🌟 Leadership isn’t just about leading through growth—sometimes, it’s about guiding through the most challenging transitions. 🌟 During my tenure as Executive Director at Contact Pittsburgh, I faced one of the toughest decisions of my career: leading the organization through its closure after nearly 40 years of service. This experience was a profound lesson in what I now define as Quiet Strength Leadership—a transformative approach to leadership rooted in calmness, resilience, and authenticity. As the organization encountered significant challenges—declining funding, shifting volunteer dynamics, and an evolving mental health landscape—it became clear that the path forward required not just strategic thinking, but a deep commitment to our mission and to the people who made it possible. Here’s what Quiet Strength Leadership looked like in practice: 🧘♀️ Calm, Strategic Decision-Making: In the face of difficult realities, my team, my Board of Directors, and I took a measured approach, analyzing the data, consulting with stakeholders, and considering all options. This allowed us to make informed, thoughtful decisions that prioritized the long-term impact over short-term solutions. 💛 Empathy and Transparency: We understood the emotional toll this decision would take on our dedicated volunteers and staff. By engaging them in the process, communicating openly, and supporting them through the transition, we honored their commitment and ensured that everyone felt heard and valued. 🌟 Integrity and Authenticity: Throughout this process, we remained true to our values—acknowledging the challenges with honesty and transparency, and making the difficult decision to close with the best interests of our clients and community in mind. Integrity guided every step of our journey. 🌱 Empowering Others: Even in closing, our focus was on leaving a positive legacy. We ensured that the remaining resources were used to continue supporting the mental health community through The Pittsburgh Foundation, empowering others to carry on the mission in new ways. Leading through this transition reinforced my belief that true leadership isn’t about loudness or aggression—it’s about maintaining a steady, composed presence that inspires trust, builds genuine connections, and fosters a supportive environment. It’s about leading with Quiet Strength. 💡 For all the leaders out there: Remember, sometimes the quietest decisions are the most powerful. #Leadership #QuietStrength #EmotionalIntelligence #Resilience #Integrity #Empathy #AuthenticLeadership #MentalHealth #NonProfitLeadership
When you become a leader, you dont need to be better at work or have better skills from the people you are leading. Instead you need to be responsible for taking care of them to make sure they’re good at their job
Leadership Coach | Empowering High-Achieving Women | Specializing in Quiet Strength Leadership, Emotional Resilience & Work-Life Balance | ICF Certified | Integrating Clinical Expertise & NeuroTransformational Coaching
3moAnd I need to express my gratitude for the support and guidance my coach Richard Citrin, PhD provided me during this time. Thank you Richard!