V/I Table: The Quiet Labor of Leadership

This episode kicks off a brand new recurring segment on the Culture Focused Practice Podcast: The Visionary–Integrator Table. And we’re starting exactly where leadership actually lives — in the quiet, invisible emotional labor no one warns you about.

I’m joined by my integrator, Taylor, for a candid, unscripted conversation about what leadership really asks of you when no one is watching. We talk about the emotional weight leaders carry so their teams don’t have to, the loneliness that comes with responsibility, and how visionary–integrator dynamics hold tension, humanity, and accountability at the same damn time.

We unpack the emotional work underneath leadership frameworks like LMA, why emotions are always at the table whether you acknowledge them or not, and how patterns in team emotionality quietly inform decisions long before anything becomes “a problem.” We also get into friendship and power dynamics at work, boundaries in social settings, COVID-era leadership trauma, and why clean systems don’t work unless the emotional landscape is tended to too.

This is not a polished leadership highlight reel. It’s an honest look under the hood at how leadership actually functions — emotionally, relationally, and systemically — when it’s done with integrity.

Timestamps
00:00 Introduction to the Culture Focused Practice Podcast
01:07 Introducing the Visionary Integrator Table
02:02 The Quiet Labor of Leadership
03:42 Navigating Leadership Challenges
33:25 Balancing Personal and Professional Relationships
37:21 Setting Boundaries in Social Settings
38:14 Challenges of Leadership and Friendship
39:49 Reflecting on Leadership and COVID-19
41:25 The Weight of Responsibility
50:16 Emotional Patterns in the Workplace
01:00:51 The Emotional Work of Leadership
01:14:33 The Impact of Emotions on Data Collection
01:14:59 Systems vs. Emotions: A Social Work Perspective
01:16:01 Integrating Systemic and Emotional Approaches
01:16:47 The Role of Environment in Behavior
01:17:54 Balancing Emotions and Structures in Leadership
01:19:06 Matriarchal vs. Patriarchal Leadership Approaches
01:19:38 Practical Advice for Overwhelmed Leaders
01:25:49 The Importance of Emotional Awareness in Leadership
01:39:18 Final Reflections and Takeaways

If leadership has ever felt heavier than you expected — or lonelier — this episode is for you.