The Most Radical Leadership Skill? Believing in People.

Dear friends,

When we think of leadership, we often think of doing — making the plan, setting the goals, holding the line.

But the deepest leadership I’ve witnessed, the kind that has shaped who I am, starts with something quieter:

Believing in people.

Not believing for them, or believing about them.

Believing in them.

Believing that even when they're struggling, they have the capacity to grow.
Believing that even when they fall short, they're worthy of another try.
Believing that the best way to lead is not by telling, but by trusting.

This week, I had the immense pleasure of interviewing Dr. Julie Hauer for our forthcoming podcast, The Hauer Hour.
Dr. Hauer has been a role model to me for years — not just for her clinical brilliance, but for the way she leads with listening.

I won’t spoil the full episode, but our conversation reminded me of something essential:
The importance of listening — really listening — to parents, to children, and to the disenfranchised among us.
Her work with children with severe neurological impairment, and the way she sees the whole child, serves as a powerful living example of what it means to recognize the inherent value in every human being.

It’s not just good medicine.
It’s radical leadership.

In my own work — whether it’s mentoring a young physician, supporting a family through grief, or coaching someone who feels lost in their career — I’m learning this simple truth again and again:

Presence matters more than performance.
Trust matters more than technique.
Belief matters more than control.

When we lead with love, we don't need to have all the answers.
We just need to offer a sturdy hand, an open heart, and the quiet faith that the people we serve are already whole.

Today, wherever you are — in your team, your family, your friendships — I invite you to practice radical leadership.

Believe in someone.
Even before they believe in themselves.
Even before it's easy.
Even when it's messy.

That's how love leads.
And that's how change begins.

With love,
Emma

P.S.
Believing in people isn't about being naïve — it's about being brave.
(And honestly? It's way more fun than being the critic in the corner.)
Let’s be the ones who bet on each other. 💛