"When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid."
Audre Lorde, New York, 1979
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In last week's newsletter I told the story of how my grandfather walked from Georgia to Alabama for an education that most systems said he couldn't have. He didn't wait for permission. He claimed his power through aligned action, sustained over a lifetime.
The 95% of us not in formal leadership roles have more power than we've been told. We're the ones who build movements and start revolutions. Last week I introduced Quiet Power as the alternative to waiting for permission. It's leading from such deep internal alignment that no title, no manager's opinion, no performance review can shake you. This week's resources explore how to practice Quiet Power by stopping the performance for approval, grounding yourself in what you stand for, and leading without permission.
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π The Heart
Tools to support your conscious leadership practice.
Most leadership advice tells you to project confidence. BrenΓ© Brown flips that on its head: clarity about what matters, or your values, keeps you steady when systems wobble. She points out that vulnerability isn't weakness; it's courage aligned with purpose. When you know what you stand for, you can absorb pressure without faltering. You can advocate without aggression, hold boundaries without apology, and lead from a grounded place.
Derek Sivers reminds us that movements don't begin fully formed. They take shape when people recognize a shared direction and choose to step in together. The first followers matter because they turn a private conviction into a collective path. One person standing alone looks crazy, but two people together start to look credible, and three become a movement.
This is one of mine, but it gets at the heart of what we've been building together. Most organizations put 2-5% of people in leadership roles, and too many of them are more worried about what they'll lose than what needs to change. This video shows the rest of us how to stop waiting and start leading anyway.
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π§ The Matter
Leadership trends that caught my attention.
We live in a culture that says if you act more confident and project certainty, you'll be taken seriously. But confidence built on performance often cracks when pressure hits. This article points out that self-compassion, the willingness to acknowledge your flaws with honesty and kindness, gives you steadier grounding and clearer self-knowledge. Real leadership isn't about faking confidence; it's about showing up with integrity, embracing your imperfections, and acting from what's true rather than what looks strong.
FrΓ©dΓ©ric Laloux researched organizations without traditional hierarchies and found something remarkable: they're thriving. These real companies prove that when you trust people to self-manage and remove ego-driven power structures, simpler and more human ways of working emerge. This is what becomes possible when the 95% realize their agency and demand better.
Cain discusses how our culture punishes people for not being loud enough or "leadership material." Introverts get told to speak up more, network better, which is code for "stop being who you are." But her research shows that transformative leaders drew strength from solitude and reflection, not from being the loudest in the room. Real influence comes from being so grounded in who you are that you stop apologizing for it.
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π― Final Thoughts
These resources all point back to the same truth: you can't lead with integrity if you don't know who you are and what you stand for. The inner work isn't optional. It's the foundation that lets you stop performing for approval and start operating from conviction.
So where are you still waiting for permission? What would shift if you stopped asking and just led?
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Sending love and light,
Ginny