Dear Reader,

There’s a moment I come back to often—a memory that reminds me why emotional agility isn’t a “nice to have” in leadership. I was facilitating a high-stakes leadership meeting during my time as Deputy Superintendent. The data was clear, the stakes were high, and I came in ready to lead with logic. But something was off. I could feel it—tightness in my chest, urgency in my voice, a charged silence in the room.

In the past, I might’ve pushed through. Data in hand, agenda set. But that day, I paused.

I took a breath. I asked a question instead of asserting a direction. And in that space, something shifted. Concerns emerged that hadn’t been named. Hopes, too. The team didn’t just comply with a decision—we co-created one. One rooted not only in facts, but in trust and shared values.

This is the heart of emotional agility—and why it matters more than ever.

Today’s mission-driven leaders aren’t just managing strategy and systems. You’re navigating ethical complexity, team dynamics, emotional labor, and competing demands with limited support. Many of my coaching clients name it plainly:

• “I’m tired of making every decision alone.”
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• “I second-guess myself more than I admit.”
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• “I’m great in crisis, but I don’t want to lead like that anymore.”

These aren’t signs of weakness. They’re signals—data in their own right.

In this edition, we’re exploring emotional reasoning, the Genos emotional intelligence competency that expands our capacity to lead with both clarity and compassion. When we integrate emotion and logic, we access our full intelligence. And when we learn to pause, notice, and respond with intention, we don’t just make better decisions—we make better decisions together.

If you’re navigating exhaustion, overload, burnout, and/or decision fatigue, I hope this Dispatch offers more than insight. I hope it offers a breath. A reminder that quiet confidence in high-stakes decision-making comes not from having all the answers—but from slowing down and learning to listen to all the data, including what’s happening within.

Clear eyes. Full hearts.
​Paula

Field Report: Leadership Insights

The Emotionally Agile Leader

When the stakes are high, leaders often default to cold analysis or gut instinct. But what if our emotions aren’t distractions—but data? In this LinkedIn article, Paula breaks down the concept of emotional agility: the ability to pause, name what you’re feeling, and lead from a place of both clarity and connection.
You’ll explore:
✔️ Why ignoring emotions narrows your leadership field of view
✔️ The three key questions emotionally agile leaders ask
✔️ How to move from reactivity to response—especially under pressure

Don’t just lead with your head. Lead with your whole self.

Spotlight on Whole Leader Lab Services: IGNITE LEADERSHIP COACHING

For Mission-Driven and Visionary Leaders Ready to Disrupt the Hamster Wheel and Start Leading with Clarity and Courage
​ Are you shouldering complex decisions, driving big outcomes, and still wondering, “When do I get space to actually think?”
​ You're not alone—and you don’t have to keep pushing through.

Ignite Leadership Coaching is a high-impact, high-support 12-month coaching experience designed for senior leaders, C-suite executives, and system-level changemakers navigating intense responsibility, visibility, and transition.

Whether you’re scaling an organization, rebuilding trust, or moving from reactivity to reflection, this experience gives you the strategy, structure, and soul work to lead with confidence—without burning out.​
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We begin with a full suite of evidence-based assessments tailored to your leadership context. You decide what combination is best for you:

• IEQ9 Integrative Enneagram - builds self-awareness
• Profile XT Select - gives insight into your thinking style and behavioral traits as normed against others
• 360 Leadership Assessment conducted by Paula - helps you gather input from those working with you closely
• Genos Emotional Intelligence - benchmarks your EQ skills and helps you target growth areas

From there, Paula co-creates your Whole Leader Dashboard—a clear, customized development plan anchored in your values, goals, and leadership arc.

What do you experience after developing strong insights and creating your development plan?

✔ Bi-weekly or monthly private coaching sessions
✔ Strategic reflection and action planning
✔ Real-time support between sessions
✔ Tools and templates to build sustainable systems for energy, clarity, and alignment​
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This is not feel-good coaching. It’s rigorous, evidence-informed support rooted in behavioral science, systems leadership, and emotional intelligence. Paula’s 1:1 clients are CEOs, senior VPs, and C-level leaders navigating:

• Leadership fatigue and decision paralysis
• Team disengagement or cultural misalignment
• Major pivots, transitions, or public scrutiny

They walk away with:
→ Expanded decision-making capacity
​ → More grounded executive presence
​ → A leadership practice that integrates heart, head, and purpose

“It’s like professional therapy with strategy, resources, and elevation.”
“Paula listens and helps you derive the solution. She’s deeply invested in my success.”

Paula is known as a warm demanding coach—someone who will hold space for your full self while never letting you play small. She brings the lived experience of a former C-level leader who has been in the room when it matters most.

Clients describe her as:

• Introspective, responsive, grounded
• A thought partner, truth-teller, and champion
• The first coach who actually made a difference

“I’ve never had a coach I thought was helpful—until Paula.”
“She’s responsive, generous, and makes you feel seen.”

If you’re ready to reclaim clarity, deepen resilience, and lead with alignment, Ignite is built for you.

💥 Ready to lead with purpose and presence?

Let’s explore what’s possible through 1:1 executive coaching for mission-driven and visionary leaders.
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Dispatch Toolkit

Resources to Expand Your Emotional Agility and Leadership Insight

📘 Book: Emotional Agility by Dr. Susan David​

Why it matters:
​ This is the foundational text on the power of navigating emotions with intention. Dr. Susan David—a Harvard psychologist—guides readers through practices that help leaders move from reactivity to reflection. Her work is particularly relevant for those navigating decision fatigue, executive isolation, or leadership transitions.

“Discomfort is the price of admission to a meaningful life.” – Susan David

🎧 Podcast: Unlocking Us: Brené Brown with Susan David​

Why it matters:
​ In this conversation, Dr. David and Brené explore the difference between emotional suppression and emotional agility. It’s a must-listen for any leader who’s been told to “be less emotional” or who has tried to outwork uncertainty.

Quick, engaging, and packed with leadership wisdom—this episode will help you understand why emotions are data, not distractions.

✍️ Tool: Emotionally Agile Decision Map

Why it matters:
​ Too often, leaders are asked to “make the call” without enough time to pause or perspective to see clearly. This printable worksheet helps you slow down just enough to integrate both logic and emotional insight. Use it solo—or bring it to your next team huddle or coaching session.

The framework walks you through:

1. What am I feeling right now—and why?
2. What’s the core tension or decision at hand?
3. What values, facts, and signals are relevant?
4. What’s the next aligned step?

✅ Especially useful for leaders facing complex decisions, stakeholder friction, or high visibility moments.​
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Community Spotlight: From Overload to Ownership

How One Nonprofit Leader Used Emotional Reasoning to Empower Her Team

When Bette, the executive director of a small but fast-growing nonprofit, entered coaching, her organization was gaining traction. Community convenings were thriving, and a diverse coalition of leaders was rallying around a shared mission to expand youth outcomes. But behind the scenes, Bette was stretched thin.

She knew her stakeholder engagement processes needed attention, and she was gearing up to hire for several new roles. Her instinct was to bring in a consultant to lead the work—after all, she didn’t have the capacity to take it on herself.

But through Ignite Leadership Coaching, Bette took a step back. As we explored her goals and the emotional landscape of her team, it became clear that a pause could lead to a more powerful path forward. Instead of outsourcing the work, she chose to invest in a team step-back—a facilitated session where her staff could reflect, share insights, and co-create the improvements they wanted to see.

The result? Greater clarity on priorities, stronger ownership across the team, and renewed energy for building together—not just delivering outcomes, but shaping the culture they wanted to lead within.

🧭 Leadership Challenge:

Before you move forward on a big decision this week, pause and ask yourself:
​What emotional data might I be overlooking—and what would change if I brought it to the table?

If that question gave you pause, I’d love to hear what surfaced.

What emotional data are you noticing—and how might it shape your next step?

Send me a note at paula.shannon@wholeleaderlab.org. I read every message.