The challenges of being a rising leader are unique.
The Leadership Arena is a newsletter created especially for Millennial & Gen Z leaders who want to take charge of their own growth and advancement opportunities. It's also a powerful resource for Founders who want to scale leadership throughout their company. Each week, we'll address new topics that are essential to leadership growth, confidence, agency, and trust. This isn't just a theory—it's immediately useful to apply in real-time, every week of the year!
Subscribe to get all my latest posts
Why I haven’t asked—yet
Reader, Lately, I've been hearing questions like: "I noticed your emails don't have a call to action." "What's your goal with the content you're writing?" "Why haven't you asked for anything yet?" The short answer? I haven't been ready to ask. The longer answer tells the story of who I've decided to serve—and why. So, in addition to my regular newsletter this week, I'd love to tell you a story. Who I'm building this for. When it comes to leadership and team development, I believe two...
READ POSTGenerate better ideas in just 2 minutes
Reader, Have you ever sat around a table with your team—virtual or in person—trying to solve a really big problem? You know the kind of meeting: The team lays out the options. Everyone weighs in. There’s a debate, then finally, a decision.Then the team springs into action to make it work. But real innovation doesn’t happen like this. In this email, I’m sharing my favorite way to solve problems fast with your team. The best part? It’s so simple you can try it today. The inventor approach....
READ POSTAre you measuring commitment—or something else entirely?
Reader, One question I asked myself in every leadership role: Is my team committed? Like a hawk, I watched for signs, trying to gauge the answer—and reacted to what I saw. But over time, I realized I was asking the wrong question. What are you really asking? When leaders wonder about their team’s commitment, there’s often an underlying mix of fear, stress, or frustration. Why? Because a team’s level of commitment directly affects your quality of life. If your team isn’t committed: The brunt...
READ POSTWhat if thinking is your real job?
Reader, Ever have one of those wake-up-call moments—the kind that stops you in your tracks? These moments often grow us the most. In my first executive-level position, I was used to getting things done, but leading? That was new territory. Racing through the moments. In the weeks leading up to our big program, I was anything but calm—racing from one thing to the next as if my pants were on fire. I arrived at my weekly check-in so frantic I barely noticed my surroundings. The pressure was on,...
READ POSTA remedy for your blind spots
Reader, I once believed every challenge I faced meant I needed to grow more as a leader, so I tried to overcome every limitation I discovered. But no matter how hard you or I try, there are things we simply don’t notice, care about, or focus on—and when others make them important, we sometimes wonder why. This is because we all have different unique lenses...and different blind spots. A remedy for blind spots. Years ago, I stumbled on what I now know is the best way to overcome blind spots as...
READ POSTHow to find confidence (it works every time)
Reader, As a rising leader, there are a million "firsts", and it's your job to notice things you've never even seen before and navigate decisions when there isn't always a clear choice. It can feel like a rollercoaster of ups and downs when self-doubt finds a home in the uncertainty, and sometimes you have to watch a team member go through it too. Fortunately, there is a reliable way to find confidence that works every time. Let's demonstrate with a story. You're on the spot. The room is...
READ POSTAre your work relationships actually helping you succeed?
Reader, We all know relationships matter in work. You've probably invested countless hours building them. In this email, we're unpacking why work relationships matter—and offering a simple approach to help you build relationships that directly help you and your team work better together. Why relationships matter at work. If I know you, then I know how to work with you. It's as simple as that. Yet, many people build relationships at work that don't support this goal. You can know someone...
READ POSTWhy autonomy isn't what you need after all
Reader, For decades, the charge to leaders was—give people more autonomy. Without it, stress increases. With it, people can take initiative and responsibility for their work and their energy increases—all good things. But autonomy can create real challenges if you're trying to succeed as a team. Let's unpack why. The hope of autonomy. Autonomy, at its core, is the ability to choose how you work—to self-govern your time and actions. Leaders encourage autonomy because they want people to make...
READ POSTA quicker way to become aligned (and celebrate as a team).
Reader, People often talk about their team members with an air of mystery, as if their daily work is shrouded in uncertainty: "I think John is doing what he should be, but I'm not sure." "Beth should be farther along on this project by now. I wonder what's going on." "Mandy is busy all the time, but I’m not sure why." In fact, as I write this in a coffee shop, the man next to me is venting about his team member, Curtis: "He's trying to do things that aren’t even his job. And he never...
READ POST