September arrives with a jolt. The air is sharper, routines pick up pace, and suddenly we’re
not floating in summer mode anymore — we’re back in the thick of it. It’s like the world
collectively exhales and says, okay, let’s get serious again.
But here’s the trap: most leaders think that to make real change, they need a grand
reinvention. They go searching for the big play, the sweeping strategy, the silver bullet.
Truth is — it’s not the massive pivots that usually move the needle. It’s the small, almost
invisible shifts.
Think about it: two degrees off course doesn’t look like much at first, but give it time and
you’ll end up in a completely different destination. That’s how leadership works, too. The
shift you make today — in how you see, how you show up, and what you agree to — can
change the entire trajectory of your team and your culture.
This September, I’m focusing on three shifts that matter most: lens, energy, and agreements.
Shift the Lens: Change the Story, Change the Outcome
Psychologists call it perspective-taking. Leadership researchers call it intellectual humility.
Whatever you call it, the science is clear: when leaders are willing to look through a new
lens, the ripple effects are huge. It reduces bias, sparks creativity, and builds trust.
Our brains like shortcuts. We stick with the story we know. But September — a month of
transition — is the perfect moment to pause and ask: What if the story I’m telling myself
isn’t the only one?
Sometimes the shift is as simple as moving from “Why is this happening to me?” to “What’s
possible because this is happening?” That one pivot changes everything.
Shift the Energy: Your Presence Sets the Room
Let’s be blunt: your energy sets the room. Research shows that energy is contagious in
organizations — it drives morale, creativity, and innovation. It’s why “positively energizing
leadership” is now a field of study in management science. Leaders who source their energy
intentionally don’t just feel better; they make their people feel better too.
But most leaders I coach admit they’re running on fumes. Physical exhaustion, emotional
depletion, decision fatigue — it’s the water they’re swimming in. And here’s the kicker:
people notice. They pick it up in your tone, in your silence, in the micro-signals you don’t
even realize you’re sending.
Sharpening your energy edge — physical, emotional, cognitive, spiritual, social — isn’t
indulgence. It’s a responsibility. If you want your team to thrive, it starts with the energy
you bring into the room.
Shift the Agreements: Rewrite the Rules That No Longer Serve
This one’s trickier because agreements are often invisible. They’re the whispered rules that
dictate how we operate: “We don’t challenge the boss.” “We reward face time over results.”
“We don’t talk about burnout here.”
The problem? Those unspoken agreements quietly suffocate innovation, trust, and well-
being. Research shows that transformation projects are almost twice as likely to succeed
when leaders name and renegotiate the rules that no longer serve.
So September is your chance. Ask yourself: What agreements am I done living under? Which
ones are ripe for renegotiation — with myself, my team, my organization? Naming them is
the first step. Rewriting them is where momentum lives.
Why This Matters Now
For me, September feels like a fresh start—but not in the ‘start over’ sense. It’s about starting better.
And here’s the thing: most leaders already know this. They know what needs to shift.
They’ve felt it in their gut, named it in quiet moments, maybe even written it down
somewhere. What’s hard is not the knowing — it’s the doing. It’s finding the courage to
actually change the story, reset the energy, or renegotiate the rules. That’s where leadership
is forged.
So, here’s the reflection I’m carrying into this month:
- What story am I ready to see differently?
- Where does my energy need a reset?
- Which rules of the game am I ready to rewrite?
Shift happens, and September is calling.
The question is: Where will you shift?
Ready to Go Deeper?
This is exactly the kind of work I’ll be guiding leaders through in The Energy Edge: Thriving In an
Always-On World, a signature Fox Den Consulting course launching in January 2026.
It’s an 11-week journey into the neuroscience of habit changing and the five dimensions of
energy — physical, emotional, cognitive, spiritual, and social — designed to help leaders
recharge, reset, and rise with resilience in an always-on world.
If you want to lead with sharper presence, stronger impact, and a steadier edge, this course
is for you. Check out Fox Den Programs page for details — I’d love for you to be part of it.
