Courageous Insights: Facts vs Stories As leaders, our perspective matters more than we realize. Too often, we get caught up in the stories we tell ourselves rather than the actual facts in front of us. In this video, I share a simple but powerful tool I first learned from The Conscious Leadership Group—the practice of separating facts from stories. 👉 Facts = what a video camera could record. 👉 Stories = the judgments, interpretations, and meaning we add. By learning to pause, check our stories, and even share them with courage, we open up space for: Greater clarity and grounded leadership Stronger trust and authentic communication More curiosity, candor, and possibility Whether you’re a CEO, senior leader, or just stepping into leadership, this practice can help you shift from reactivity to presence, creating the conditions for more courageous leadership. 💬 Share in the comments: When was the last time a “story” shaped your leadership? How do you separate fact from story? 🔔 Subscribe for more Courageous Insights on leadership, emotional intelligence, and conscious leadership practices. #CourageousLeadership #ConsciousLeadership #LeadershipDevelopment #EmotionalIntelligence #FactsVsStories #CourageousInsights #MindfulLeadership #ExecutiveCoaching #LeadershipGrowth

What do new managers need most to succeed? In this episode, Stephanie Freeth sits down with Amy Cell — entrepreneur, speaker, and founder of Amy Cell Talent (now Yeo & Yeo HR Advisory Solutions). With over a decade of experience helping organizations scale people-first strategies, Amy brings a wealth of insights on what it really takes for new managers to thrive.

Together, they explore:
The essential skills and mindset shifts new managers need
How to build high-trust, high-performing teams
The role of communication, feedback, and emotional intelligence
Tools and practices that help managers avoid common pitfalls
Why creating trust and alignment is more critical than ever

Whether you’re a new manager, emerging leader, HR professional, entrepreneur, or business owner, this conversation is packed with practical wisdom to help you navigate the challenges of leadership and step confidently into your role.

✨ About the Guest: Amy Cell is an entrepreneur, speaker, talent & HR advisor, and former faculty at the University of Michigan’s Center for Entrepreneurship. She founded Amy Cell Talent, now part of Yeo & Yeo HR Advisory Solutions, celebrating 10 years of driving affordable HR strategy, talent acquisition, and ecosystem development across Michigan.

🔗 Learn more: amycelltalent.com | Yeo & Yeo HR Advisory Solutions 🎧 Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Your favorite podcast platform

If you enjoy this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share to help more leaders discover the tools they need to grow.

In this episode of Courageous Leaders, Connected Teams, host Stephanie Freeth welcomes her friend and accomplished leader Christie Wong Barrett—former CEO, board director, and lecturer at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. Christie shares her career journey from MIT chemical engineer to McKinsey consultant, manufacturing company owner-operator, and now educator, revealing the lessons, pivots, and courageous choices that shaped her path. They explore how identity evolves across career transitions, the importance of building “through-me” leadership, and how the Enneagram has helped Christie lead with greater self-awareness. Christie also introduces her concept of “courageous learning”—leaning into challenges that push your comfort zone—and offers practical advice for decision-making, fostering innovation, and creating accountable, connected teams. Whether you’re an emerging leader or a seasoned executive, this episode will inspire you to embrace career pivots, strengthen your leadership toolkit, and find connection in every setting. What You’ll Learn in This Episode How to pivot successfully across industries without losing your strengths The concept of the chimera identity and why embracing your multi-dimensional self matters Insights from Christie’s Enneagram journey and how it shaped her leadership style How to run effective team huddles that drive innovation and accountability Decision-making frameworks for uncertain and high-pressure environments Why courageous leaders lean into challenges they might not be good at—yet

In this powerful and deeply personal episode, Stephanie Freeth sits down with Aubrey Macfarlane, President & CEO of Volunteers of America Michigan, to explore how conscious leadership, recovery, and the Enneagram have shaped her leadership journey. Aubrey shares how leading from the heart—and with vulnerability—has helped her transform both herself and her organization.

This is a must-listen for leaders seeking to integrate self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and purpose into their leadership style.

• Aubrey’s journey from social work to CEO

• How recovery and spiritual practices shaped her leadership style

• Conscious leadership as an operating system

• The Enneagram Type 2 (Considerate Helper) in action

• Managing boundaries and burnout as a leader

• Creating safe, authentic workplace cultures

• Using Enneagram team dynamics to drive innovation and collaboration

• The power of presence, breathwork, and embodied leadership

• The balance between helping others and staying grounded

• Shifting from fear of failure to trust in team and process

In this soulful episode of Courageous Leaders, Connected Teams, Stephanie Freeth is joined by the incredible Brothers Koren — Isaac and Thorald — to explore what it truly means to reclaim your voice, embrace vulnerability, and ignite your creative expression. From overcoming childhood silencing to daring to suck, this conversation dives deep into: ✅ The internal “small voices” that hold us back ✅ How music, resonance & vocal embodiment support leadership ✅ The power of sound as a healing and expressive tool ✅ The magic of The Songwriter's Journey and how it transformed Stephanie’s creative path ✅ Embracing the break — the imperfection that makes us unique You’ll also get a powerful live voice warm-in practice that’s worth coming back to again and again. Whether you’re a leader, artist, facilitator, or someone reclaiming your truth — this one is for you. 🔗 Links & Contacts 🎶 Connect with The Brothers Koren: Website: https://www.brotherskoren.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebrotherskoren 💡 Join Stephanie’s community: Website: https://stephaniefreeth.com Book a Discovery Call: https://calendly.com/stephanie-freeth/discovery-call LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/stephanieblackburnfreeth Email: Stephanie@freeth.coach 🎙️ Podcast – Courageous Leaders, Connected Teams: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/courageous-leaders-connected-teams/id1811374312 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6S2AWlDUENdP5oekeFmts8 YouTube Playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3-sjMQN9_Dsy68cDpuuklCZFO69sZWPI ⏱️ Timestamps (Suggested) 00:00 Welcome & Introductions 03:00 Stephanie’s voice story & fear of singing 06:00 The “small voices” that hold us back 10:00 What safety & expression really mean 16:00 The creative process without judgment 23:00 Creating “Creative Revolution” 28:00 Loving your vocal break 37:00 The “Warm-In” Practice (live) 46:00 Reflections & how to work with the Brothers 49:00 Wrap-up & final thoughts #CourageousLeaders #CreativeLeadership #TheBrothersKoren #VoiceEmbodiment #SoundHealing #LeadershipPodcast #ReclaimYourVoice #VocalFreedom #ConsciousLeadership #StephanieFreeth #SongwritersJourney #EmotionalIntelligence #LeadershipDevelopment

What does it truly mean to lead with humility, curiosity, and courage? In this inspiring episode of Courageous Leaders Connected Teams, Stephanie Freeth is joined by Paul Blatt, CEO of Gesher Human Services, for a candid conversation on the transformational power of conscious leadership. Paul shares real-world lessons from leading through a pandemic, navigating a merger, and cultivating a culture of responsibility, presence, and candor. From the power of letting go of being right to building trust through radical curiosity, this episode is packed with actionable wisdom for purpose-driven leaders.

✅ Discover how to:
Create psychological safety through authentic communication.
Use the Enneagram and conscious leadership tools to navigate change.
Practice radical responsibility and let go of blame.
Develop cohesive, aligned teams ready for meaningful impact Whether you’re a seasoned executive, a team lead, or someone passionate about leadership growth, this conversation is for you.

In this episode of Courageous Leaders, Connected Teams, host Stephanie Freeth reveals how your Enneagram type can profoundly shape your leadership decisions — often in ways you don’t even realize.

You’ll learn how to:
✅ Use the Enneagram as a lens for understanding decision-making patterns
✅ Recognize how each type’s core motivations impact choices
✅ Shift from fear-based to curiosity-driven decision making
✅ Engage whole-body wisdom: head, heart, and gut
✅ Apply practical frameworks like Defining Decision Rights & RACI
✅ Help your teams make more courageous, connected, and aligned decisions

By understanding your type’s default patterns — and learning how to balance them — you can make decisions that are more creative, grounded, and connected. Better decisions = Better teams = Better outcomes.

👉 Ready to go deeper? Stephanie works with leaders and teams to build decision-making capacity through leadership coaching, Enneagram work, and team retreats. See below for links.👇

Timestamps
00:00 Intro & Decision Making Overview
02:00 Emotional & Body Intelligence in Decision Making
05:00 Common Decision-Making Traps
12:00 Enneagram Types & Decision Filters
26:00 Practical Frameworks: Defining Decision Rights & RACI
31:00 Supporting Courageous Decisions as a Team
34:00 Wrap Up & How to Work with Stephanie

📌 Stephanie Freeth - Connect & Learn More
🌐 Website
📧 Email
🤝 Book a Complimentary Discovery Call
🔗 LinkedIn
🎙️ Podcast – Courageous Leaders, Connected Teams:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify

#CourageousLeaders #DecisionMaking #Enneagram #LeadershipDevelopment #ConnectedTeams #EmotionalIntelligence #EmbodiedLeadership #LeadershipPodcast #StrategicLeadership #TeamRetreats

What if your body held the key to courageous, grounded leadership?

In this transformative episode of Courageous Leaders, Connected Teams, leadership strategist Stephanie Freeth sits down with Mark Gerow, creator of My Daily Dose Practice, to explore why regulating your nervous system is not optional — it’s essential.

You’ll discover how powerful somatic tools like TRE (Tension & Trauma Releasing Exercises), breathwork, and nervous system regulation techniques can unlock deeper creativity, focus, and authentic connection.

✨ What You’ll Learn:
✔️ Why trauma-informed leadership matters more than ever
✔️ How unresolved stress shows up in your body and your leadership
✔️ Practical, science-backed tools to regulate your nervous system
✔️ How slowing down creates space for clarity, courage, and collaboration

💬 “When we regulate our inner world, we can lead others from a place of compassion and power.” – Mark Gerow

This episode is a must-watch for executives, coaches, team leaders, and change agents ready to lead with resilience and intention.

📌 Connect with Us:
🔹 Learn more about Stephanie’s leadership coaching: Link
🔹 Explore Mark’s Daily Dose Practice: Link
🔹 Subscribe for more episodes on conscious leadership and team trust-building!

#tre #leadership #leadershipdevelopment #coaching #coachingtips #leadershipskills #business #businessgrowth #personaldevelopment #personalgrowth