Fall In Love With Your Inner Leader

Heart & strength leadership

Ever felt like your leadership style is missing a certain je ne sais quoi?

Like you're conducting a symphony with only half the orchestra?

It's time to bring in the strings and the brass, the heart and the strength.

For the next 7 weeks, we're leaving the autopilot and embarking on an experiential exploration of heart- and strength-based living and leading.

Think of it as a personalized leadership retreat, minus the overpriced smoothies and awkward icebreakers.

Utilizing the knowledge of VIA and the science of HeartMath, we'll explore a different aspect of your strengths each week.

You'll receive a curated toolkit of exercises, journaling prompts, and guided reflections designed to help you:

• Uncover your hidden strengths: It's time to dust off those dormant talents and put them to work.

• Tap into your heart's intelligence: We're talking intuition, compassion, and that gut feeling you've been ignoring.

• Harmonize your head and heart: Because true leadership isn't about choosing one over the other, it's about finding the sweet spot where they intersect.

• Cultivate resilience: Life throws curveballs, but with the right tools, you can hit them out of the park.

Why bother with all this heart-and-strength stuff?

The world needs leaders who are not only competent but also compassionate, not only strategic but also soulful.

This isn't about adding another bullet point to your resume. It's about becoming the kind of leader people want to follow, the kind of person you're proud to be.

So, are you ready to unleash your full potential? To lead with both heart and strength? Let's get it started!

Leading can be painful.

When you don’t have the right tools at your disposal; it can be excruciating.

No matter how many bestselling books you devour, seminars you attend, or pep talks you give yourself, something's often missing.

You sense it the moment a crisis hits, a team member melts down, or you stare blankly at yet another strategic planning document.

It's a nagging suspicion that you're running on fumes, faking it 'til we make it, and that burnout lurks around the corner.

I've been there. As a CFO, CEO and VPO in the fields of education and technology, I've checked off all the "success" boxes. Yet, the higher I climbed, the shakier I felt. All the external trappings couldn't mask that sinking feeling that I was just winging it, waiting to be exposed as a fraud. Sound familiar?

Well, brace yourself, because I'm about to rock your leadership world. It turns out, those business gurus, with their one-size-fits-all formulas and tough-love battle cries, might have been selling you short. There's a hidden power source within you – one that promises a whole new level of sustainable, authentic leadership.

The best part? You already have everything you need.

Forget the exhausting pursuit of becoming someone you're not. No more trying to squash yourself into some cookie-cutter leadership mold. Those so-called personality "flaws" you try to hide? They might just hold the key to unlocking your most dynamic and effective leadership style yet.

Let's toss out the well-worn leadership playbook. It's time to abandon those stale buzzwords and embrace a bold new truth: The strongest leaders don't try to be everything to everyone; they strategically amplify what makes them unique.

Think of it as an upgrade to your internal leadership software. If self-help platitudes are the equivalent of a dial-up connection, we're about to switch you over to high-speed fiber.

Sound intriguing? Because here's where things get really exciting…

The Science of Your Strengths

Scientists from a dozen reputable institutions have cracked a fascinating code. They discovered a common language of 24 character strengths that form the very core of our personalities. Things like creativity, bravery, zest, kindness – the good stuff that makes us tick. We ALL have these 24 strengths to varying degrees, shaping our one-of-a-kind "strength fingerprint."

These strengths fall into six universal virtues: Wisdom, Courage, Humanity, Justice, Temperance, and Transcendence. It sounds lofty, but trust me, it's about to get super practical. Because understanding your unique combination of strengths isn't just a fluffy self-esteem boost. It's your secret sauce, your competitive advantage as a leader.

Transforming Leadership From the Inside Out

Think about it: how often do those leadership courses focus on what you're already good at, those attributes that make you naturally shine as a person? Probably never, right? Instead, they fixate on our weaknesses, those areas you are "supposed" to magically fix to become well-rounded super-leaders. It's exhausting and frankly, a bit misguided.

Imagine leading with the wind in your sails. What if instead of draining yourself trying to fight your natural inclinations, you learned to harness their power? Instead of aiming for some generic leadership ideal, what if you doubled down on the qualities that make you, well, YOU?

That's the game-changer we're talking about. Building on the strengths you intuitively wield, and yes, even strategically leveraging those so-called "quirky" aspects of your personality⏤that's where the true magic of leadership happens.

You won't just survive those inevitable leadership curveballs; you'll start to thrive within them. Decision-making becomes more intuitive. Tough conversations? You'll approach them with newfound clarity and compassion. Stagnant teams will burst with energy under your reinvigorated guidance. The imposter syndrome will fade into the background.

Welcome to the 7-Week Strengths Challenge

Get ready to roll up your sleeves. We're going to get down into the nitty-gritty of your unique strengths profile. You'll learn how to spot your strengths in action, how to flex them strategically, and yes, even how to manage those moments when even our best qualities can become our own worst enemy.

Why 24X Stronger?

You might be rolling your eyes right now, thinking, "24 times stronger? That sounds like pure hype." And you'd be right...sort of. It's not a literal, measurable transformation. But here's why I dare to use that bold claim:

The concept of 24X stems from this: Instead of focusing all your energy on fixing those annoying weaknesses, or trying to emulate someone else's style, imagine if you invested that same effort into honing what you naturally rock at. Think of compound interest! Even small, strategic enhancements to your existing strengths create exponential impact overtime.

When you lead from a place of authenticity, it's contagious. Your team, your clients, your stakeholders⏤they sense the shift. A genuine, energized leader is a magnet for talent and opportunity. That's the kind of leader no one wants to leave. Imagine the effect on company culture, on loyalty, on innovation!

I can practically hear your next question:

Can this work for my data-driven, fast-paced world?

Absolutely. The beauty of the strength-based approach is its versatility. Whether you're managing a startup, leading a Fortune 500 division, or navigating the choppy waters of the non-profit sector, your strengths are your compass. Don't worry, this won't turn you into a soft, touchy-feely leader. We'll work that analytical brain of yours, finding the most effective ways to leverage those numbers-focused strengths in service of your bigger vision.

The 7-Week Roadmap

Think of the next 7 weeks as your strength training ground. No grueling gym sessions, I promise. Instead, we'll follow a clear roadmap:

Discover:      We'll pinpoint your top character strengths and explore how they intersect with your current leadership role. You'll likely be surprised by what emerges!

Amplify:        We'll map out practical techniques for maximizing your strengths in everyday leadership challenges. Think of this as adding rocket fuel to your existing talents.

Optimize:     Even our biggest strengths can backfire. We'll look at how to navigate those tricky situations and develop strategies for staying in the "strength zone."

Each step is packed with no-nonsense exercises, relatable examples, and a healthy dose of humor (because leadership is way too serious sometimes). This is about you taking charge of your leadership journey. I'm not here to give you all the answers, but rather, to give you the tools and frameworks to discover those answers within yourself.

Ready to Dive In?

If you're the type of leader who craves more authenticity, more impact, and less of that nagging "not good enough" feeling, buckle up. This is where leadership gets fun again. This is where you transform from competent to exceptional, leading not just with skill, but with a whole new level of confidence, fulfillment, and yes, even joy.

Let's do this.

VIA: Your Strength-Decoding Tool

The most well-respected tool for uncovering your character strengths is called the VIA Survey of Character Strengths. It's free, has a ton of research backing it up, and takes only 15 minutes to complete.

VIA Survey Link:

Go ahead and do the VIA Survey now. I’ll wait…

Don't overthink the survey; go with your gut reactions. The key is honesty, not trying to guess the "right" answers. When you're done, you'll get a ranking of all 24 strengths. This is your starting line, your personalized leadership blueprint.

I will see you next week, ready to move forward based on your results.

Or to get ahead and support my writing, you can purchase my ebook on Amazon: “Fall in Love With Your Inner Leader: Become More Connected, Confident, Creative in 7 Weeks.”