Lately, I have been thinking deeply about leadership and where the conversation has drifted. Somewhere along the way, leadership became confused with performance. It became about big voices, bigger platforms, viral moments, staged selfies, best selling books, and canned keynotes. It became about stunts and acrobatics designed for attention rather than impact.

That version of leadership is not sustainable, and it is not humane.

Leadership is not a social media highlight reel. Leadership is not defined by beleaguered metrics, fluctuating test scores, or anonymous survey data stripped of context and humanity. Leadership is not about being the loudest voice in the room or the most visible person on the stage. Chasing those myths of leadership can cost you your nervous system, distance you from the people you love, and leave you with an empty shell of what leadership was meant to be.

I know this because I lived it. That path sent me to the hospital twice.

There was a time when toxicity, doubt, and Impostor Syndrome defined far too much of my leadership experience. I bought into a broken paradigm that told me I had to prove myself constantly and that rest was a weakness. I believed that my value as a leader was tied to outcomes I could never fully control. That way of leading led to exhaustion, anxiety, and a version of leadership that felt hollow and unsustainable.

Thankfully, I have moved away from those times and places.

Through prayer, therapy, fitness, and intentional work on my own humanity, I am learning to lead differently. I am learning to slow down and to listen more deeply. I am learning to honor liminal spaces instead of rushing through them. I am learning to be present in the moment rather than constantly chasing what comes next. Most importantly, I am learning to value my own humanity so that I can better recognize and support the humanity in others.

This is the leadership conversation that I believe must be disrupted and reimagined.

Leadership, at its core, is relational. Leadership is guided by empathy, kindness, and a deep sense of belonging. Leadership is not about perfection or performance. Leadership is about presence. Leadership is not about having all the answers. Leadership is about creating spaces where people feel safe enough to ask honest questions and be fully seen.

From these reflections and lived experiences, something meaningful has emerged.

I am deeply grateful to be co-hosting a new podcast series with the amazing Dr. Sonia Matthew called Leading While Human. This special series debuts on February 1 and comes straight from the heart. Together, we are creating space for honest conversations about what it truly means to lead while human.

Our inaugural series features four voices I deeply admire: Dr. Rachel Edoho-Eket, Lauren Kaufman, Dr. Donya Ball, and Principal Kafele. We will release a new episode every Sunday throughout February, and we will return four months later with four additional guests to continue the conversation.

This work matters deeply to me because it is personal. It is born from struggle, healing, and a firm belief that leadership must return to its human roots if we are going to build schools, organizations, and communities where people can truly thrive.

If you would like to hear my reflections on Leading While Human, you can listen to or watch the latest episode of Leadership Liner Notes on the platform of your choice.

YouTube
https://youtu.be/GrglOaePKzI

Megaphone
https://pscrb.fm/rss/p/traffic.megaphone.fm/JXL8661990281.mp3

Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/episode/45PzfjTUr5OtfmIk4FOqUX?si=eojR-lF-Txu6Qnsf_eSedQ

Apple Podcasts
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/leading-while-human/id1438352351?i=1000746905986

My hope is that this reflection invites you to pause, reflect, and reclaim a version of leadership that honors who you are as a human being first. We do not need more performances. We need more presence. We do not need louder voices. We need deeper listening. We do not need leadership myths. We need leadership rooted in meaning, care, and humanity.

Thank you for walking this road with me.