Hello Reader,

Welcome to my newsletter!

Each month, I open my chair to you — sharing reflections on conscious leadership, practical tools to sharpen your skills, and resources that support both personal and professional fulfillment.

This is a space for conscious leaders. Because in a world driven by data, the greatest advantage isn’t more information — it’s the courage to stay deeply human.

“ What others say and do is a projection of their own reality. — Don Miguel Ruiz

From My Chair to Yours

From my seat, I am noticing how many leaders are holding a quiet tension right now.

Most of the people I work with have a strong sense of right and wrong. They care deeply about integrity, fairness, and doing what they believe is right. They are not asleep at the wheel. They are paying attention.

And at the same time, many of them feel unsettled.

Not because they lack conviction, but because they are aware. Aware of injustice. Aware of harm. Aware of how divided the world and many workplaces feel right now.

Here is the paradox I keep coming back to. You can see what is wrong in the world and still choose to lead consciously.

Conscious leadership does not require us to look away or soften our values. It does ask something more of us, especially when emotions run high and opinions feel non-negotiable.

It asks us to have agency over our nervous system so we are not being led by reactivity, righteousness, or the need to win. In divided spaces, everyone believes they are standing on moral high ground. Judgment feels justified. Certainty feels protective. And before we know it, righteousness replaces curiosity.

This is where leadership stops being about skill and starts being about self-regulation.

Many of the hardest moments leaders face right now are conversations. Conversations with colleagues, team members, or stakeholders whose definitions of right and wrong may differ at a fundamental level. Conversations where labeling, judging, or assuming intent would be easy, and restraint requires effort.

Conscious leadership asks us to remain grounded and centered even then. To stay motivated by higher ideals like truth, dignity, and love. To hold space for the possibility that others may want many of the same outcomes we do, even if their approach looks very different.

That does not mean agreeing. It means staying human.

This work is harder than leading on autopilot. It always has been. And it is also what the moment is asking of us.

Reflection: Who am I struggling to lead or listen to right now, and what story am I telling myself about them that might be limiting my leadership?

Conscious Leadership Corner

When emotions rise in a conversation, conscious leadership starts with regulating yourself before trying to resolve anything. As Brené Brown reminds us, asking for space is not avoidance, it is a way to ensure the conversation can continue with clarity and respect.

Micro-practice for the next time you feel reactive:

• Notice the signal. Pay attention to signs of flooding such as tightness in your chest, a racing mind, or the urge to push or shut down.
• Name the pause. Say, “I want to have this conversation well. I need a little time to gather myself so I can stay present.”
• Commit to return. Propose a specific time to come back to the conversation, signaling respect and responsibility rather than withdrawal.

This is how you create your own reality in difficult moments, choosing regulation, dignity, and conscious leadership over reactivity.

Books That Built Me

The Four Agreements — Don Miguel Ruiz

• Why it mattered: This book offered a simple but powerful framework for reducing unnecessary suffering, especially in moments of disagreement, misunderstanding, and emotional charge.
• Key takeaway: When we stop taking things personally and loosen our grip on judgment and assumptions, we regain agency over our inner state and how we lead.
• Who it’s for: Leaders who want to stay grounded, compassionate, and clear-minded, even when navigating conflict, division, or deeply different perspectives.

If you know someone who would love this newsletter, I appreciate you forwarding it along, they can join us here.

Until next month, I hope you have a collection of powerful days,
​-Joanna

Joanna Douglas
Conscious Leadership Coach | Speaker | Teacher Founder of Enneagram Ensight

Exciting Projects in 2026

March 8th, 2026 - I open the first Women's Leadership Circles at 2:30 central, join the waitlist. A virtual gathering in honor of International Women’s Day for women who carry a lot, lead in many ways, and are ready to return to themselves with awareness, compassion, and community.

July 24th, 2026 - The next AWARENESS Leadership Advantage Mastermind cohort starts at 2:30pm Central - join the waitlist here for more information and early bird pricing closer to the start date.

Coming soon?? The recent Design 2026 with Intention workshop gave leaders the clarity and grounding they were looking for, helping them reconnect with what matters and choose direction without pressure or force. The response confirmed what Lynn and I suspected: when we slow down, insight follows.

I’d love your input:

• Reply and let me know if quarterly check-ins would be supportive for you.
• For those of you who weren't able to join us live January 18th, watch for the on-demand version of Design with Intention, coming soon.