Lead with Direct, Kind, & Quiet Courage

Learn how to take control of your emotional responses and improve your relationships in Four Key Steps. 

Leading Beyond "The Doubter"

Hey, I hear you. Even at the top, The Doubter loves to whisper. It’s that internal friction that tells you your success is a fluke or that one "wrong" emotional reaction will pull back the curtain.

Many call it imposter syndrome, but I prefer to look at it as The Doubter—a loud internal friction that shows up just when your leadership requires the most vitality.

But here’s the truth: leadership isn't about silencing that doubter voice forever; it’s about having the courage to lead anyway. It’s about choosing vitality over hesitation and perspective over panic.

To help you stay grounded when things get loud, I created the CARE Model ©. It’s a framework designed to help you stop reacting from fear and start leading with full presence.

1. Commitments: Choosing Who You Are

The Doubter thrives when we try to meet everyone else's shifting standards. Real vitality comes from making conscious choices about your own behavior.

In any relationship, your "self-commitments" are your internal compass. You can’t control a volatile market or a difficult board member, but you can commit to how you show up.

• The Courageous Choice: Stop asking "What do they expect?" and start asking "Who do I commit to being in this moment?"
• The Result: You build a bedrock of self-trust. When you keep your promises to yourself, The Doubter loses its power.

2. Attachments: Finding Perspective

We often get "hooked" on specific outcomes—like needing a peer to validate our idea to feel "real." This attachment creates anxiety and narrows our perspective. When we lead with heavy attachment, we lose the truth of the connection in front of us.

Leading with love and respect means acknowledging that others have the right to their own opinions. When you let go of the need to control the outcome for your own purposes, you free up massive amounts of energy.

• The Shift: By releasing attachments, you become more adaptable and resilient. You lead your emotional responses in a way that fosters growth rather than protecting your ego.

3. Requests: Communicating with Inspiration

In tech leadership, we are masters of "requirements," but we often struggle with tall orders which might come attached to emotional human "requests." We may mask what we need because we’re afraid of the answer.

There is inspiration in lightly held clarity. When you make a request without being attached to a specific "yes," you create space for honest dialogue. But the most powerful request is the one you make to yourself:

• The Internal Request: Call upon the version of yourself that is calm, focused, and connected. This self-led part of you is the place to get grounded before you choose to speak or act.

4. Expectations: Shedding the Baggage

We all carry "laundry lists" of expectations—old corporate "norms" or past failures that The Doubter loves to use as evidence against us.

To truly transform a relationship, you have to dump the unnecessary baggage. Be clear about what you expect from yourself and others today, not based on a "should" from five years ago.

• The Shift: Clarity in expectations allows room for imperfection and learning. It’s about evolving together rather than holding each other to outdated scripts.

A New Rhythm for Your Leadership

Leading with Truth and Vitality

The CARE model isn't just a communication tool; it’s a way to reclaim your presence. When you lead from a place of Quiet Courage, you stop reacting to the noise and start responding from your truth.

Ready to Quiet the Doubter?

If you are ready to shift the rhythm of your relationships and lead with renewed vitality, let’s connect.

I invite you to explore how my coaching combines the strategic clarity of the CARE model with the transformative power of Positive Intelligence.

You can weaken your internal saboteurs and lead from your wisest, most courageous self.

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