Have you ever felt stuck in frustration,

blaming external circumstances or

struggling to get buy-in

from your team?

​

Or found yourself

putting out constant fires,

swept up in the tyranny of the urgent

instead of proactively steering your team forward?

​

Or you’ve taken on too much,

believing that if you don’t

do it yourself, it won’t

get done right?

​

If any of these resonate, you’re not alone.

​

Today we’re going to move you

out of that reactive mindset

and into creative mode.

In today’s political, societal, and macroeconomic climate

(never mind the dynamics within our own workplaces)

it’s easy to feel like things are outside our control.

​

For some of us, it might even feel out of body.

​

When that feeling sets in, it can pull us into a reactive mindset,

where we focus on what’s happening to us rather

than what we can influence.

​

That mindset might be natural,

but it doesn’t serve us

or our teams.

​

A mindset oriented around

what is happening to us keeps us

in a place of passivity and limitation.

​

It reinforces the belief that we are

at the mercy of circumstances,

decisions made by others,

or external forces.

​

This can lead to dissatisfaction, disengagement

and even resentment, making it harder to

step into meaningful action.

​

On the other hand, a mindset focused on

what is happening for us or by us

shifts our perspective from

being victims of circumstance to

being agents of impact in our own experience.

​

Leaders who adopt this mindset

recognize opportunities within challenges,

take ownership of their role in creating change

and inspire members of their teams to do the same.

​

This mindset shift doesn’t just change how we experience events.

​

It transforms how we show up for others,

influencing whether we cultivate a

culture of empowerment or

one of helplessness,

an orientation

toward action or a

sense of stuckness.

​

Shifting from a mindset of

limitation to one of empowerment

is at the heart of leadership growth.

​

When we recognize that challenges don’t just happen to us

but can happen for us — providing opportunities for

learning, adaptation, and growth — we reclaim

our ability to lead with intention.

​

This shift doesn’t mean ignoring external realities,

but rather approaching them from a place of

clarity, intention and agency.

​

Shifting from Reactive to Creative Mode

(as leaders, parents, humans)

is about reclaiming your agency.

​

It’s making an

Intentional Shift

from blaming to owning,

from frustration to problem-solving,

from playing not to lose, to playing to win.

Before we dive into specific strategies, let’s ground ourselves in

a couple of examples that illustrate the differences between

Reactive Leadership and Creative Leadership.

​

Sarah, the founder of a

growing e-commerce brand,

notices a sharp decline in sales.

​

Reactive Mode:

Frustrated and fearful, Sarah immediately blames the economy,

social media algorithms and consumer hesitancy.

​

As sales dip, she slashes marketing spend,

doubles down on discounts and

micromanages her team.

​

The business remains stagnant and morale drops.

​

Creative Mode:

Intrigued by the deviation from forecast,

Sarah takes a step back and

asks her team to take

a closer look.

​

She studies customer behavior trends,

refines her messaging and content

and green lights experiments

with a new sales channel.

​

She also engages her team in brainstorming sessions,

encouraging them to contribute hypotheses and solutions.

​

She builds momentum and engagement

instead of retreating into frustration

and alienating her talented team.

​

Jessica, a VP at a global consulting firm,

notices a sharp drop in performance

& engagement scores on her team.

​

Reactive Mode:

Disheartened and feeling vulnerable,

Jessica assumes her employees are becoming

complacent or unmotivated due to remote work challenges.

​

She implements stricter performance tracking

and more frequent status check-ins,

but this only leads to further

disengagement.

​

Creative Mode:

Concerned about the dip,

Jessica launches a listening tour,

gathering direct feedback from her team about

what they need to feel more engaged and supported.

​

She integrates their input into structural changes,

offering more flexibility, improving communication &

focusing on outcomes rather than monitoring activities.

​

The result? A reenergized team that feels heard and valued.

​

These contrasting approaches highlight the difference between

reacting to circumstances and intentionally shaping outcomes.

​

When pressure mounts,

it’s easy to fall into patterns of reactivity —

tightening control, blaming circumstances, overcommitting.

​

But when you make an intentional shift into

Creative Mode, you can find new paths forward,

not by eliminating the pressure, but by neutralizing it.

​

So how do we that?

​

It starts with three powerful mindset shifts.

1. From Defensive → Proactive

Defensive leadership is characterized by

responding to challenges with a sense of urgency,

often without stepping back to assess the bigger picture.

​

This can lead to a cycle of short-term fixes

that fail to address underlying issues

and really wear thin on the team.

​

A shift to Proactive Leadership means moving

from reactionary problem-solving to

intentional decision-making.

​

Instead of focusing on what’s going wrong and assigning blame,

proactive leaders take ownership of their influence

and direct their energy toward solutions.

​

They create environments where motivation thrives,

fostering collaboration, curiosity, and shared accountability.

​

This shift doesn’t mean having all the answers,

it means cultivating a mindset of agency,

adaptability, and strategic action.

​

Why It Works

This shift moves you from passive frustration to active problem-solving.

By focusing on influence rather than control,

you regain both agency and momentum.

​

How to Make the Shift

​

​

1. Pause and Assess:

What’s actually within your control?

​

2. Reframe the Narrative:

Instead of why is this happening to me? ask what can I do about this?

​

3. Take One Action:

Identify and execute one tangible step.

​

4. Engage Others:

Bring your team into the process to co-create solutions.

​

5. Measure and Adjust:

Track progress to quantify exactly what is being done by you.

(And don’t forget to celebrate it.)

​

2. From Blame → Curiosity

Blame is a natural response when things go wrong.

​

It’s uncomfortable not to know why something happened

or, worse, to feel there was no reason why it happened,

so we tend to make up reasons and assign blame.

​

Whether it’s

blaming external forces,

internal teams or specific individuals,

this approach creates division and hinders progress.

​

Shifting to Curiosity means replacing assumptions with exploration.

​

Instead of focusing on who is at fault,

curious leaders ask, What might I not be seeing?

They seek a deeper understanding of challenges,

engage in active listening, and explore alternative perspectives.

​

This approach drives innovation, fosters collaboration and ensures that

decision-making is informed by insight rather than rash judgement.

​

Why It Works

Curiosity opens doors and builds bridges.

​

How to Make the Shift

​

1. Recognize the Narrative:

Are you making assumptions?

​

2. Ask Open-Ended Questions:

What’s another perspective on this?

What could be an alternate explanation?

​

3. Listen Before Responding:

Seek full context before forming conclusions.

​

4. Reframe Challenges as Learning Opportunities:

Focus on what’s to be gained, not lost.

Replace a fear of failure with a culture of learning.

​

5. Turn Insights into Action:

Use newfound understanding to drive better outcomes.

​

3. From Overextending → Elevating

Overextending is a common defense mechanism —

a way for leaders to shield themselves from

vulnerability by proving their value

through relentless action.

​

In a reactive leadership mindset, stepping in

to do the work yourself can feel like the safest option,

a way to maintain control and avoid exposing potential weaknesses.

​

It’s also a way to burn yourself out, foster resentment and

perpetuate a team that remains dependent rather than empowered.

​

Shifting to Elevating Leadership means moving from

doing everything yourself to creating the conditions

for others to step up and contribute meaningfully.

​

Why it works

Instead of focusing on filling gaps alone, leaders who elevate their teams ask,

How can I challenge, inspire, and activate those around me?

​

They empower their teams through

delegation, clear expectations, and accountability

while ensuring collective success rather than individual strain.

​

Elevating leaders don’t just execute.

​

They build capacity, making their impact scalable and sustainable.

​

How to Make the Shift

​

1. Assess What You’re Holding Onto:

What tasks should be shared or delegated?

​

2. Empower Others with Ownership:

Provide clear expectations and autonomy.

​

3. Create Learning Moments:

Use challenges as opportunities for team development.

​

4. Hold Accountability Conversations:

Set benchmarks and follow up.

​

5. Recognize and Reinforce Growth:

Celebrate team wins and progress.

Making the Intentional Shift

Shifting from Reactive to Creative Leadership

isn’t about ignoring challenges, it’s about

choosing how you respond to them.

​

It’s about stepping into ownership, curiosity, and empowerment

rather than getting stuck in blame, frustration, or overextension.

​

Your leadership sets the tone for those around you.

​

When you make the Intentional Shift to

lead with clarity and agency, you create a ripple effect,

elevating not just yourself, but your entire team and organization.

​

So, as you move forward this week, ask yourself:

Where am I leading reactively and what is one shift

I can make toward Creative Leadership today?

​

Choose one area,

commit to an action and

step forward with intention.

​

The way you lead determines what is possible.

​

If you know someone who would benefit from

actionable strategies for intentional living

forward this email or send this link to

browse through all the issues.

​

xx, Nicole

​