Author Archives: Amy Kay Watson

Self-Promotion Can Be Both Accountable and Empathetic

A thoughtful team member updates a whiteboard, symbolizing leadership through clarity, accountability, and quiet communication.

If you struggle to talk about your accomplishments without feeling uncomfortable, you’re not alone. For many professionals, self-promotion can feel like boasting, bragging, or stealing attention from others. But there’s a more generous way to think about it: true self-promotion lives at the intersection of empathy and accountability. It’s about making your contributions visible so

How to Lead Like Dr. Robby: Traits of a Non-Anxious Leader in a High-Pressure World

Listen as a Podcast If you’ve watched The Pitt, you already know: Dr. Robby (played by Noah Wyle) is the heartbeat of the Pitt. In a space defined by chaos, trauma, and split-second decisions, his presence is calm, clear, and profoundly human. He leads a team through the most intense situations imaginable without losing his

Rebuild Trust After Conflict: A Practical Framework for Managers

Listen as a Podcast Conflicts happen. Even in high-performing teams, misunderstandings, offenses, or broken trust can interrupt collaboration. As a manager, how you respond in these moments can either divide your team further—or lay the foundation for a stronger, more resilient culture. Here’s a 5-step method to help team members move forward together after harm

An Essential Checklist for Leading Change

Listen as a podcast (AI Generated; may contain errors) Transitions aren’t just about external change—they’re about the internal psychological process people go through when adapting to that change. Inspired by Managing Transitions by William Bridges, this checklist helps leaders support individuals and teams through each of the three phases of transition: Ending, Neutral Zone, and

The Self-Aware Leader: Mastering Empathy & Accountability

Looking down at feet pedaling a bicycle, symbolizing the delicate and deliberate act of putting pressure on two sides in rapid succession to achieve balance. Superimposed text reads The Self Aware Leader: Keys to Balancing Empathy & Accountability

🏆 The Leadership Struggle Many leaders feel tension between: 👉 Being empathetic and building trust. 👉 Being authoritative and holding people accountable. 🔑 Truth: The best leaders integrate both. ❗ Why It Matters Two common traps: ⚠ Too much empathy → Avoiding hard conversations, letting performance slip. ⚠ Too much authority → Creating fear, micromanaging,

How to Navigate Difficult Conversations with HR Without Losing Your Voice

HR exists to protect the company, not necessarily you. That doesn’t mean HR is the enemy, but it does mean that navigating conversations with them requires clarity, confidence, and strategy. Whether you’re addressing employee concerns, advocating for fairness, or handling a sensitive issue, here’s how to approach these conversations without losing your voice. 1. Clarify

The Self-Mastery of Leadership: Leveraging Doubt with Empathy and Strength

Image of ripples cascading outward after a central disturbance to water, symbolizing ongoing impacts in multiple directions after a single event. Superimposed text reads: The Self-Mastery of Leadership: Harnessing Doubt with Empathy and Strength

🌟 Leadership is as much about self-mastery as it is about guiding others. 🌟 When was the last time you felt self-doubt as a leader? If your answer is “recently,” you’re in good company. A 2020 KPMG study revealed that 75% of executive women have experienced imposter syndrome at certain points in their careers✅.  I

It’s Time to Reboot the PIP

Why Performance Improvement Plans Need a Rebrand Let’s be honest: “Performance Improvement Plan” has become a dreaded phrase in many organizations. For employees, hearing “You’re going on a PIP” can feel like a death knell—the new “Final Written Warning.” For managers, it can feel like an administrative hurdle imposed by HR to ensure legal coverage

An Essential Checklist for Compassion in the Workplace

Compassion is more than just a feeling—it’s an active force that shapes workplace culture, builds trust, and strengthens organizations. Inspired by Awakening Compassion at Work by Monica C. Worline and Jane E. Dutton, this checklist provides actionable steps for fostering a compassionate work environment. Use it to assess and enhance how you respond to suffering,