Hunt for Gold: Week-end Download

When things get heavy, I often say, “hunt for gold.” In reality, no matter how bad things are, there’s wisdom waiting for us to find it. This week, I unearthed quite a few nuggets—sitting in that “squishy space” between being and becoming, both for myself and alongside the leaders and teams I serve.

Here’s what surfaced:

Psychological Safety in Action

I revisited Tim Clarke's model of 4 stages of psychological safety—belonging, learning, contributing, and challenging. Each stage builds on respect, permissions, and social exchange. What struck me again: leaders often want to jump straight to challenging status quo (stage 4), without realizing the foundation is stage 1: belonging. Without belonging, every other stage is fragile.

✨ Takeaway: Check in with your team—what stage are they actually in? Not where you hope they are, but what are they living (from their lens).

Courage ≠ Skills Alone

This week, I was reminded: skills without mindset are like concrete without rebar. On their own, they might hold for a while, but when pressure comes, cracks show. What really strengthens leaders is weaving skills with courage-based mindsets, reinforced over time.

✨ Takeaway: When you’re teaching or facilitating, don’t just “download skills.” Pair them with the beliefs and practices that will make them sustainable.

Embodiment & Leadership

I’ve been leaning into embodiment work for years—teaching leaders to notice not just their thoughts, but what’s happening in their bodies and nervous systems. Interoception (the ability to sense your internal state) is a superpower for resilience.

✨ Takeaway: Next time you’re leading, pause and ask: What’s happening in my body right now? The answer may shift how you show up.

Legacy Mindset

One of my favorite through-lines this week: helping senior leaders imagine their work as something that lives beyond them. Not just about succession, but about modeling and passing on a way of leading that ripples forward.

✨ Takeaway: Legacy isn’t only for retirement. It’s a daily practice of asking, “How will this choice shape what outlives me?”

My Own Reset

On a personal note—while the world around me is celebrating their “next big move,” my move this season is to slow down. I’m savoring the simple things: my son learning to stretch his independence, my parents needing more presence, my spouse reminding me that laughter is medicine.

✨ Takeaway: Slowing down is not falling behind. It’s how we stay in rhythm with ourselves and with the people who matter most.

Here's my closing thought...

Downloads are a form of reflection. It's where I find my gold. Regardless if you are an executive, a coach, facilitator or the care giver tending to teens and your aging parents at the same time (all things I'm experiencing)...I believe our growth comes from living the work as much as teaching it.

Drop me a note—I’d love to hear your nugget of gold from this week. Or if you want to rumble over any of these concepts; I'll meet you at Starbucks.

Big love!