What does it actually take to lead?

I was recently a guest on the Contagious Culture Podcast with Kyle S. King
— author, speaker, and culture-builder whose work is dedicated to helping mission-driven leaders build strong teams without losing the heart behind the work. Right in my wheelhouse.

We talked about what I learned from decades in humanitarian emergencies — in places where the infrastructure is gone and the chaos continues. In those environments, the best leaders did one thing right: they listened. They stayed close to the people most affected. That's where empathy comes from: proximity.

On the podcast I said that leaders with power, resources, and decision-making authority have got to listen — especially to women on the ground. Because listening leads to understanding, understanding leads to empathy, and empathy doesn't leave you. You can't unknow what you've heard.

We're in a political moment that feels more fractured than ever. It is chaos. And no, we're not listening to the voices that really matter.

I've been thinking about what we can learn from this type of Chaos Leadership. More on this coming — including a whole framework, drawn from the frontlines, the world's greatest leadership laboratory. Stay tuned for that soon.

[There's a video I wanted to post, but it won't let me do it. It's here on my LinkedIn for those who want to see it: https://www.linkedin.com/posts..../linaabirafeh_leader

What does it actually take to lead?

I was recently a guest on the Contagious Culture Podcast with Kyle S. King
— author, speaker, and culture-builder whose work is dedicated to helping mission-driven leaders build strong teams without losing the heart behind the work. Right in my wheelhouse.

We talked about what I learned from decades in humanitarian emergencies — in places where the infrastructure is gone and the chaos continues. In those environments, the best leaders did one thing right: they listened. They stayed close to the people most affected. That's where empathy comes from: proximity.

On the podcast I said that leaders with power, resources, and decision-making authority have got to listen — especially to women on the ground. Because listening leads to understanding, understanding leads to empathy, and empathy doesn't leave you. You can't unknow what you've heard.

We're in a political moment that feels more fractured than ever. It is chaos. And no, we're not listening to the voices that really matter.

I've been thinking about what we can learn from this type of Chaos Leadership. More on this coming — including a whole framework, drawn from the frontlines, the world's greatest leadership laboratory. Stay tuned for that soon.

What does it actually take to lead?

I was recently a guest on the Contagious Culture Podcast with Kyle S. King
— author, speaker, and culture-builder whose work is dedicated to helping mission-driven leaders build strong teams without losing the heart behind the work. Right in my wheelhouse.

We talked about what I learned from decades in humanitarian emergencies — in places where the infrastructure is gone and the chaos continues. In those environments, the best leaders did one thing right: they listened. They stayed close to the people most affected. That's where empathy comes from: proximity.

On the podcast I said that leaders with power, resources, and decision-making authority have got to listen — especially to women on the ground. Because listening leads to understanding, understanding leads to empathy, and empathy doesn't leave you. You can't unknow what you've heard.

We're in a political moment that feels more fractured than ever. It is chaos. And no, we're not listening to the voices that really matter.

I've been thinking about what we can learn from this type of Chaos Leadership. More on this coming — including a whole framework, drawn from the frontlines, the world's greatest leadership laboratory. Stay tuned for that soon.

The women who build the most powerful businesses are not the ones who work the hardest.

They are the ones who build the smartest systems, lead the most empowered teams, and protect their energy like the asset it is.
— Kelli Lewis

The most dangerous moment is not the accusation. It is the leader who reacts to it too fast.

I see this pattern far too often. Someone enters the scene highly emotional, upset, full of accusations, sometimes even threatening to take the issue to higher authorities. The atmosphere tightens immediately. Others feel pressure. Fear rises. And then a leader steps in, eager to help, protect, solve.

But instead of creating clarity, they often step straight into the drama.
One victim. One persecutor. One rescuer. And once that psychodrama has started, roles can switch quickly. What looked like moral leadership becomes emotional escalation. What looked like protection becomes premature judgement. What looked like action creates even more friction in the system.
This happens in organisations, in the education system, and in many other settings.

The problem is not that emotions are present. The problem is when emotional intensity is mistaken for truth.

Conflict is rarely one-sided. It always has to do with the wider dynamic and with all parties involved. That is why strong leadership does not rush to rescue, blame or punish. Strong leadership slows the system down.
It calls for calm.
It asks questions.
It stays neutral.
It avoids pre-judgement.
And it helps people return to facts, responsibility and constructive next steps.

That may sound simple. In reality, it is not.
As one of my clients said: “I was accused and first had to regain my certainty before I could react calmly and with competence.”
That sentence captures a lot.

Because when accusations trigger fear, even capable people can lose their footing for a moment. Certainty drops. Emotional pressure rises. Clear thinking gets weaker. And if leaders are not trained for such moments, they can easily become part of the escalation instead of containing it.

This is exactly why conflict competence matters. Leaders who are skilled know how to recognise such patterns early, disarm them without humiliation, set boundaries without fuelling the drama, and create the conditions for communication and collaboration again.

That is what we work on: recognising patterns, disarming escalation, setting clear boundaries, and making constructive communication possible again.

A first step is simple: start with the free Stress Type-Check or join my webinar.
Find out how you react under pressure: https://www.upnchange.com/en/d....igitools/get-the-fre

And learn about our leadership program Konflikt-Mastery in the free 90 minutes live Webinar in German: Im Job weiterkommen, wenn es menschelt und schwierig ist
📅 May 15, 2026 at 140 (CEST): https://www.upnchange.com/digi....tools/kostenloses-we

Because challenges cannot be prevented. But they can be mastered.

Who or what at work costs you the most energy right now?

#leadership #conflictresolution #collaboration #powercompetence #konfliktmastery #upnchange

Hi beautiful souls im having difficulty finding the group for the July summit. I had the email saying details for this will be posted here. It's my first time navigating the app and wondered if anyone could help. X

This Friday in Houston, we’re bringing together women who are serious about growth, visibility, and real business connections.

Join us at Global Woman Houston – Mastermind & Networking for a powerful morning of conversation, collaboration, and inspiration.

We’re excited to feature two incredible speakers:

✨ Crystal Gomez
From Connection to Conversion: Turning Contacts Into Action

✨ Suzy Prudden
If No One Knows Who You Are, Why Should They Call You?

Because success is not just about who you know. It is about what you do with the opportunities in front of you and how visible you are in the marketplace.

If you’ve been looking for the right room, the right energy, and the right women to grow alongside… this is it.

📍 Friday, April 24
⏰ 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM CST
📍 363 N Sam Houston

Registration link in the comments.

Mirela Sula Suzy Prudden Crystal Gomez

𝗙𝗥𝗢𝗠 𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗨𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗧𝗢 𝗜𝗠𝗣𝗔𝗖𝗧 ✨

Leticia Ortiz shares how intuition can create real impact.

💬 Is your intuition your next breakthrough?
🔗Read now: http://globalwomanmagazine.com

#globalwomanmagazine #womenwholead #healingandgrowth

𝐎𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐲, 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲? ✨

Join Global Woman for a powerful Networking & Mastermind experience 💼

📅 April 25, 2026
⏰ 09:45 AM to 1PM (LA Time)

Secure your spot: https://globalwomanevents.com/club/3353

Birmingham, are you ready to rise? ✨

Join Global Woman Birmingham for a powerful Mastermind & Networking experience with ambitious women building and leading change.

📍 Aloft Birmingham Eastside
📅 25 April 2026
⏰ 9AM-2PM

👉 https://globalwomanevents.com/club/3401