Don’t Hit Leadership Rock Bottom
Most leaders I encounter have systems and procedures down pat—it's connecting to and motivating their people that's a struggle. They crave inclusion, community, and effective communication in their organizations, but can't quite crack the code for creating them.
If you have been reading my essays for a while, you might have noticed that I glean inspiration from unexpected places. This time, the place is rock bottom.
I am auditing a Peer Support Course in my capacity as a Director on the board of the She Recovers® Foundation, Canada, and I can't resist applying what I'm learning to the business leaders I coach.
Peer support involves individuals who have experienced mental health challenges or addiction offering guidance, understanding, and encouragement to others navigating similar paths. Unlike traditional therapeutic relationships, peer support is grounded in mutual respect and shared experience, emphasizing equality and partnership rather than a top-down approach.
According to the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC), peer support workers offer empathy, hope and practical guidance that fosters "a sense of belonging, purpose, and empowerment."
Here's the "aha": these are exactly what the business leaders in my consulting practice desperately want—for themselves and their teams.
As I work through modules like "connection & communication," "co-creating boundaries," "cultural humility," and "goal planning," I realize this is essential Leadership 101 material that many MBA programs miss entirely.
Let me share an example. A VP I coached had her team write their proposed project timelines on cards, then flip them simultaneously. The varied timelines revealed challenges no one had considered—one person juggling a system migration, another managing stakeholders across time zones. For the first time, the team saw each other's whole reality. They problem-solved together and built realistic deadlines that actually stuck. More importantly, they started protecting each other's boundaries because they finally understood them.
I can’t help but think of practical uses for qualified peer support in the workplace: building benches for succession planning, fostering accountability and support among salespeople, and supporting Managing Brokers who often feel they need support but don’t know where to find it. The applications are endless. It is so common that people (particularly leaders) feel alone in their station, when in fact others share their belief that only they can do the proverbial “it”.
The word "recovery" feels connected to failure, requiring an admission of dysfunction or hitting "rock bottom." But here's what I've learned at She Recovers®, an organization that supports women and non-binary individuals through live and twice daily online meetings, conferences, and workshops: "We don't have to hit rock bottom to recover."
You don't need to be in crisis to use these tools. You need to be willing to lead differently.
Ready to explore what these principles could do for your leadership?
I have limited spots available for leaders who want to cultivate genuine connection and empowerment in their teams—using proven peer-support principles adapted for corporate environments.
Through monthly or bi-monthly coaching sessions, we'll work together to:
Transform how you connect with and motivate your team
Build psychological safety without sacrificing accountability
Create belonging and purpose that drives real results
This isn't typical executive coaching. It's practical, grounded guidance from someone with 25+ years of organizational leadership and sales experience and over 9 years facilitating and engaging within recovery communities.
Investment: $250 CAD per session (plus GST)
Format: Virtual or in-person monthly/bi-monthly sessions, one-off sessions by cancellation waitlist.
Click here to express interest.
Want to learn more about recovery, or would you like to help fund a worthwhile organization, She Recovers®? I’d love to talk!
