Leading from the Inside Out

How to Become the Leader Others Will Follow

Have you ever felt like you’ve hit a glass ceiling in your career—not the gender one, but the kind that feels internal?

Maybe you’ve been in your role for a few years. You’ve taken on projects, gained new titles, and delivered results. From the outside, it looks like you’re thriving. But inside, it feels like more of the same. You’re being stretched to do more but not to develop. You want to grow, contribute more meaningfully, or break into a bigger leadership role. But the opportunities just aren’t showing up—or when they do, they feel like more fire drills and less fulfillment.

I know that feeling well.

The Busy, Burned-Out Climb

I had a successful career in healthcare leadership. I worked for a fantastic organization with smart, supportive colleagues and leaders who cared about me as a person. I led departments, sat on high-level committees, and helped shape important initiatives. I was proud of the work I was doing—and the difference it made.

But at some point, I couldn’t rise above a certain level. I wanted a seat at the strategy table. I wanted to shape the future, not just execute the plan. So I took a VP role at another organization, thinking it was my path to the C-suite.

Instead, I found myself overwhelmed—juggling demands, putting out fires, running on adrenaline. I was doing a lot, but not elevating my leadership. Eventually, I experienced clinical symptoms of burnout: anxiety, exhaustion, and mental fog. Something had to change.

The Turning Point: Coaching

I was incredibly fortunate that my company offered coaches for its leaders. My coach helped me realize something vital:

I had been trying to lead by doing more, not by becoming more.

I wasn’t being intentional about my development. I was letting other people and my job define me instead of defining my own leadership path. I thought if I just worked harder and took on more, that would be enough. But I wasn’t asking: Who do I want to be as a leader? What impact do I want to have? What’s the bigger vision driving me? What does it take for me to show up as my best self?

Becoming the Leader Others Will Follow

Through coaching, I learned that real growth isn’t just about being productive and efficient. It’s about knowing yourself deeply, mastering your presence, shifting your mindset, and intentionally showing up in a way that inspires trust and followership.

And that journey led me someplace entirely unexpected. I realized my true passion wasn’t just charting strategy for organizations—it was helping people chart strategy for their leadership. I became an executive coach to help others become the leaders they’re meant to be.

You don’t have to change careers to experience this kind of transformation. You just need a roadmap. That’s where the Five Intelligences™ come in.

The Five Intelligences™ of Extraordinary Leaders and Organizations

To grow beyond the plateau and lead with impact, you need to develop new ways of being—not just doing. The Five Intelligences™ offer a path forward:

· Self-Intelligence: Know who you are, what drives you, and how to lead authentically.

· Relational-Intelligence: Understand others’ perspectives and create meaningful connection.

· Communication-Intelligence: Speak with clarity and courage—and listen with curiosity and empathy.

· Execution-Intelligence: Turn insight into aligned, intentional action.

· Neuro-Intelligence: Leverage neuroscience to stay present, resilient, and adaptable under pressure and help others do the same.

These intelligences help you stop chasing advancement by default and start leading by design.

Are You Ready?

If any part of this story sounds like your story, I invite you to follow along over the coming weeks. In future posts, I’ll share the Five Intelligences™ framework and key steps and practices you can use to begin showing up as a more intentional, influential and impactful, leader—without burning out or selling out—to help you be the leader others will follow.

And if you’re ready to explore this more deeply with personal support, I’d love to connect.