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Illustrating Leadership

Illustrating Leadership

De : Jessica Wright
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 Sharing stories of the people who influenced us and discussing how to lead with heart in this day and age.2023 Economie Réussite personnelle
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    • Illustrating Leadership Lesson: Learning Agility

      Illustrating Leadership Lesson: Learning Agility
      Feb 11 2026
      There are some conversations that remind me exactly why the Illustrating Leadership Podcast exists. This one with Angie McDermott did that. Angie has spent her career helping leaders, teams, and organizations grow into their potential. Her work spans global research at Procter & Gamble, leadership and organization development at Dell, running her own business, leading HR in tech, teaching at UT Austin, and now focusing on scaling her impact and legacy work. Across every role and every season, one belief has remained constant for her: Leadership is learned. Not inherited. Not granted by a title. Not reserved for a lucky few. Learned. And honestly, that might be one of the most hopeful leadership messages we can offer, especially right now. Two Leaders, Two Contexts, One Truth In this episode, Angie shared stories of two leaders who shaped her understanding of what effective leadership actually looks like. One was a CEO in a high-growth software company, an environment where everything moves fast and the pressure to perform is constant. The other was the long-time CEO of LifeWorks, a nonprofit in Austin focused on solving youth homelessness through housing, mental health, education, and workforce services. Different sectors. Different pressures. Different day-to-day realities. And yet, the leadership lesson was remarkably similar. Both leaders found ways to merge mission, people, and vision without losing their humanity. Letting Go of the "Born Leader" Myth Angie named something many of us have felt but rarely say out loud. The idea of the "born leader" does more harm than good. The leaders who make the greatest impact are not born with a fixed set of traits. They learn. They adapt. They surround themselves with people who are smarter than they are in specific areas. They stay open to feedback. They grow with the role instead of trying to perform their way through it. When leadership becomes a practice instead of a performance, everything shifts. If leadership is learned, then it is accessible. And it becomes something we are responsible for developing, not something we either have or do not. High Standards and High Care One of the things that stood out most in Angie's description of the software CEO was the balance he held. He expected a lot. He moved quickly. He held high standards. And he listened. He did not need to be the smartest person in the room. He built strong teams by asking good questions, investing in culture, and treating people with respect. Because of that, people were deeply committed to the work and to each other. It was a reminder I come back to often in leadership work. Focusing only on results might get you short-term outcomes. Focusing on people while pursuing results tends to build stronger teams, healthier cultures, and better long-term success. Knowing Who to Call Is a Leadership Skill The nonprofit leader Angie described led in an entirely different kind of pressure. Constant crisis. Limited resources. High emotional stakes. What stood out was not charisma or control. It was clarity and connection. She built genuine relationships across community partners, elected officials, donors, service providers, and the people the organization served. When challenges arose, she did not scramble alone. She knew who to call. That kind of leadership is built quietly over time. Through trust. Through consistency. Through showing up long before there is a crisis. Learning Agility Matters More Than We Think One of the most practical concepts Angie shared was learning agility. Learning agility is the ability to learn from experience and apply those lessons to new and unfamiliar situations. Research suggests it can be more predictive of leadership effectiveness than emotional intelligence or cognitive ability alone. The most important part is this. It is learnable. Leadership growth does not come from consuming more content alone. It comes from reflection. From asking better questions after things go well and after they do not. What worked? What did not? What assumptions did I make? What do I want to repeat? What do I want to do differently next time? Angie talked about building a regular practice of reflection, not as an indulgence, but as leadership training. Leadership does not require perfection. It requires learning. The Pressure to Be Right Immediately Another thread that resonated deeply was the pressure many new leaders feel to have the right answer on demand. Most leadership situations are not emergencies. We often have time to pause, gather information, reflect, and respond thoughtfully. The pressure to decide instantly can cloud judgment and create unnecessary stress. The goal is not to avoid mistakes entirely. It is to learn from them and avoid repeating the same ones in the same way. Leadership Is Will and Skill Near the end of the conversation, Angie shared something that stayed with me. Leadership is will and skill. You have influence. On your team. On your clients. On your ...
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      31 min
    • Illustrating Leadership Lesson: Loneliness

      Illustrating Leadership Lesson: Loneliness
      Feb 4 2026
      "It's lonely at the top." It is a phrase most leaders have heard and many have quietly felt. Especially for new and emerging leaders, that loneliness can feel heavy. You are the one people come to for answers. You are expected to project confidence and clarity, even when you feel unsure, overwhelmed, or exhausted. You carry confidential information you cannot fully share. You navigate decisions others never see. Over time, leadership can begin to feel isolating. But leadership does not have to be lonely. In this solo episode of the Illustrating Leadership Podcast, I explore why leadership loneliness shows up and how leaders can reconnect with others and themselves without losing authority, credibility, or trust. Why Leadership Can Feel Isolating Leadership almost always comes with a shift in dynamics. Former peers may now report to you. Conversations become more nuanced and confidential. You are expected to model steadiness even when things feel uncertain. For new and emerging leaders, there is often an added layer of imposter syndrome. The belief that you should already know more, feel more confident, or have all the right answers at all times. That pressure can lead to isolation in subtle ways, including: Second-guessing your instincts Hiding uncertainty Carrying stress internally instead of processing it Here is the truth. Loneliness does not make you a bad leader. It makes you human. Acknowledging leadership loneliness is not a weakness. It is the first step toward moving through it. Strategic Vulnerability Builds Trust, Not Weakness One of the most misunderstood leadership skills is vulnerability. Vulnerability is not oversharing. It is not emotional dumping. And it is not a lack of boundaries. Strategic vulnerability means showing up honestly and intentionally. It can sound like: "I do not have the answer yet, but I trust we will figure it out." "This is a challenging moment, and I am actively working through it." "I have been thinking about how to lead well here, and I would value your perspective." This kind of openness builds trust without undermining authority. It reminds people that leadership is human work, not a performance. Why Leaders Need a Behind-the-Scenes Support System One of the most important things leaders can do is build support outside of their team. High-performing people in every field rarely operate alone. They have coaches, mentors, advisors, and trusted partners behind the scenes. Leadership is no different. You need a space where you do not have to perform. A place where you can say what you really think, process challenges in real time, and separate what is true from what is reactive. That support might include: A leadership coach A mentor A peer in a similar role A confidential leadership community Leadership development does not end when your title changes. You do not have to carry everything inside your own head. How to Be Real and Still Grounded With Your Team Connection with your team does not require oversharing. It requires steadiness. You can acknowledge challenges while still holding direction: "This is new territory for us, and we will find our rhythm." "Here is what I am clear on, and here is what I am still exploring." "This is a busy season, and I am prioritizing sustainability." When leaders model grounded presence during uncertainty, credibility grows. Openness does not weaken leadership. It strengthens it. Create Intentional Moments of Connection Leadership relationships deepen through intentional conversation, not just updates and deliverables. Make space to ask questions like: "What has been challenging you lately?" "What is something you are proud of this week?" "How can I support you better right now?" These moments matter. They help your team feel seen and they remind you that you are not leading in a vacuum. Leadership Does Not Have to Be Lonely Loneliness may come with leadership, but it does not have to be your permanent state. You can create connection without losing authority. You can be real without being unboundaried. You can lead with both openness and strength. If leadership has felt isolating lately, let this be your reminder: You are not alone. You are allowed to ask for support. And your leadership gets stronger when you do. Your host, Jessica Wright, is a Life & Career Development Coach for Leaders and the Founder of Wright Life Coaching, LLC. You can connect with and follow her on LinkedIn.
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      8 min
    • Illustrating Leadership Lesson: Aligning Your Inner & Outer Life

      Illustrating Leadership Lesson: Aligning Your Inner & Outer Life
      Jan 28 2026
      Some of the most impactful leaders in our lives do not come with titles, corner offices, or formal authority. They enter our lives through relationship. They challenge us, ground us, mirror us, and sometimes even break our hearts before helping us put ourselves back together with more clarity, self-trust, and wholeness. That truth sat at the center of this episode of the Illustrating Leadership Podcast, where I had the privilege of speaking with Dr. Brenda Brummond, an intuitive business coach for female entrepreneurs. What unfolded was not just a conversation about leadership, but about evolution, forgiveness, grounding, and the balance between ambition and inner alignment. Leadership Beyond Titles When I ask guests about the best leader they have ever experienced, many people instinctively think of a boss or manager. Others immediately recall the worst leader they have had. Brenda's story reminded me that leadership often shows up in unexpected ways. She shared the story of someone she met during chiropractic school, a person who would become her closest friend, her partner, her greatest disappointment, and eventually her husband and the father of her children. It is not a neat or linear story. It is deeply human. And that is exactly what makes it such a powerful illustration of leadership. Leadership as a Mirror What stood out most in Brenda's story was not perfection. It was reflection. This person did not tell her what to think or who to be. Instead, he asked thoughtful questions. He offered grounding perspective. He reflected her back to herself during moments when she was carrying shame, anger, and confusion from earlier chapters of her life. That kind of leadership does not direct. It invites. It helps us understand our patterns, soften our narratives, and decide for ourselves who we want to become. The Pedestal Problem As Brenda's story evolved, so did the dynamic between them. She spoke openly about what happens when we place someone on a pedestal, when we give another person more wisdom, power, or authority than we give ourselves. Eventually, that pedestal collapses. Every leader is human. Every mentor has blind spots. Every relationship will disappoint us in some way. Leadership lessons do not disappear when someone falls. Often, they deepen. Grounding as a Leadership Skill One word that surfaced again and again throughout our conversation was grounding. When we experience hardship, especially early in life, it is easy to live in our heads. We spin stories about who we are, what we deserve, and how the world works. Grounding leadership brings us back into our bodies, our values, and the present moment. It does not erase pain or complexity. It gives us something solid to stand on while we navigate it. The Balance Between Wisdom and Reality A theme I see often in leadership work, and one we explored deeply in this episode, is the tension between spiritual wisdom and practical reality. On one end, there is the drive to achieve, perform, and push forward. On the other, the desire to retreat inward, disconnect, or escape the messiness of the world. Leadership does not live at either extreme. It lives in the balance between the two. Brenda described it beautifully as having one arm reaching toward possibility and desire, while the other remains anchored in safety, embodiment, and grounding. Holding both at once is where sustainable leadership lives. When the Outer World Reflects the Inner One One of the most powerful insights from this conversation was the idea that external struggles in business, money, or relationships often reflect internal ones. When something feels stuck outside of us, there is usually fear, resistance, or an unexamined belief asking for attention inside of us. Leadership growth begins with curiosity, not judgment. What is this moment trying to show me? What expectation am I holding? Whose voice is shaping how I think things should be? Letting Go of the Struggle We also talked about surrender and how misunderstood it often is. Surrender is not giving up. It is releasing resistance. It is allowing yourself to be human without shame. It is recognizing that leadership, like life, moves in cycles. Some days you feel grounded and capable. Other days you feel unsure and messy. Both belong. Leadership as an Ongoing Evolution This episode was a reminder that leadership is not a fixed identity. It evolves through relationships, ruptures, forgiveness, reflection, and growth. The leaders who make the greatest impact are not the ones who avoid failure. They are the ones willing to learn from it, integrate it, and keep showing up with humility and intention. If this conversation resonated with you, I invite you to listen to the full episode and reflect on this question: Who has been a grounding presence in your leadership journey? And just as importantly, how are you becoming that presence for yourself? Make sure you connect with Dr. Brenda on Facebook, Instagram, and ...
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      28 min
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