In my last reflection, I wrote about integrity under pressure and the importance of staying grounded when conditions are uncertain. But that raises a question worth sitting with: what actually builds the kind of leadership that can hold steady when conditions are unstable? In my experience, the answer is shaped long before strategy, execution, or results come into view. It is shaped by how leaders relate to themselves, how they connect with others, and how they create the conditions for people to think, learn, and contribute. As I continue to partner with leaders and organizations across the country, I keep returning to a simple observation: the way a leader relates to themselves shapes how they relate to everyone and everything around them. Over time, I have come to think about this as a progression, one that also shapes how I