The Best Leaders Understand the Importance of Showing Their Humanness

LisaMarie • January 4, 2021


With all that is going on in the world, client and colleague conversations have been increasingly more open and raw.


People who often guarded and filtered their words are sharing their personal stories of perseverance and how they feel more openly.


I’ve received texts and emails from colleagues who had previously kept their distance, personally sharing their overwhelm and pain.


These messages have been emotionally charged with language that is typically shared only with people who have me as part of their trusted inner circle.


Communicating how you’re really feeling when you’re in a leadership role has often been limited to behind closed doors conversations.


The best leaders understand the importance and value of showing their humanness – the flaws and feelings we all share.


When you’re the leader, your ideas and vision are designed to move people from one place to another.


This requires a willingness to have open and honest conversations and dance in the discomfort of what is.


Ultimately a company culture is determined by its leaders. When leaders have room for seeing and hearing others, they deepen relationship – both to people and the company.


I’m inspired by habit #5 in Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.


Seeking first to understand before seeking to be understood means creating the space to listen to what others want before focusing on what we want.


This is critical when you’re dealing with emotions and grief for what’s been lost.


Great leaders listen through the emotions to identify where the person they’re speaking to is standing because not everyone is capable of expressing how they feel.


As you draw on your own emotional intelligence, you can move people forward by focusing on their thoughts, concerns, and fears.


Do they need guidance? Connection? Empathy? 


How you’re feeling can change moment by moment – and the same is true for those in your sphere of influence.


There are days when I post something light and joy-filled on Facebook in the morning and my whole day is upside down 10 minutes later. At the end of the rollercoaster ride however, my commitments to principles, my mission, and people remain steady.


When you do what you say, and say what you mean there is trust in what you say and belief in what you will do.


The environment you create makes it safe for people to share or not.


Leadership starts with “I” before you can ever affect the “we.”


In your conversations, do you welcome differences of opinion?


Is it safe to speak up around you?


Do your actions foster an environment of mutual respect and appreciation for all?


If so, even when you’re uncomfortable your conversations will be richer and more vibrant. Differing opinions and perspectives may broaden your own. Considering what is outside of what you already understand and believe can inspire and drive growth and creativity.


Your responsibility as a leader is to meet people where they are and take them to a place better than they could ever have imagined. 


ACTION: The Upside Challenge of the week is to examine the culture you are creating around you.


Do people engage in open and honest ways?


Have three conversations this week in which you ask open ended questions and listen more than you say.


What do you notice?


The world needs you and your brilliance.


Posted in Uncategorized

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By Lisa Marie Platske • January 12, 2026
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More Posts

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By Lisa Marie Platske • February 2, 2026
You have been hard-wired for greatness so stop trying so hard to be something other than who you are. I see it all the time. Folks who tie themselves into knots, seeking the approval of others. Oh, it's not conscious. Most leaders would tell you that they're comfortable being their own boss, in charge of their time. Behind closed doors, many of them have told me something different. And that's because conflict, being misunderstood, and being vilified are pretty crummy. Most folks want to be liked. They want to be valued and appreciated for the effort they've put in. Your greatest gift to the planet is to be fully, completely, and unapologetically who you are. Doing that may come with some pretty harsh consequences ... which is why most leaders are willing to sell out. The thing that isn't always self-evident about compromising your values and beliefs is that every night you're stuck with you. You have to look at yourself in the mirror. You are the only one who understands the choices you've made—right, wrong, or indifferent. When the day is done, the truth always meets you in the quiet. It asks whether you stood in integrity or traded pieces of yourself to keep the peace. Leadership requires decisions that don’t win applause. It often asks you to hold your ground when others want you to bend. Living aligned with who you are may cost you approval or relationships. Yet, it will never cost you your soul. ACTION: The Upside Challenge for the week is to name a decision you’ve been avoiding because it feels risky or uncomfortable. It could be ending a partnership that no longer serves your vision, raising the standards for a client, or closing a door that keeps you from your calling. Take one bold, aligned action this week that honors your integrity and the leader you were created to be.

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By Lisa Marie Platske • January 26, 2026
"Many persons have a wrong idea of what constitutes true happiness. It is not attained through self-gratification but through fidelity to a worthy purpose." ~ Helen Keller Purpose. The dictionary definition is, " the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists. " You were put on the planet for a reason ... a purpose. And, part of the joy of the journey is to be in the discovery and fulfillment of that divine purpose . Perhaps that's why Helen Keller said what she said. Too often, folks get sidetracked by fame and fortune, or comfort and easy. While they each have their allure, they will never bring you happiness. True happiness comes from meaning. Over the decades, there have been countless subjects and research projects on the topic of happiness. The results of all of them have pointed back to this truth. When I think about the leaders that I've had the privilege of working with, the ones that were the happiest weren't the ones that had situations that were easy. Actually, life came down pretty hard on some of them and they were in peril. While they came to me seeking answers about how to right the ship, the journey rarely involved signing a multi-million dollar deal that got them to happiness island. It was the ability to peel away each layer of their circumstances and see it through the lens of their divine mission and purpose. ACTION: The Upside Challenge for the week is to notice where your influence thrive. At times, we can lose sight of what truly matters. So today, observe the work, conversations, and moments where you naturally make a difference. Do more of those things, even in small ways. Your purpose is revealed in the places where your leadership produces impact and meaning.

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By Lisa Marie Platske • January 19, 2026

Holding It All Together Isn’t the Goal

By Lisa Marie Platske • January 12, 2026
No matter how happy someone may seem, they have moments when they question if they can go on. And no matter how strong someone may appear, they have days when they feel like they're falling apart. That's one of the most confusing aspects of leadership. See, most leaders feel that because they're the one at the helm steering the ship, they should have it together and be "on" 24x7. And that's unrealistic. Yet that belief has caused many leaders to sink their ship because of the inability to reach out and ask for help. No one can go it alone. Every leader needs someone to lean on. Phrases like "Only the strong survive." and "You gotta just 'man' up." do more damage than good. I learned this when I was working in Federal law enforcement and 9/11 hit. The superhuman requests to work hours that pushed the body to the limits were a recipe for certain disaster. Men and women who may have needed someone to talk to themselves to process their grief were thrust into the grim reality that they were needed more than ever—and needed to be stronger than they knew how to do. One of the NYPD beat cops that I had befriended was in the middle of a shift when he had a full-blown meltdown on 5th Avenue in New York City six months after 9/11. The walk of leadership never has been—and never will be—a solo affair. You need other folks around you that you can trust and rely on in good times and not-so-good times. And I'm not talking about a friend, spouse, or family member. I'm talking about a trusted advisor with whom you can turn matter what is working or on fire. Because every leader deserves a space to be real, to be guided, and to be reminded of the truth of who they are . The kind of space I’ve devoted my life to creating for those called to lead from purpose. And when leaders have that kind of support, the moments that once felt too heavy begin to make sense. They find the strength to keep going because they’re no longer doing it on their own. ACTION: The Upside Challenge for the week is to think and name one person who you can turn to when leadership feels heavy. Reach out to one of them this week. Tell the truth about where you are. Because even leaders need a place to lean.
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