Can I say something gently, the way I would if we were sitting across from each other with an almond milk latte? If you’ve ever walked out of a meeting thinking, “Dang it. I should have said that,” you’re not alone.

Hanukkah has always meant something different to me than it did to most kids I grew up with. I was raised in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and in my elementary school, there were exactly two Jewish kids.

Stories from Women Who Decided to Get Unignorable No one wakes up and decides to mute themselves.

I’ll never forget the day a nonprofit leader in D.C. smiled at me and my colleague, patted us on the shoulders, and said, “Best to you, ladies”…like we were little girls playing at leadership. That moment lit a fire in me.

Let me tell you about the time I felt like a baby seal being skewered during a job interview. I was living in Colorado, interviewing for a job in the energy sector.

Ever notice how, when things get rocky—politically, economically, or even just in your company’s leadership—gender bias seems to get worse? Microaggressions increasing? Fewer promotions? Getting talked over or ignored? There’s a reason for that.

Look here, Louisa, I’m going to cut right to the chase on this one because we’ve spent the last few posts reviewing the legacy leadership framework to build up to this moment right here…The moment where I bring it all together to talk legacy leadership.

Howdy, partner. Did you hear tell about the mysterious stranger people been seein’ about town? They’re saying they move about the shadows, always keepin’ themselves hidden. I’m not about to go believin’ everything I hear, but I’d like to know who it is and why they ain’t showin’ themselves. Though I’ve got a pretty good idea…

Dust yourself off and grab those big scissors over there. You’re about to be the guest of honor at a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Today, I’m back to kick up the dust on leadership and walk you through one aspect of my new Legacy Leader Framework (as we started to discuss in the last post)–authentic leadership. But before we go jumping on that horse and riding toward the new frontier of authentic, inspiring, and impactful leadership, I want to make sure you’re picking up what I’m laying down, partner.

Picture this through the lens of leadership. Just try. You sit in a dark living room, the only lights coming from your TV. The black and white picture cascades shadows around the room. You rifle around in a bowl for another fistful of popcorn but miss your mouth because you can’t take your eyes off the screen.

My latest album, The Transfer of Trust is about to drop and I want you all to know before I take the show on the road (Eras style…I might even go blond). Every hit single I’ve included is meant to inspire empowering women leaders to empower new leaders.

I have a serious question for you. If the way you showed up as a leader were like a dog, what kind of dog would you be?

Spoiler alert– I’m writing another book! It won’t be like any other…kind of like my oh-so-brilliant audience. (Hint: that’s you– the inspirational female leader in STEM.)

As we gear up for another year, let's talk about something near and dear to my heart and absolutely critical to the future of the world (yes, the WHOLE world)–the incredible power and unstoppable rise of female leadership in male-dominated industries. And let’s just pause for a moment to acknowledge and celebrate that you're not just part of this movement; you're at its forefront!

Repeat after me: putting myself first is key. Now, go write it on a Post-it note and stick it on your bathroom mirror, refrigerator, bedroom closet, and car dashboard. And every time you see it, say it out loud. No, really. Keep telling yourself how important you are until you BELIEVE IT.