The Evolving Leader Blog

By Dr. Kristine Medyanik

Ever wonder why one teammate craves structure and detailed plans while another thrives on last-minute inspiration and spontaneous action? Or why one person’s blunt, “just being honest” feedback feels like a direct and helpful truth, yet to another, it lands with an “ouch” a...

By Dr. Kristine Medyanik

Why self-awareness, curiosity, and belief in others make feedback one of your most powerful leadership tools.

Let’s be honest: giving feedback can be awkward. It’s one of those leadership moments where our palms sweat, our words tangle, and we start second-guessing whether...

By Dr. Kristine Medyanik

Two years ago, we launched the concept of the Evolving Leader Fellowship. At the time, September was the month of kickoff, introductions, and new beginnings. Since then, the model has evolved: welcomes and intros now stand on their own, and September has grown into somethin...

By Dr. Kristine Medyanik

Let’s face it: professional development doesn’t have to be boring, expensive, or locked inside a PowerPoint. And team building shouldn’t involve trust falls or awkward icebreakers that make everyone wish they’d stayed home.

Enter the Uncourse — a lighthearted, thought-prov...

By Dr. Kristine Medyanik

Let’s get one thing straight: micromanagement is not leadership. It’s a fear-based power grab dressed up as “being thorough.” If your team members are logging their work in 15-minute increments just so you can breathe easy, it’s time for an intervention—and not for them. Fo...

By Dr. Christine Fonner

There’s a quiet revolution taking place. I bet you can feel it. We have stepped outside of the cubicles and board rooms and joined together in community circles, supportive systems-focused relationships, and the ripple of shared belonging. It’s the revolution of energy, of i...

By Dr. Christine Fonner

In a world increasingly fractured by systems of power and performance, we are being called to lead differently. My doctoral research has explored the deep and damaging impacts of toxic executive leadership on women in professional settings, particularly how such environments...

By Dr. Christine Fonner

Why Your Organization Needs a Fractional Chief People Officer — And How the Evolving Leader Fellowship Delivers

By Dr. Christine Fonner

Take a Peek at the Early Findings from My Research on Toxic Leadership

Let’s start with what we already know in our bones: toxic leadership hurts. But what does that actually look like? How does it show up in the day-to-day experiences of women leaders? And what are the lon...

By Dr. Christine Fonner

Ever feel like your hands are tied at work? Like decisions are made from above, and all you can do is nod along? That’s the frustration of confusing non-negotiables with negotiables. But here’s the good news: while some things are set in stone, there’s actually a lot more fl...

By Dr. Christine Fonner

Leadership is so much more than just giving orders or trying to get things done—it’s about influencing every level of an organization. Effective leadership starts with creating an environment of psychological safety, which allows teams to share ideas freely and take calculat...

By Dr. Christine Fonner

How can each of us make more than just a ripple of change…how do we create a new system?

It’s hard to feel like we can make a difference when there is so much telling us it is impossible. The power dynamic in our world today is…daunting.

Call me crazy but I think that we a...