A complaint about a senior leader creates pressure to act — and just as much pressure to avoid. This piece explores why avoidance is so common, the risks it creates, and how executive coaching can help organizations respond with clarity instead of panic.

Mike Wheeler is purposeful and values-driven. Under threat, that same strength pulls him into distance. A Stranger Things leadership lesson on presence, risk, and connection.

A Stranger Things leadership lesson on sensitivity, fear of losing belonging, and the cost of going quiet when sensitivity isn’t valued.

Dustin Henderson’s intelligence often saves the day—until fear pushes him into a blind spot. A Stranger Things lesson on leadership, arrogance, and growth.

When leaders care deeply, fear can quietly turn responsibility into control. Jim Hopper’s leadership arc in Stranger Things reveals how selfless leadership shifts—and what it takes to widen the circle again under pressure.

Under pressure, leadership teams fall back on habit. The Hawkins crew shows what changes when a team learns to slow down, notice itself, and lead differently in the moments that matter most.

AI can give you thoughtful prompts, reflective questions, and even a solid-looking action plan. What can it NOT do? Rewire how you lead.

In this post, I break down six ways human coaching delivers what AI can’t — from building felt safety to creating the kind of accountability that makes change stick.

What happens when all human struggle is seen as sickness? This post traces the rise of diagnostic thinking — and how leaders ended up expected to carry the weight. It’s not about more therapy. It’s about better leadership.

Workplace mental health isn’t just about programs. It’s about people. And the most influential person in your organization’s mental health strategy? Your leaders.

Not just HR. Not just the therapist you contract once a quarter. Your direct managers. Your VPs. Your founders.

Because leadership behavior is infrastructure. It shapes how people feel, how they relate, and whether they stay.

Leadership means more than setting direction — it means managing the emotional climate that makes performance possible. From absorbing stress to holding space for others, leaders are carrying unseen weight every day. This post explores what emotional labor is, why it’s unrecognized, and how to develop the capacity to carry it without burnout.

The workplace has become the front line for emotional distress — whether leaders are ready for it or not. As staff seek support, clarity, and safety, managers are being asked to respond with emotional fluency. This post explores why emotionally intelligent leadership isn’t optional anymore — and what organizations must do to develop it.

Emotional safety isn’t a bonus — it’s a baseline expectation. Today’s teams want leaders who understand relational dynamics, create space for psychological safety, and respond with emotional intelligence. This post explores how workplace culture shifted, what leaders are really being asked to do now, and why emotional fluency is no longer optional.