Insights I’m Carrying Forward from Transform 2025
I went to Transform 2025 to hear how other leaders are navigating the pressure, the pace, and the constant change that comes with leading right now. Not the sanitized version, but the real stuff.
What I brought back are reminders leaders at every level need to hear—and a few questions worth sitting with.
Train for Change, Don’t Just Survive It
We spend a lot of time talking about getting people ready for change. The better question is: How am I practicing change myself?
Agility and adaptability aren’t things you check off a list—they’re muscles. Built by doing hard things, learning new things you didn’t think you could and reframing discomfort as opportunity for growth.
The leaders who thrive don’t just survive change—they train for it. They build systems that support them, surround themselves with people who push them, and stay clear on what recharges them when things get heavy.
Q for You:
When was the last time I did something for the first time?
A Prosecutor, A Priest & A Politician Walk Into a Board Room…
Conflict, self-doubt and hard conversations—none of us are immune. But great leaders learn to spot the moment they’re about to react—and choose to respond instead.
One of the best frameworks came from a prosecutor-turned-Chief People Officer, Erin Hunn, who shared three default conflict roles to avoid:
The Prosecutor (wins with facts)
The Priest (wins with faith or beliefs)
The Politician (wins by persuasion)
Instead? Be the Scientist: Stay curious. Gather data. Then connect the dots.
Q for You:
Where is my need to prove something getting in the way of progress?
Storytelling > Strategy
The smartest leaders know when to rattle cages—and when to rally the troops. Both are necessary.
One line stuck with me: “Your job is to define reality and give hope.” Not false optimism. Not sugarcoating. But telling the truth and pointing to what’s possible.
Change isn’t just about strategy. It’s about storytelling.
If your story doesn’t pull people forward, you’re stuck managing resistance instead of momentum.
Q for You:
What story am I narrating—and what stories are my people telling in the silence!?
Courage, Confidence & the Cost of Pretending You Know
We live in a world obsessed with quick fixes and clean answers. But sustainable leadership? That takes courage and confidence:
The courage to challenge what’s not working and take action.
The confidence to admit you don’t have all the answers.
The most effective executives I advise aren’t the ones with perfectly polished answers. They’re the ones willing to say: “I don’t know—yet.”
That balance—courage and confidence—is what has the power to turn today’s tensions into tomorrow’s momentum.
And when it gets heavy (because it will), sometimes the most important thing you can do is sit back and look up. Remember: This shit is hard, but you don’t have to do it alone.
Q for You:
Where am I mistaking having an answer for leading well?
Leadership is hard. Real change is even harder.
But you’re not meant to do it alone.
If any of these questions hit a little too close to home, maybe it’s time for a frank conversation. Because navigating what’s next gets easier when you’ve got an Inflight Frank Advisor.
