When Leadership Evolves: Women, Sage Powers, and the Clarity to Lead
- Meri Stockwell
- Mar 10
- 5 min read
Leadership readiness, mental fitness, and the capabilities leaders are strengthening in 2026
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Introduction
Just two days ago, we celebrated International Women’s Day, a moment that always invites reflection.
Not just on how far women have come in leadership, but on how leadership itself is evolving.
The most effective leaders today are not defined by authority alone. They lead with awareness, emotional intelligence, resilience, and the ability to navigate complexity with clarity.
In this edition of People Powered Performance, we explore three ideas shaping modern leadership:
• Celebrating the women who inspire us and the evolving impact of women leaders
• The Five Sage Powers of Positive Intelligence and how they transform decision-making and leadership effectiveness
• One leadership capability that matters more than confidence today: clarity under pressure
We are also actively recruiting for several leadership roles on behalf of our clients.
And of course, our Chief Cultural Officer, CC, has a few leadership reminders along the way.
CC’s Leadership Observations of the Month
CC spends a lot of time observing humans, especially her Momma.
Here are three things she noticed this month.
Observation 1
Momma reminds leaders that you do not have to have all the answers. You just have to be willing to ask better questions.
Observation 2
The leaders Momma works with grow the fastest when they allow themselves to pause and reflect rather than reacting immediately.
Observation 3
Momma often tells leaders that confidence does not come first. Clarity comes first, and confidence follows.
CC believes humans would lead much better if they took more walks and thought things through the way she does.
International Women’s Day: The Leadership Shift We Are Living
International Women’s Day is always a moment to celebrate progress, resilience, and possibility.
But what feels different today is that we are witnessing something deeper than representation.
We are witnessing a shift in how leadership itself is defined.
For decades, leadership was associated with certainty, authority, and control.
Today’s most effective leaders demonstrate something very different: curiosity, collaboration, emotional intelligence, and resilience.
Many of these capabilities are strengths women have been developing and demonstrating long before they became widely recognized leadership competencies.
This week also gave me a moment to reflect on the women who shaped my understanding of leadership long before I ever held a leadership title.
My mother, grandmothers, aunts, sisters and cousins were and are strong women who, much like me early in my career, were often the only women in rooms filled with men. They showed me what resilience looks like in real life. They worked hard, spoke up when it mattered, and led with quiet determination.
They may not have called it leadership development, but that is exactly what it was.
As an adult, I have also been incredibly fortunate to work alongside and partner with extraordinary women across industries and communities. Women who lead organizations, build teams, challenge ideas, and support one another in meaningful ways.
Each of them has helped shape the leader I am today.
Across industries and across the world, women continue to expand what leadership looks like and what it can achieve.
International Women’s Day is not only a celebration of women.
It is a reminder that leadership itself is evolving.
Three reminders from CC
• Celebrate the wins and acknowledge progress
• Encourage someone behind you on the path
• Stay curious and keep learning
The Five Sage Powers That Transform Leadership
One of the most powerful leadership frameworks I use in my work with individuals, teams, and organizations comes from Positive Intelligence.
Positive Intelligence teaches that we all have access to five powerful mental muscles called the Sage Powers:
Empathize
Explore
Innovate
Navigate
Activate
When leaders strengthen these capabilities, they become more resilient, thoughtful, and effective in complex situations.
Empathize builds trust and psychological safety.
Explore helps leaders examine situations from multiple perspectives.
Innovate encourages creative solutions rather than repeating familiar patterns.
Navigate aligns actions with values and long-term purpose.
Activate turns ideas into meaningful action.
Leaders who develop these five powers move from reacting to problems to responding with intention.
The impact can be transformative for individuals and entire teams.
If you would like to experience this framework personally, I offer a complimentary Saboteurs Assessment and read-back session.
Here is how it works:
Complete the short request form that will be in the comments
I will send you the official Saboteurs Assessment
Once completed, we schedule a read-back session to explore your results
Three reminders from CC
• Slow down before reacting
• Ask one more question than feels comfortable
• Take the next small step forward
The Quiet Leadership Skill That Matters More Than Confidence
One leadership capability matters more than confidence today:
clarity under pressure.
Organizations are navigating constant change.
Leaders are asked to make decisions faster and with less certainty than ever before.
The leaders who thrive are not the ones with the most answers.
They are the ones who remain clear-thinking when situations become uncertain.
Clarity under pressure comes from three habits:
Pause long enough to understand the real issue.
Invite diverse perspectives before deciding.
Act with intention rather than reacting with urgency.
When leaders develop this capability, their teams feel it immediately.
People trust leaders who bring calm thinking into complex situations.
Three reminders from CC
• Take a breath before responding
• Look at the situation from another angle
• Move forward with intention
We Are Recruiting
Meritas Advisory Group is currently supporting several organizations in identifying exceptional leaders.
We are actively recruiting for the following positions:
Regional Manufacturing Director -Multi-Site, (Remote) - Food Manufacturing
SMART Factory Logistics Operations Manager, OH (Hybrid) - Manufacturing
National Director, Logistics, NY (On-Site) - Manufacturing
Manufacturing Site Director, PA (On-Site) - Food Manufacturing
Simply click on the link for each position to learn more and apply.
If you want to check out other open opportunites you can find more opportunities below:
Closing Thoughts
Leadership is a journey of growth, reflection, and continuous learning.
As we move forward from International Women’s Day, I am reminded that the most powerful leadership we can practice is the kind that creates opportunity for others while staying grounded in our values and purpose.
Thank you to CC, our Chief Cultural Officer, for all the joy she brings into my life.
Thank you to my family and friends for their love and support.
And thank you to my clients and colleagues for your trust, partnership, and belief in the work we do together.
If this newsletter resonated with you, please consider sharing it with someone who might benefit from these ideas.
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 Certified Partner, Positive Intelligence Coach, and leadership strategist who works with organizations and leaders around the world to build resilient teams, develop leaders, and create environments where people and performance thrive.
CC the Cavapoo proudly serves as Chief Cultural Officer, reminding everyone that leadership is stronger when it includes curiosity, kindness, and the occasional walk outside.
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