You’re Not Failing - You’re Evolving

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Hey Spark Family,

Let’s talk about something I see every day in my coaching work:
Leaders doing the hard work to grow, only to second-guess themselves when it doesn’t feel good right away.

Maybe that’s you right now.

You’re showing up differently. You’re trying to unlearn old habits. You’re leading with more intention, more trust, more humanity.

But instead of feeling empowered, you feel… unsure. Wobbly. Disconnected from your old confidence.

That doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong.
It means you’re in the middle.

This is what we call a leadership identity shift - and it’s messy by design.

You’re not failing.
You’re becoming.

The Research Is Clear

• 64% of leaders report a decline in self-confidence during leadership style transitions (Center for Creative Leadership, 2025)
➡ Translation: Doubt is part of the growth curve.

• 71% say they feel “in between” leadership styles - still shedding old patterns, not yet grounded in the new ones (LinkedIn Learning, 2025)
➡ Translation: You’re not alone.
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• Leaders who receive coaching during this shift are 2.8x more likely to sustain long-term behavioral change (McKinsey, 2025)
➡ Translation: With support, the messy middle becomes a turning point.

When you zoom out, here’s what becomes clear:
​The discomfort you’re feeling isn’t a sign of failure, it’s the friction of transformation.

What I'm Seeing In The Field

So many high-performing leaders are in transition right now - leaving behind reactive leadership, and building something more intentional.

They’re delegating more. Listening more. Giving feedback with care. Taking accountability instead of control.

But it feels vulnerable. Unsteady.

Here’s the truth: you don’t lose your edge by leading with heart.
You sharpen it with clarity, alignment, and courage.
That’s what this shift is about.

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What We Teach Leaders Inside Spark Brilliance

We help leaders navigate this exact space, the in-between, so they can lead with both excellence and humanity.

Here’s how:

✔ Normalize the messy middle
✔ Anchor to values, not just outcomes
✔ Create internal language for the identity shift
✔ Learn how to hold discomfort while staying in integrity
✔ Use support systems (coaching, peer feedback, reflection tools)

Leadership isn’t a finish line.
It’s a series of evolutions.

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🌟 Your Challenge This Week

Ask yourself:

• Where am I judging myself instead of honoring my growth?
• What old habits am I shedding, and what new ones am I building?
• How can I show myself more compassion in the middle of this shift?

Let’s stop mistaking discomfort for failure.
You’re not going backward.
You’re leveling up.

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With gratitude,
​Jackie

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P.S. – Know a leader who’s in this in-between space right now? Forward this to them. It might be the exact encouragement they need today. ✨

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