You Don’t Always See the Impact—Until One Call Changes Everything
- Meri Stockwell
- Feb 10
- 4 min read
People Powered Performance | Special Edition
A MOMENT WORTH NOTICING
There are moments in leadership when you’re doing the work, showing up consistently, sharing what matters—and you have no idea how far the ripple goes.
Until someone tells you.
This issue of People Powered Performance is about those moments. The quiet wins. The unexpected calls. The behind-the-scenes growth that reminds us we’re heading in the right direction—at exactly the right time.
And yes, CC (my Chief Culture Officer and 10‑month‑old Cavapoo) has thoughts.
When Pressure Shows Up, Who’s Really in Charge?
I was sipping an iced coffee recently, one of those moments where everything looks calm on the outside, when a leader said something that stopped me cold:
“I don’t even recognize myself when things get stressful.”
If you’ve ever thought same, you’re not alone.
Most leadership breakdowns don’t happen because people lack skill. They happen because pressure changes how we think, react, and communicate.
When stress shows up, something else often takes the wheel.
I call it the inner narrator with terrible timing.
You know the one. The voice that rushes decisions, avoids hard conversations, over-controls, people-pleases, or quietly checks out, all while insisting it’s being “helpful.”
(Helpful is debatable.)
The best leaders I know aren’t immune to stress. They’re just better at recognizing it—and choosing how to respond.
As my Chief Culture Officer (CC) likes to remind me:
“When things get loud, pause first. The leash works better when you don’t yank it.”
And on days when the pressure feels especially heavy, she adds:
“You don’t need to fix everything right now. Start with showing up calm.”
If pressure has been louder than usual lately, you’re not broken. You’re human.
And with the right awareness, you can lead with clarity again—iced coffee optional.
Optional reflection: What tends to take over first when pressure shows up for you?
The Day Five Clones Changed Five Lives
I recently spent time helping five incredible leaders build something powerful: their personal and business AI clones.
Not shortcuts. Not gimmicks.
Clarity.
What surprised them, and honestly, me, wasn’t the technology. It was the freedom that followed.
One leader said, “I finally sound like myself everywhere, and without rewriting the same thing five times.”
Another shared, “I’m thinking bigger because I’m not stuck doing everything.”
This is the shift I see over and over: when leaders use AI intentionally, they don’t become less human. They become more themselves.
More present. More strategic. More available for the work that actually matters.
Here’s what made the biggest difference:
Two shifts that change everything:
Stop using AI to replace thinking. Use it to extend your best thinking.
Build once, lead everywhere. When your voice is clear, your impact multiplies.
CC, observing from under my desk, had her own take:
“If it gives you more time for walks and fewer late nights, I approve.”
Fair point.
When used well, AI doesn’t just scale businesses, it changes lives.
Reflection: What would you do with an extra 5–10 hours a week if your voice worked for you while you slept?
The Call I Didn’t Expect—and the Reminder We All Need
The call started like this:
“Hey, Stockwell, it’s me.”
It was my high school best friend.
She continued, “You know those Sunrise Saturday videos you do? They make a difference. Not just to me but to everyone I talk to about them. I get to the point where I ask people, ‘Which tip are you going to use this week?’”
I was blown away.
Because unless someone comments or messages, you don’t always know the impact.
Then she said something I’ll never forget:
“You’ve earned this. You have the experience, the education, the credentials—but the way you’re showing up now feels different. It feels like you.”
My friend is terminally ill.
And in that moment, I felt something settle deep in my bones: this is the right work, at the right time—my time!
CC watched the whole conversation quietly. Later, her observations were… on brand:
“You talked slower. That means it mattered.”
And later still:
“You didn’t rush to fix anything. You just listened.”
We all need more of that.
Reflection: Who might be impacted by your consistency—even if you never hear about it?
OPEN ROLES — WE’RE RECRUITING
On behalf of our clients, we’re currently recruiting for several exciting roles.
Supply Chain Director, AL - Manufacturing (On-Site) - DM Meri for details
Director of Proposal Management, DC - Healthcare (Remote)
National Logistics Director, NY - Food Manufacturing (On-Site)
Manufacturing Site Director, PA - Food Manufacturing (On-Site)
You can apply online, and we will reach out to discuss the opportunity. If these roles are not a great fit for you, check these out!
KEEP GOING
Leadership isn’t built in big moments alone. It’s built in quiet consistency, honest reflection, and the courage to keep showing up as yourself.
If something here resonated, carry it with you this week.
And maybe ask yourself—over an iced coffee—what tip are you going to use?
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