"Embracing Authenticity: The Essence of True Leadership"

Often people will share with me that they wish they were louder, bolder, or bigger; they think this would make them a better leader or more influential somehow.

If you know me, you know that as a coach, I help people speak and be as themselves, not like other people. So we work on fuller mind-body-spirit expression, clarity, focus, breath, intentionality and so much more depending on them.

Thinking about three of the most influential teachers in my life ...
John Barton - founding member of the RSC, director, author, and Shakespeare scholar; Angeles Arrien - Author, Teacher, Healer, and Social Anthropologist; and, My grandmother, Mutsuko - mother, Buddhist, farmer, singer, and now, ancestor.

ALL of them had a deep humility, were never overloud, and none too big - my grandmother and Angeles were around the 5" mark; John, over the 18yrs that I knew him (his later years) was more hunched than tall.

Regardless, to me, they were towering figures.

Though they are gone now, I can still hear their voices, still remember their teachings, and will forever be grateful for their being. They were unapologetically themselves - no more, no less.

In a world that often celebrates loudness and bigness, remember that true influence and leadership stem from authenticity, not volume.

Let's embrace the wisdom of those who, in their quiet grace, left a profound impact on us. Their humility, their essence, their authenticity - these are the qualities that resonate in our hearts and minds. They remind us that being unapologetically ourselves, no more and no less, is the path to genuine leadership.

So, as you embark on your journey of self-discovery and expression, let their voices echo in your aspirations. May you, too, leave an indelible mark by simply being you.