Check Your Soil
Leadership isn't about control, it's about creating the right conditions for good to grow.
Hey Friend,
This week, I had a conversation that stuck with me.
A leader reached out, very frustrated, and heavy with the weight of a team that just wouldn’t get it together. “I feel like I’m losing control,” they said. “No one does anything right unless I do it myself.”
Now, my role as a consultant is not to nod politely and co-sign dysfunction.
It’s to be neutral, to observe, and sometimes… to say the quiet part out loud.
So, we peeled it back. Slowly, carefully, but candidly…and what started as blame turned into burnout. What looked like control was actually fear. And buried deep beneath the frustration was a leader who genuinely wanted to do good…good for their team, their organization, their mission.
Here’s what I also shared: you can’t grow good in tainted soil.
A culture built on micromanagement, scarcity mindsets, and mistrust will always struggle to thrive, no matter how noble the intentions are.
We talk a lot about being attracted to good people, good vibes, good energy. But what if the good you seek can’t grow because the environment doesn’t allow it to?
If you want loyalty, trust, and innovation, you have to exude it, and you have to create the space for it.
That means relinquishing control.
That means inviting discomfort.
That means being honest…especially with yourself.
Being “the good” doesn’t mean being perfect. It’s about being brave enough (to acknowledge) and to course-correct when your leadership isn’t aligned with your mission. Read that again.
So, I’m inviting you to reflect:
Are you leading in a way that makes good things possible, or is the soil tainted?
Let’s “dig in.”
ON THE RADAR
Healthy Leadership Starts at the Root
Good Soil = Good Culture
Culture isn’t just what’s written in your mission. Culture is what people feel in meetings, in conflict, and in quiet moments. You cannot grow vibrant, mission-driven work in a nutrient-depleted culture. Enrich your (soil) environment with transparency, compassion, and consistency.
Overwatering Doesn’t Help
Hovering over your team, constantly "checking in," or micromanaging their every move will drown creativity. Give people room to take root and rise.
Sunlight is Free. So Is Recognition.
Affirm effort. Celebrate progress. Acknowledge wins. Sunlight and warmth help people bloom too.
Rotate Your Practices
Just like soil needs different nutrients, leadership practices need diversity. Switch up how you communicate, meet, or problem-solve. Try something new and let the team stretch. Let them grow!
ON THE HORIZON
“The Leadership Lab” is blooming…
A new leadership experience is taking root, and you won’t want to miss what’s coming.
This program is for the values-driven nonprofit executive, the mission-minded board member, the change-maker who feels stuck, and the leader who’s ready to grow without burnout..
Think:
Real conversations
Mindset shifts
Wellness-infused leadership
Strategy rooted in real-life tools
Stay Tuned. Coming soon.
SOMETHING TO SIT WITH
“Soil doesn’t scream for attention, yet it holds the roots that make everything else possible.”
You don’t have to be the loudest voice, the flashiest strategist, or the busiest boss babe.
As the LEADER, you should be the most consistent, intentional, and nutrient-rich presence on your team. If you are, your leadership will feed more growth than you’ll ever realize.
Be good. Grow good. Protect the soil.
With grit & growth,
