Your Leadership Superpower Is Built in the Heat of the Moment
Let’s be honest: if leadership books alone could make us great leaders, we’d all have it figured out by now.
Most of us have a stack of them somewhere - dog-eared, highlighted, or collecting dust. They’re packed with great advice, sure, but here’s the thing: when you’re in the middle of a heated conversation, pulse racing and brain scrambling, none of those neatly highlighted pages are going to save you.
Why?
Because leadership isn’t built on books. It’s built in the heat of the moment.
It’s forged in those tough conversations where emotions run high, where you’re balancing the need to hold your ground with the desire to create safety for everyone involved. Those moments aren’t just tests of leadership - they’re opportunities to grow your superpower: the ability to navigate conflict with confidence and compassion.
What Real Leadership Looks Like in Conflict
Real leadership isn’t about always having the “right” answer. It’s about staying grounded when things get messy.
It’s about being able to say what needs to be said without burning bridges. It’s about speaking up when it feels uncomfortable and knowing how to leave the room without leaving wreckage behind.
Leadership isn’t built on theories, it’s built in action.
Imagine this: you’re in a meeting, and a decision is being made that you know isn’t the right move. Your gut is screaming, Say something. But your head is saying, Play it safe.
In that moment, leadership isn’t about perfection. It’s about learning how to trust your voice, even if it shakes, and knowing you can handle the consequences of showing up fully.
Your Superpower: Creating Safety in Conflict
The superpower no leadership book can teach you is this: how to create safety in conflict, for yourself and for others.
Safety doesn’t mean avoiding conflict or smoothing everything over. It means creating an environment where honesty can exist without harm. Where people can disagree, share hard truths, and still walk away feeling respected.
Here’s how to start building that superpower:
- Ground Yourself First
Before you speak, take a moment to breathe. Anchor yourself in how you want to show up, that Leadership Energy that’s calm, clear, and aligned with your values.
- What Do and Don’t You Know
You don’t actually have to have all the answers to tackle conflict - instead, take a moment to mentally note what you do know for sure, and what you don’t know for sure. And what are those “testing” ideas for answering the unknown. There’s a huge level of respect when a leader admits they aren’t a know-it-all, but they’ve got ideas for solving the unknowns.
- Create Safety In The Moment
Anxiety is not a sign you shouldn’t speak, it’s a sign you’re doing something important. You can calm it with a few nervous system regulators in the moment, like box breathing or passing an object between your hands. And my leadership thought, “I am safe even though I feel unsafe.”
- Speak Up with The End Goal In Mind
Conflict is really just creative tension on how we’re all gonna cross the same finish line. Communicate knowing that you want the same end result, you may just have different ideas on how to get there.
This Is Where I Come In
You don’t need another book to teach you what to do. What you need is the confidence to stay grounded and create safety, even in the hardest moments.
That’s where I come in.
I work with high-achieving women leaders to help them stop biting their tongues, speak up with unapologetic confidence, and make creating safety in conflict their superpower.
If this resonates, let’s talk. You can absolutely learn to navigate tough conversations in a way that leaves everyone better off, including you.
Email me at [email protected] to if you're ready to do this work, and we'll schedule a time to talk..
Your superpower is waiting.
