an impact, whether or not they acknowledge it.
Lead boldly, live fully, & don’t forget to breathe.
In your corner,
How to Lead Well When Leadership Above You Doesn’t
Most leadership advice assumes you're the one setting the tone.
But what if you're not at the top? What if you're trying to lead well inside a culture that rewards urgency, overwork, and last-minute chaos?
That was my reality. I was trying to build a healthy, steady culture for my team while navigating instability from above.
Here’s what helped me lead well anyway:
Call it out. I had a direct and productive conversation with leadership about what happened. Silence only reinforces the pattern.
Be transparent with your team. I named the impact of the decision and shared what I could about what came next.
Model your values. I held boundaries, protected capacity, and made clear that our team’s energy was not infinite.
Make hard choices. Sometimes that meant saying no to unrealistic deadlines, delaying a deliverable, or quietly shielding my team from chaos. (You don’t always need permission to lead wisely.)
Change the agenda. I added “culture” as a standing topic in our senior leadership meetings because if it’s not on the agenda, it’s not a priority.
These weren’t immediate fixes. But they were signals.
And over time, they built trust across the organization.
Try This Today
Audit your calendar. What message does it send? Are you building in recovery, flow, and space or signaling urgency, chaos, and control?
Set one clear expectation. Pick a project or situation where your team might need a little more context or background. Reaffirm it today.
Choose your signal. What will you model this week? Start with one behavior you want to see more of.
Behind The Scenes
A peek inside what I’m building — at work & in life!
Work in Progress
*Hangs up call with publisher*
I bit off more than I could chew, and it was an amazing reminder that it’s ok to check yourself and make a change.
After feeling spread thin lately, I took a step back. I realized that putting a pause on writing my book for the next two months will allow me to 1) give my full focus to facilitating & coaching two different programs, and 2) have way better examples and stories when I get back to writing. So that’s what I did!
Life in Progress
Yeeshhhh, no one tells you what it’s like to finish a BIG endurance push and then watch your endurance tank.
I’m getting back into running after my triathlon and a minor injury, and my 3 miles this week whooped me. 😂
I’m feeling VERY humbled — and also proud for still getting after it & listening to my body.
Thought For The Week
Here’s to you leading in ways that you feel good about.
In ways that you can be proud of… regardless of how your boss leads.
In Case You Missed It
Iceland didn’t just flirt with a 4-day workweek — they went all in. Productivity held steady or improved, and workers felt better. What if the U.S. tried this?
🧠 One of my old bosses burned me out faster than any job ever could. It wasn’t the work — it was the nervous system hit. How do you lead without stressing people out?
“First one in, last one out” used to be a badge of honor — until burnout hit hard. What kind of culture are we normalizing?