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Leading From Top / Down / All Around
What My Team’s Tears Taught Me About Authentic Leadership
The unexpected moment that revealed the true impact of connection-driven change
“I have never before seen a team in tears when their leader leaves.”
That comment from a colleague stopped me in my tracks. Not because it was about me leaving, but because it illuminated something fundamental about leadership that I’d been practicing instinctively.
You see, I’ve always approached change management and team leadership differently. While others focus on processes and timelines, I’ve learned that transformation happens through connection.
It started early in my career when I realized something crucial: people don’t resist change — they resist feeling unseen during change. This insight shaped my entire approach to leadership.
Take the icebreakers I insist on during team meetings. Initially, team members found them uncomfortable. But by the second or third time, something magical happened. People started connecting on a different level. Remote work barriers melted away. Team members began seeing each other as humans first, colleagues second.
