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What If the Biggest Shift in Leadership Is Not What You Do… But How You Think?
- Meri Stockwell
- Apr 6
- 4 min read
Introduction
What if the biggest shift in leadership is not what you do… but how you think?
Over the past few weeks, I have been in conversations with leaders across industries navigating the same reality:
More complexityMore decisionsMore pressure
And at the same time, a deeper question is emerging:
How do I lead effectively when the pace is fast and the answers are not always clear?
In this edition of People Powered Performance, we explore three leadership shifts shaping how leaders move forward today:
• Why alignment matters more than talent alone
• How mental fitness is becoming a leadership advantage
• A note of gratitude for the conversations and momentum around Build Teams That Click
And as always, our Chief Cultural Officer, CC, has a few observations along the way.
CC’s Leadership Observations of the Month
CC spends a lot of time observing humans, especially her Momma.
Here is what she noticed this month.
Observation 1
You do not need all the answers. You need better questions.
Observation
2The leaders who grow the fastest are the ones who pause and think, not just react.
Observation 3
Confidence does not come first. Clarity does. Confidence follows.
CC believes most leadership challenges could be improved with a walk, a pause, and a little more curiosity.
Why the Right People on the Right Teams Matters More Than Ever
There was a time when hiring the “best” talent was enough.
Today, it is not.
Organizations are navigating unclear roles, competing priorities, and constant change. Teams are more cross-functional, and leaders are being asked to move faster than ever.
In this environment, talent alone is not the differentiator.
Alignment is.
Not just alignment to the role
Alignment to the team
Alignment to the leader
Alignment to the strategy
This is where many organizations struggle.
They hire smart, capable individuals…and still experience friction, miscommunication, and stalled execution.
Not because people are not talented.
Because they are not aligned.
This is where tools like the Predictive Index become incredibly powerful.
When used well, it shifts the conversation from:
“Is this a strong candidate?”
to
“Is this the right fit for this role, this team, and this moment in the business?”
Because success is rarely about individual brilliance.
It is about how people work together.
When alignment is strong:
• communication becomes clearer
• decision-making becomes faster
• conflict becomes productive
• performance becomes sustainable
As a certified partner of Predictive Index, I offer a complimentary team alignment session to help leaders quickly identify where small shifts can create meaningful impact.
If you are looking at your team and sensing something is not quite clicking, you are not alone.
A question to consider:
Are your people aligned to the work, or working hard to overcome misalignment?
CC’s perspective
• When people understand each other, they work better together
• Different is not difficult, it is valuable
• The best teams do not just work hard, they work well together
The Power of Mental Fitness in Leadership
What if the biggest shift in leadership is not what you do… but how you think?
In leadership, most challenges do not start with strategy.
They start in the mind.
How you respond when a meeting goes sideways
How you handle pressure when timelines compress
How you make decisions when the path is not fully clear
This is where Positive Intelligence (PQ) becomes a powerful differentiator.
At its core, PQ is about building mental fitness.
The ability to recognize when your Saboteurs are hijacking your thinking and shift into your Sage.
Across our programs, we consistently see:
• 78.6% participant engagement
• 20+ point increases in employee engagement
• faster decision-making and execution
• improved collaboration and accountability
These results are not driven by more effort.
They are driven by different thinking.
One leader shared that before PQ, their day felt reactive.
After building a daily practice, something shifted.
They paused.
They explored instead of reacted.
They empathized instead of assumed.
They navigated with clarity instead of urgency.
They innovated instead of repeating patterns.
They activated with confidence.
Nothing about their role changed.
But everything about how they led did.
If you are seeing this show up in your leadership or your team, it may be time to explore a different approach.
CC’s Leadership Tips
• Catch your Saboteurs early
• Use your Sage on purpose
• Small shifts create powerful momentum
A Simple Place to Start
If something in this issue resonated, you do not have to figure it out alone.
Sometimes the most powerful next step is simply a conversation.
I offer an intentional 15-minute iced coffee chat to explore:
• team alignment
• leadership dynamics
• what a PI or PQ approach could unlock
A Full Heart and a Simple Thank You
Over the past few weeks, something special has been happening.
Messages
Conversations
Recommendations
Reviews
Shares
All centered around Build Teams That Click
And I want to say:
Thank you.
If you have not read it yet, it is available here:
A note from CC
Momma reads every message out loud to me.
We sit together, and we smile.
I can tell it makes her heart full.
And I have to say…
I think my Momma is a little bit of a badass.
We Are Recruiting
We are currently supporting organizations in identifying exceptional leaders:
• Director of Purchasing, SC (On-Site) – Grocery
• Strategic Sourcing Commodity Manager, OH – Food Manufacturing
• Strategic Sourcing Manager, Packaging OH – Good Manufacturing
• Commodity Manager, MN – Agriculture
Thoughtful introductions are always appreciated.
Closing Thoughts
Leadership is evolving.
Not just in what we do, but in how we think.
Thank you to CC, my family, friends, clients, and colleagues.
If this resonated, feel free to share it with someone who may need it.
About Meri
Meri Stockwell is the Founder and CEO of Meritas Advisory Group, a leadership advisory firm helping organizations align people, performance, and results.
She is a Predictive Index Partner, Positive Intelligence Coach, and leadership strategist working with leaders and teams globally to build alignment, strengthen leadership capability, and drive performance.
About CC 🐾
CC the Cavapoo is Meritas Advisory Group’s Chief Cultural Officer.
She specializes in observing humans, encouraging good thinking, and reminding her Momma that leadership is better with curiosity, kindness, and a good walk.
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