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Harvest Season: Leading with Purpose - What are you sewing?

Forget the back-to-school chaos and the football fanfare. Step outside. Breathe deep. That crisp autumn air? It’s not just leaves and woodsmoke; it’s the unmistakable scent of work getting done, and then, a well-earned pause.


The maples and oaks are putting on their annual fiery show, while the distant honking of geese reminds us someone's got a flight plan. Out in the fields, combine harvesters are doing their thing, gathering the bounty. It's that satisfying crunch of frost-kissed grass underfoot, the golden light filtering through nearly bare branches. And yes, the earthy smell of turned soil and gathered grain – a testament to a season of hard work.


There's a quiet satisfaction in the air, that feeling of abundance and a job well done. But what does this really have to do with leadership, you ask? Glad you asked. I'd assert there is a lot we can learn about leadership from the rituals that come along with this time of year.


Just like farmers who wrap up a harvest, we leaders also need a "post-harvest" strategy. It's not just about celebrating the yield, but about prepping for next season. Farmers mend fences, tune up equipment, and nourish the soil for future growth. Think of it as our version of "project postmortem's" or "lessons learned" sessions – figuring out what "weeds" to pull, what "debris" to clear, and how to fertilize our teams for an even better harvest next year. It's less about a poetic ode to nature and more about smart, sustainable growth. And maybe, just maybe, it involves less mud.


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The daily work of cultivating leadership from the soul, reaping impact, weathering obstacles, and growing soul-centered teams that transform organizations.


The Seeds We Plant


Each of these leadership qualities, when planted as seeds and carefully tended in the fertile soil of our souls, creates a leadership presence that naturally draws others toward growth and transformation - much like how a well-tended garden attracts both beauty and abundance.


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Cultivating Daily Practices


  1. Morning Reflection

Begin each day with intentional thought about the kind of leader you want to be, like a farmer surveying the land and preparing the soil, setting the tone for conscious leadership choices.

  1. Mindful Interactions

Approach each conversation and meeting as an opportunity to practice presence, curiosity, and authentic connection, carefully nurturing the relationships like a farmer tends to each plant in the field.

  1. Evening Review

End each day by examining your choices, celebrating growth, and identifying opportunities for tomorrow's improvement, much like a farmer reviews the day's harvest and plans for the next season's planting.


These simple practices, when tended consistently like a farmer's daily routines, create the conditions for soul-centered leadership to flourish. They help us stay connected to our deeper purpose and maintain alignment between our values and actions - just as a farmer stays connected to the rhythms of the seasons and the needs of the soil.


Overcoming the Obstacles: Weathering the Seasons


Fear of Vulnerability

Soulful leadership requires openness and authenticity, much like a farmer tilling the soil and exposing it to the elements. This can feel risky, but remember that vulnerability is not weakness; it is the birthplace of courage and innovation, allowing new growth to take root.


Skepticism from Others

Not everyone will immediately understand or appreciate a soul-centered approach, much like some may doubt a farmer's innovative planting methods. Trust in your chosen path, lead by example, and let the richness and abundance of your eventual harvest speak for itself.


Pressure for Quick Results

Soul-centered approaches, like nurturing a crop, understand that true growth unfolds in its own season. You cannot force a harvest. Stay committed to the long-term vision, trusting the natural pace, and celebrate the incremental progress as the seeds begin to sprout.


These challenges are like the inevitable storms and droughts that every farmer faces - natural parts of the journey toward authentic leadership. Each obstacle weathered strengthens our capacity to lead with greater depth and impact, just as surviving harsh seasons makes crops more resilient.


The Ripple Effect of Soulful Leadership


When we lead from the soul, our influence spreads like seeds carried by the wind, taking root far beyond our immediate sphere. Each person we touch with authentic leadership becomes like fertile ground for positive change in their own circles, creating an ever-expanding harvest of transformation.


This is the true power of soul-centered leadership - it multiplies itself naturally, like a single seed that produces a plant yielding hundreds more seeds, creating networks of conscious leaders who are committed to cultivating something greater than themselves.


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Building Soul-Centered Teams


Creating Psychological Safety

Teams flourish when members feel safe to express their authentic selves - like plants that grow best in rich, well-prepared soil with proper nutrients and protection from harsh elements. This allows them to share ideas without fear of judgment, and take calculated risks in service of growth and innovation.

  • Encourage open dialogue and diverse perspectives

  • Respond to mistakes with curiosity rather than blame

  • Celebrate both successes and learning opportunities

  • Model vulnerability and authenticity as a leader


Fostering Shared Purpose

When team members connect their individual purposes with the collective mission, extraordinary things become possible - like how individual plants in a garden, when properly aligned and tended together, create a thriving ecosystem that's greater than the sum of its parts. This alignment creates energy, commitment, and resilience.


The Courage to Lead Differently


"The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now." - Chinese Proverb

Soul-centered leadership often requires us to go against conventional wisdom, to choose the harder path that serves the greater good - like a farmer who chooses sustainable practices over quick profits, knowing that nurturing the soil will yield better harvests for generations to come.


This courage doesn't come from fearlessness but from a deep connection to purpose that makes the risk worthwhile - like a farmer's faith in the unseen potential of a seed. When we know why we're leading, we find the strength to tend our leadership garden differently.


Moral Courage

Standing up for what's right even when it's difficult or unpopular


Emotional Courage

Being willing to feel and express authentic emotions in service of connection


Spiritual Courage

Trusting in something greater than ourselves to guide our decisions


The Harvest is Now


Picture me at 5:47 AM, perched by my floor-to-ceiling window, the city below still shrouded in the deep indigo of pre-dawn. The only sound is the soft, distant hum of the awakening metropolis, a counterpoint to the quiet breath of the building itself. I take a sip of warm cider from my mug and watch the first faint blush of light kiss the highest towers. A quiet determination stirs within me, sharp as the winter air, knowing what must be done amidst the vast, intricate tapestry of urban life.


In the past 8 weeks, I've had the honor to write or contribute to 10 thought leadership articles, hosted and/or supported 6 industry panels on Talent, AI, DEI, and Employee Engagement. I've appeared on 2 podcasts, elevated the performance of 3 coaching clients, and designed and launched 2 Literary Salons. Three weeks ago, I was named "Most Empowering DEI Leader of the Year, 2025."


I share this not as a pat on the back, but as proof - that you, YES YOU, have a say in who you get to be and how you show up in life.


Because here's what else happened: The latter part of 2024, I lost my father. I watched our country get handed over to forces I can barely comprehend. One of my dearest friends was murdered in December. Then 2025 launched with me getting laid off from a job I loved, watching ICE tear families apart, seeing a world at war while voices of reason are being silenced, one by one.


All of this is happening. ALL of it. The good, the bad, the ugly, the heartbreaking, the joyful, the devastating - life coming at you every single day at every given angle like a relentless storm.


So what do you do when the harvest season feels more like surviving the harshest of winters?


You start where you are. You think long-term. You prioritize. You build and strengthen your relationships and communities - because you're going to need them. You use your voice. You have courage and compassion for yourself and the people you love. You keep your chin up. You find gratitude in the smallest moments and discover your grit in the hardest ones.


The harvest isn't just about what we gather at the end of a season. Sometimes the harvest is simply showing up, day after day, planting seeds of hope in frozen ground, trusting that spring will come again. Sometimes the harvest is who we become in the process of refusing to give up.


Your leadership garden is waiting. The seeds are in your hands. The season is now.


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