My work is about transformation and evolution: of leaders, of systems, and the cultures they shape. I partner with CEOs and leadership teams to navigate growth, culture shifts, and complexity which always illuminates how power is held within the organization.
I also co-lead retreat experiences designed for deep personal transformation. These immersive spaces invite people to explore emerging paradigms, examine inner patterns, and embody a new way of living and holding power.
In one of those retreat spaces, something happened that revealed just how persistent the old story of leadership can be, even in environments designed to reflect something new.
Three of us were co-leading.
One held the arc and vision.
One managed the structure and flow.
One anchored the space with deep presence and one-on-one support.
Our roles overlapped. All of us were fully leading.
And yet, at the end, only one of us was acknowledged as the leader.
A simple comment reinforced an old narrative: one leader, one voice, one center of power.
It wasn’t intended to cause harm. It was simply familiar.
And that familiarity illuminated what so many organizations must shift.
The Evolution: Power With
That moment mirrored what I’ve seen in boardrooms and team sessions for years. The way power is held directly shapes outcomes: strategy, trust, retention, innovation, and well-being.
When power is held unconsciously, even strong strategies struggle to take root. Control, fear, and invisibility can quietly undermine the most well-intentioned efforts.
When leaders evolve, when they shift how power is held, clarity returns, culture heals, and energy flows again.
To map this shift, I use a simple framework: a movement from Power Over, through the tension of Breaking the Mold, into the more connected and adaptive model of Power With.
It’s not just a theory. It’s a lived transition I’ve seen play out in teams, in families, and in entire organizations as power dynamics are being renegotiated.
Power Over: The Legacy Model
-
Control through hierarchy
-
Motivation by fear or compliance
-
Individual-focused
-
Short-term gain
-
Linear thinking
Designed for efficiency. Built for survival. Reinforces separation.
Breaking the Mold: The Tension Point
-
Awakening to deeper truths
-
Unlearning and inner reckoning
- Holding the tension
-
Naming the unseen
-
Questioning traditional power
Disorienting. And necessary. The old story is falling apart. The new one hasn’t fully arrived.
Power With: The Emerging Paradigm
- Aligned vision
-
Shared power
-
Mutual trust
-
Multiple ways of knowing
-
Adaptive leadership
-
Regenerative strategy
-
Collective impact
Rooted in connection. Built for complexity. Designed to evolve.
This shift shows up in the everyday: in how decisions are made, how people are recognized, and how uncertainty is held.
Leading from Power With doesn’t mean giving up clarity or structure. It means leading from a deeper center—one that includes more voices, honors different ways of contributing, and creates systems that are more human, resilient, and whole.
A Final Reflection
Today’s leaders are being asked to hold power differently.
Not with fear, but with courage.
Not with control, but with clarity.
Not alone, but in conscious relationship with others.
Power With isn’t a soft ideal. It’s a strategic, cultural, and human imperative.
We get to choose:
— Who we recognize
— How we share
— What we build together
Because the way we hold power is the system. And when that shifts, everything changes.
InSight works with organizations and leaders ready to evolve. If you’re navigating growth, complexity, or reinvention, let’s connect.