Hi friend,

We often talk about leadership like it’s a promotion you earn. A title. A role.

But what if leadership is something you do—not something you're handed?

Leadership is a practice. Something you can choose in your personal life, at your workplace, in your neighborhood, in your family system. Even in your group chat.

It’s not about control. It’s about connection, curiosity, and intentionality.

And the more you practice it, the stronger you get.

What does it look like to practice leadership—without authority?

Start by noticing what matters to you.
We all care about a lot. But not everything we care about is something we can act on.

That’s why I use a simple tool with clients (and myself) to map out what’s in your:

• Circle of control – what you can directly affect
• Circle of influence – what you can shape, encourage, or advocate for
• Circle of concern – what matters deeply, but might be beyond your reach right now

If you’ve seen this before, you might know it as a productivity framework.
But I see it as something more than that.

This is a resilience practice.

It helps you notice where your energy is going—and how much of it is being spent on things you can’t actually move.

It’s also a practice in reclaiming the autonomy and power you do have.
Not in a toxic-positivity kind of way, but in a “what’s the next real move I can make?” kind of way.

A few things to keep in mind:

• Your circles aren’t static. What feels out of reach today might shift tomorrow.
• This tool is best used in real time—in the midst of a challenge or the start of a new idea.
• It’s not about ignoring your concerns. It’s about spending energy where it matters most.

🌀 Ready to put this into practice?

Here are three prompts to explore your leadership edge—no title required:

1. What’s one thing you’ve been pouring energy into that’s firmly outside your control?​
   What might shift if you gave yourself permission to set it down, even temporarily?
2. Where are you under-functioning or over-functioning in response to a challenge?​
   What would it look like to move toward shared responsibility instead?
3. What relationship—if deepened—could unlock new possibilities for the work you care about?​
   What’s one action you’re avoiding that might move it forward?

And if you want to reply and share what you’re noticing—I’d love to hear from you.

Here’s to practicing the kind of leadership that sustains us.

Warmly,
Ashley

P.S. You’ll notice I end each of these with a spiral and call-to-practice. For me, it represents growth that’s nonlinear, personal, and expanding. Leadership—and life—rarely moves in straight lines.