Leadership in the Wild: Strong leadership blends strength and humanity 

Every now and then, I’m reminded how much of my leadership foundation was shaped long before I ever stepped into biopharma, global operations, or team culture work.

It started at West Point.

It deepened in the Army.

And it still guides me today.

One moment stands out.

It was 9 AM on 11 September 2001.

I was the Signal Officer for the 3/62 Air Defense Artillery Battalion, 10th Mountain Division in Fort Drum, New York. 

My soldiers and I were standing in the SIGO shop, watching the attacks unfold in real time — first in confusion, then in disbelief, and finally in the quiet understanding that nothing about our world, or our work, would be the same.

In that moment, every set of eyes turned toward me.

Not because I had all the answers.

Not because I could explain what was happening.

But because leadership, in moments like that, isn’t about certainty.

It’s about presence.

I remember grounding myself in a principle that has stayed with me ever since:

“Calm is contagious.”

So, I slowed my breathing.

I checked on my soldiers.

I focused on what we could control.

And I made space for people to feel what they were feeling without rushing them through it.

That day taught me something I’ve carried into every role since:

Strength isn’t force.

Strength is steadiness.

And humanity is what makes that steadiness real.

Leadership in the wild isn’t about being unshakable.

It’s about being anchored enough that others can steady themselves beside you.