Order my USA TODAY Bestselling book: toxicgrit.com TOXIC GRIT: How to have it all and (actually) love what you have. It will help you create a new approach to ambition and find space for all the diverse parts of yourself. Join 75K+ others who read my newsletter 🧩 Life's a Game at amandagoetz.com. It’s full of free tips to play the game of life at a whole new level. In 2018 I found myself at the height of my marketing career with 3 kids under the age of 4 and filing for divorce. In a world telling me to find alignment......I realized that was impossible. The work version of me didn't want to leave early to go be with the kiddos. The mom version of me didn't want to miss a moment with them. I wanted to be fiercely independent and yet also wanted to find love again. Other versions of me didn't want to feel responsible for anything or anyone. This diversity within me led to the creation of my Character Theory Framework. This framework helped me to create space for the 10 characters that make up the movie of your life:  The CEO → wants to pursue big goalsThe Partner → desires companionship  The Soloist → cares about personal growth and development The Caregiver → deep desire to take care of others and show up for themThe Goddess → wants to be desired and pursue pleasure  The Lazy One → loves to couch rot, no goals whatsoever The Socialite → values connection The Creative → desires creation and creativity The Doctor → your inner health &amp; wellness character The Explorer → craves novelty And it helped me. I was able to let go of the idea of balance and give permission for hierarchy, boundaries and the transition sequences necessary to embody these diverse characters. So I put it all in a book and it was an instant best seller!! I'm so excited for you to create space for all parts of you and to see ambition as multi-dimensional. Follow me here for advice as I build a multi-hyphenate life as a CMO, Author, Mom of 3 and getting married again. 

Amanda Goetz

I help ambitious, heart-led leaders lead with more power and ease.
Leaders choose me because I’ve been in their shoes.

My clients are high-performing executives and founders who want a strategic thought partner -- not platitudes. They want someone who knows how to think like an operator, act like a guide, and isn't afraid to challenge their thinking.

They call me in to help them:

- Reset their mindset
- Transform their leadership
- Problem solve with freedom and creativity
- Face tough decisions with clarity and confidence
- Build new, stronger habits and shed old ones that no longer serve

They use me as leverage to strengthen their teams:

- Assess what's working and what isn't
- Revamp collaboration and communication
- Identify areas of friction and areas of opportunity
- Develop top talent more quickly and in line with business goals
- Transition out people whose time have past with respect and efficiency

I’ve led companies, made impossible calls, and navigated moments where there was no playbook. 

I’ve scaled businesses, restructured teams, and built functions from the ground up -- while also recovering from burnout, navigating health crises, building a family, and finding my way back to myself.

Over my 25-year career, I’ve:

• Generated tens of millions in enterprise value
• Switched sectors 5 times and led 7+ functions
• Scaled businesses by 5x and turned around underperformers
• Hired and developed hundreds of leaders, many now thriving in C-suite roles or fulfilling nontraditional paths
• Navigated difficult personal and professional pivots -- and emerged stronger

Let’s connect if you’re ready to lead without limits:

→ Coaching: Book a free strategy call: https://calendar.app.google/jEKEt4dyzgLqL1ms6
→ Newsletter: newsletter.kathywubrady.com

Kathy Brady

The military is not the place you imagine someone learning how to master leading with vulnerability.

And yet, that's exactly what Jenn Donahue, PhD, PE did.

She spent 27 years in uniform leading critical work:

• Building the longest floating bridge in Iraq
• Commanding an 800+ person battalion in Afghanistan
• Establishing combat outposts in hostile desert terrain

Through those high-stakes moments, Jenn developed her own brand of highly effective leadership that wasn't built on rank or domineering behaviors:

It’s about authentic presence, trust, and heart-driven strength.

In an environment where she regularly faced enemy fire and internal ire, she didn't crumble. She created.

Her Warrior Framework is the basis for her debut book: "Becoming the Warrior: Harnessing Your Inner Strength to Silence Self-Doubt.”

A multi-hyphenate who has had to prove herself over and over again, Jenn is the kind of leader we should all learn from.

She's a geotechnical engineer, a Navy vet, an author, an entrepreneur, and a keynote speaker.

I'm so excited to get to host her on the next Lead without Limits Substack Live tomorrow -- Friday, February 20th at 12noon ET, 9am PT

Join us for a lively discussion where you'll get a preview of Jenn's groundbreaking model.

https://lnkd.in/ewawqGEX

Kathy Wu Brady

Executive Coach & Advisor | 2x CEO & COO | Artist | Speaker | Subscribe --​> Lead without Limits Newsletter

The easiest way to strengthen your network is to leverage existing social structures.

The most underutilized one?
Your workplace.

Perhaps you know your immediate colleagues and collaborators, but for anyone who works in a company of more than 20 people, you likely don't know everyone else. Or at least not well.

Here's how you get started:

𝟭. 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁

There are so many options to choose from:
Ask your colleagues who they recommend connecting with
Someone you've heard speak about an interesting
People in roles you're curious about

𝟮. 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝘂𝘁

So easy and yet, we come up with so many excuses.
Overcome them by reminding yourself that this matters.
And you never know what might come from your conversation.
Most importantly: schedule time to do it.

𝟯. 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝘆

You don't need to come up with fancy excuses.
Just tell them you're curious about their role and want to get to know.
Most people will be grateful you took the first step.
And they want to meet you, too.

𝟰. 𝗕𝗲 𝗮 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿

Worried about what you're going to talk about? Stop
If you go in with great questions, you're 80% prepared.
The rest is about showing up ready present and listen actively

𝟱. 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲

After every conversation, send a note.
Even if the conversation was a bore or you didn't feel a connection.
Acknowledging someone's time is the least you can do.
It'll feel good -- to you and to them.

If this feels like kindergarten or elementary school tactics, they are.
But even as adults, we need reminders on how to connect with others.

Perhaps as adults and leaders, we need them more.

How do you make connections happen?
I'd love to hear more in the comments.

---

If this resonated, save it for when you need a nudge to build a new relationship.

Share this with someone who needs a reminder that new relationship opportunities are all around them.

Follow me for more weekly tips to break through your limiting beliefs and reach your full leadership potential.

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I help empathetic, high-achieving leaders define what matters most and carve out a path to claim it.

I’m an executive coach and advisor, a 2x CEO and 2x COO, and an aspiring artist. After 20 years leading high-growth businesses, I launched Lead without Limits to share the lessons, mindsets, and strategies I wish I had earlier in my journey.

--> http://newsletter.kathywubrady.com

Founder & Principal

A dream sabbatical: visiting my 100-year-old grandmother, spending time with my kids and partner, restarting painting after 35 years away, building friendships again, and learning how to write online.

Health and well-being

Skills: Organizational Development · Business Development

Official Member

Skills: Public Speaking · Leadership Development · Organizational Development · Strategic Partnerships · Business Development · Corporate Social Responsibility Chief Operating Officer Feb 2022 - Jan 2024 · 2 yrs

Chief Operating Officer

Skills: Executive Management · Strategic Planning · Organizational Development · Business Development Interim Chief Executive Officer

Interim Chief Executive Officer

Skills: Leadership Development · Organizational Development · Recruiting · Diversity & Inclusion · Start-up Operations Chief of Staff & Chief People Officer

Chief of Staff & Chief People Officer

Skills: Revenue & Profit Growth · Public Speaking · HR Management · Leadership Development · Organizational Development · Executive Management Chief Operating Officer

XO Group Inc. (TheKnot.com, TheNest.com, TheBump.com) is a consumer internet and media company that helps couples navigate and enjoy life's biggest moments together through industry-leading apps, websites, video, commerce, and print businesses. 

NYSE: XOXO

EVP, eCommerce, Registry & Guest Services

Scaled the business in its second year to double revenue, while reducing costs by 30%. Vente-privee USA was the U.S. joint venture between vente-privee.com, the worldwide leader in flash sales, and American Express. The company closed its US offices in late 2014. CEO Feb 2013 - Jan 2014 · 1 yr

Managed the launch operations, product development and sales operations of the U.S. joint venture between vente-privee.com, the worldwide leader in flash sales, and American Express. COO Sep 2011 - Feb 2013 · 1 yr 6 mos

Skills: Organizational Development · Change Management

Head of Business Operations

Managed the multi-phased process of rebranding of the Local Media division across digital, TV, and social channels, including extensive change management efforts at all levels across 10 owned and operated stations across the U.S. VP, Marketing Strategy - Local Media

VP, Marketing Strategy - Local Media

Relaunched NBC Local Media's digital properties across 10 local markets, including websites, mobile sites, and mobile apps. Managed the day-to-day operations across Editorial, Technology and Business Development. VP, Online & Mobile Properties - Local Media

VP, Online & Mobile Properties - Local Media

Helped launch NBC's first video syndication business, managing over 200 content and distribution partnerships across all content categories. Director, >nbbc Content & Distribution Partnerships Aug 2006 - Sep 2007 · 1 yr 2 mos

Director, >nbbc Content & Distribution Partnerships

Oversaw the initial integrations of hulu with it's 5 strategic distribution launch partners: AOL, Comcast, MySpace, Microsoft and Yahoo. Guided technical scoping, product development and legal negotiations.

Director of Distribution Partnerships

Established all Client Services policies and processes and onboarded and launched over 30 partners. Collaborated with Product & Technology on product development and overall product strategy.

Senior Manager, Client Services

Investment Banking Analyst

"I'm fine. Just really busy."

That sentence has ended more careers than any bad performance review.

Not because it's a lie exactly. But because it's the armor talking — and the armor is very, very good at its job.

There's a kind of fracture I keep watching in high-achieving leaders. Not burnout — they're still performing. Not disengagement — they still care. 

Something more interior. A private erosion of identity and purpose that's especially hard to catch because the exterior stays so intact.

The drive that made you excellent: push through, figure-it-out, don't-show-weakness -- is exactly what is preventing you from seeing what's actually happening.

The saboteur doesn't announce itself.
It just makes you feel like you need to try harder.

So you try harder.
And the crack gets quieter. And deeper.

The leaders most at risk aren't the ones who are visibly struggling. 
They're the ones who can't tell the difference anymore between a hard season in the right place and a slow erosion in the wrong one.

That distinction is worth your attention. 
Before the armor decides for you.

-- 
Follow Kathy Wu Brady if you're a senior leader who's done with generic advice and ready for the real conversation.

Your future self is waiting for you to take the reins.

A Navy commander in Afghanistan had 800 people depending on her.

Enemy fire. Assassination attempts. Building command bases in the desert.

And a boss who berated her in front of her team. Every. Single. Day. For seven months.

By the time she came home, she told me:
"There was nothing. No joy. Literally nothing."

That's Dr. Jenn Donahue — engineer, author, and the guest on my latest Substack Live.

What she built to climb back out of that hole is something every leader needs.

She calls it the Warrior Framework. Four steps. Rooted in military rules of engagement. Backed by neuroscience.

This framework wasn't built in a boardroom. It was built in the aftermath of one of the hardest deployments of her career, by a woman who had to claw her way back to herself.

I think about the senior leaders who are carrying enormous responsibility right now. Leading teams through uncertainty. Holding it together for everyone around them. Running low.

This conversation was for you.

Full replay + key takeaways in today's newsletter:
https://lnkd.in/ewawqGEX

Save this one. The next time you need a way back to feeling yourself again.
Share it with a friend who needs it now.
Follow me for more weekly, actionable tips for successful leaders that are finding their old playbook needs a refresh.

newsletter.kathywubrady.com

The Enemy in the War Zone Was Nothing Compared to the Ones in Her Head

A team that doesn't know how to productively navigate conflict is a team in trouble.

When the leader came to me to help him and his team achieve higher performance, he had no idea what was brewing under the surface.

On the face of it, it was a dream team.

Senior, proven leaders with decades of experience.
They were transforming a company, shifting it into growth mode and making it transaction-ready.
They showed up to meetings on time. They came to a decision quickly. They were aligned on the next steps, and people shifted into action seamlessly.

And yet when it came to their collaboration, something seemed off.

They contemplated few ideas. Very little was debated, especially highly strategic decisions. When there was dissent, it was about minor topics like the formatting of a deck or the timing of a meeting.

They were going through the motions of execution well, but their results were mediocre, and they weren’t improving.

After the first few sessions, it was clear to me — this was a team that deeply feared conflict, with their leader and with each other.

What felt like safety was costing much more than each person realized. Without conflict, they were missing out on better ideas, smarter solutions, and more successful outcomes.

Even worse, they were creating a culture that drained everyone’s energy walking on eggshells. Left unaddressed, the team would fall apart.

The good news? It wasn’t too late to fix, and it didn’t start with a long-drawn out process.

It started with simply learning conflict isn’t a sign of risk. Misunderstanding it is.

Learn more in my newsletter post today: 
https://lnkd.in/ev9g6-Hv

—

Share this with a leader who cares about their team’s performance.

Save it for when you’re not sure why your team isn’t addressing the gnarly issues that are uncomfortable, but necessary for success.

Follow Kathy Wu Brady for more leadership and team dynamics posts to remind you on what needs your attention and how to prioritize taking action.

A Team that Doesn't Know How to Productively Navigate Conflict is a Team in Trouble

Sometimes you have to break things to make things.

As leaders, we are trained to build teams, build systems, and build organizations.

What few people tell you is that the “build” stage only works when you’re working with a clean slate or when you fully understand the existing state.

When you’re inheriting an organization with legacy tools, habits, and norms, you can’t just simply build on top of it.

You first need to understand what exists and why to determine if it’s essential going forward.

And that means disrupting the system.

• Being OK with hitting pause (and slowing things down).
• Asking detailed questions (that people may not want to answer).
• Testing the model (to find out what’s underneath).

And it might mean breaking a few things in the process.

It might even mean breaking a lot of things in order to clear the way for new opportunities.

The leaders who do this well are excellent not because they are great at breaking things.

They are excellent because they know how to assess the state and stage of the organization and they aren’t afraid to do what’s required.

So before you hold too tightly to one way of operating or make promises that you can’t keep, take a moment to assess:

• Have you identified the state of the organization you’re leading?
• Do you understand the underlying operations?
• Are you willing to break things to make things?

—
Share this with a leader who needs a reminder that there is nuance in great strategy.

Save it for yourself when you need permission to break a few things.

And if you’re a leader who is grappling with these questions and want a strategic thought partner, I’m opening 2 sports in Q2 for leaders ready to take the plunge. DM me to learn more.

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