Four Decades of Leadership, Life & Fun
How authenticity, listening, and human connection shape the heart of Momentum.
There are seasons in life when you look back and realize just how much of your story has shaped the work you feel called to do. My recent interview with Voyage Austin gave me the chance to reflect on my own — where I’ve been, what I’ve learned, and why I continue to love this work after nearly four decades in leadership development.
As I share some of that conversation here, I hope it offers you a glimpse into the spirit, curiosity, and deep love that continue to guide the heart of Momentum.
People and Results: A False Either/Or
One of the biggest misunderstandings about our work in leadership coaching is that we’re either solely focused on people OR results.
The truth? We’re for both. Always.
People create results.
Connection fuels performance.
Maverick 1000 on Moskito Island, November 2025, Awaken the Dreamer - Growth, Impact, and FUN!!!
Even in a world embracing AI, the real breakthroughs in human performance still come from people working together — communicating honestly, listening generously, and aligning around what matters. And no, it doesn’t require endless time or resources to develop powerful leaders and relationships. We’ve seen teams create transformational change in less than three days when they’re willing to be courageous, open, and real with one another.
Where I Come From (And Why It Matters)
I’m a Texas girl through and through — born in Corpus Christi, raised in the Hill Country, shaped by rivers, coastlines, and the magic of water. After Craig and I married in 1986, our lives took us from Austin to California, back to Austin, then to Indonesia, and finally back home to Austin and its lovely Barton Springs, which continues to nourish me and keep me grounded.
In 1995, Craig and I started our leadership coaching practice, which later became Momentum Consulting in 2002. Together we’ve raised two extraordinary daughters, traveled the world for work and play, and next year we celebrate a milestone that still surprises me — 40 years of marriage.
And if you know me, you know this:
I love people the way some people love dogs.
I find humans to be endlessly fascinating. I never get tired of discovering who we are and how we work.
I’m a hopeless romantic for what is possible for humanity
The Day I Realized I Had Become “Domesticated”
When I was young, I was a spirited kid, non-stop questions, endless curiosity, always in motion. Then life happened. Expectations piled up. Performance replaced play.
At 25, during a leadership training in London, I watched a video recording of myself and thought:
“Who the heck is that?”
The spark was gone and replaced by someone trying to be what the world expected.
Miguel Ruiz calls that “domestication.”
So, I spent the next 25 years unlearning all of it. Now, in my sixties, I feel more like that curious kid than ever — freer, lighter, more aligned with myself.
The Moment Someone Truly Listened to Me
There was a moment early in our marriage that changed everything for Craig and me — and ultimately shaped how we teach authentic leadership and listening today.
He was already in San Francisco, I was still in Austin, and during a session with his mentor, he was describing how I didn’t understand him. His mentor simply replied:
“You’re not listening to her.”
Of course, Craig defended himself. He knows how to listen. But then he paused and asked his mentor to explain. He was told:
“You’re listening like you already know, instead of being curious about her actual experience.”
That landed. He picked up the phone, called me, and apologized.
Had he not made that call, I’m not sure I ever would have joined him in San Francisco.
That moment shaped how we teach leaders today:
True listening isn’t a skill — it’s presence.
Is the Public Me the Real Me?
Finally, yes.
But it took time to get here.
For years, I thought authenticity meant saying whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. Looking back, that was its own kind of performance. Today, authenticity at work and at home means alignment — honoring who I am without hiding, editing, or toning it down.
I like to say I’ve learned to let my freak flag fly.
And it’s one of the greatest freedoms of my life.
The Baths, British Virgin Islands, with Christa Clark and Charlotte McDevitt, Green VI Executive Director
What I Understand Deeply
I deeply understand people.
According to Human Design, I’m a Projector — meaning I naturally see into others, their patterns, their gifts, and the things that get in their way. It explains so much about why this profession feels like home to me.
More than anything, I have great compassion for what it means to be a spiritual being in a human body. We’re all carrying something. We’re all learning. And when we feel seen, supported, and understood, we create extraordinary team alignment, deeper relationships, and real momentum in our lives.
People are the work.
Relationships are the work.
And when we honor both, everything changes.
With love,
Ready to explore how authentic appreciation fuels breakthrough leadership, strengthens organizational culture, and drives business transformation? Share your appreciation story with us.
Fundamental of the Week #4: GIVE UP THE NEED TO BE RIGHT
Keep your ego, personal agenda, and judgments out of the way of doing what’s best for the team or client. Don’t let your need to “be right” interfere with hearing others and seeing other possibilities.
Momentum Consulting offers executive business coaching, top-level executive consulting, team training, and team off-sites to build and transform your business to the next level. Inquire about business consulting and leadership coaching today.
