Suzanne F. Stevens's Blog

Feedback or Fallout? How Conscious Leaders Keep Collaboration Intact While Speaking Up

 

Let’s be honest: Feedback is one of those words that makes people either brace… or bolt.

And yet—nothing meaningful happens without it.
In fact, feedback—when done right—isn’t confrontation. It’s contribution.

But here’s the catch:
Collaboration doesn’t crumble from feedback.
It crumbles from how that feedback is delivered.

Because the art of collaboration is really the art of communication.
And communicatio...

Curiosity vs. Prying: The Leadership Line You’d Better Not Cross

 

Curiosity is not just a charming trait—it’s a leadership advantage. A relational catalyst. A bridge to insight, empathy, and innovation.

But like any power, when misused—it backfires.

Because the art of conscious leadership is the art of conversation.
And real conversation—the kind that deepens connection, builds trust, and opens possibilities—relies on a delicate balance of curiosity, context, and yes… consent.

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Conscious Leadership: Turning Difficult Conversations Into Trust

Conscious leadership isn’t just about making decisions—it’s about feeling everything, deeply. Yes, even the discomfort. Especially the discomfort. Leadership demands that we not only acknowledge our emotions but also locate where they live in our bodies, breathe into them, and vocalize them in order to release their hold on us. It’s in this process that we truly grow—both as leaders and as human beings.

So, ask yourself: Is there s...

The Uncomfortable Truth:
How Hurt Sharpens Your Leadership

Are you wondering how hurt sharpens your leadership?

Well, let’s start here.

What makes you feel hurt? Is it that micro-aggression from a colleague, a friend who suddenly goes cold, or that golden opportunity that slipped through your fingers? Whatever the source, sitting with the pain doesn’t serve anyone. So why not flip the script and transform that sting into something that sharpens your strength?

Hurt. It’s universal, and yet, in o...

The Uncomfortable Truth:
How Hurt Strengthens Your Leadership

Are you wondering how can hurt strengthen your leadership?

Well, let’s start here.

What makes you feel hurt? Is it that micro-aggression from a colleague, a friend who suddenly goes cold, or that golden opportunity that slipped through your fingers? Whatever the source, sitting with the pain doesn’t serve anyone. So why not flip the script and transform that sting into something that sharpens your strength?

Hurt. It’s universal, and ...

The UNRULES of PRESENTING:
The Old Rules Won’t Make Waves Anymore. 

The way we persuade has changed. The old rules? They won’t make waves anymore. Wave-Makers, welcome to The UnRules of Presenting. Let’s dive in.

The world is shifting beneath our feet.

Markets waver, teams question their purpose, and clients have more choices, less money—and less patience—than ever before.

In uncertain times, one thing remains constant: your ability to communicate can either steady the ship or send it straight i...

Empowerment Thru Pay is Real EmpowermentTake this into account during March – Women’s History Month.

In 2024, I made a bold statement.

I boycotted #InternationalWomensDay events where women speakers were expected to work for free.

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That post sparked a conversation—over 20,000 impressions on LinkedIn—and one thing became crystal clear:

Empowerment without pay isn’t empowerment.

Let’s be honest. Every Women’s Day, companies and organizations of all sizes preach about empowering women while as...

What I had to UNLEARN about Persuasive Presenting:
The UNRULES of PRESENTING

You know, I spent years—years—training leaders across five continents on how to persuade any audience.

And they did.

They won business, transformed cultures, and inspired action.

But those same techniques? They’re no longer the quintessential approach to influence and inspire.

 

 

Persuasion has shifted

We’ve seen a shift—one that can’t be ignored.
An awakening to consciousness, to diversity, to difference. And yet, so...

The New Rules of Persuasion: What I Had to Unlearn About Presenting

You know, I spent years—years—training leaders across five continents on how to persuade any audience.

And they did.

They won business, transformed cultures, and inspired action.

But those same techniques? They’re no longer the quintessential approach to influence and inspire.

 

 

Persuasion has shifted

We’ve seen a shift—one that can’t be ignored.
An awakening to consciousness, to diversity, to difference. And yet, some are st...

Silence Nights, Not Silent Fights: Turn Holiday Hurt into Healing

Ah, the holidays—a time for mistletoe, merriment, and Aunt Carol’s unsolicited career advice. It’s also the season when hurt shows up uninvited, like that neighbor who double-dips in your cheese fondue. But before you let those emotional bruises ruin your eggnog, let’s unwrap the layers of hurt and see it for the weirdly wonderful gift it is.

Hurt—it’s as universal as holiday fruitcake and just as difficult to digest. Maybe it’s y...