From the CORE: Between Maui’s Waves and Vail’s Peaks
Hello from my desk, where I am currently reacquainting myself with email, a real chair, and the wild idea of sleeping in one time zone. It is Friday, May 22nd, and I am finally back after 10 days away, crossing 4 time zones and 4 states.
If you have ever gone from Maui beach air to a snowy mountain setting in Vail in the same stretch of travel, you know your body starts filing formal complaints. The “afterglow” is a mixed bag. Part inspiration, part dehydration, part wondering why you packed for two different planets. I am glad to be home, glad to be at my desk, and still very much in conversation with my internal clock.
This stretch has been a whirlwind of keynotes, airports, hotel rooms, and the kind of leadership conversations that remind me why I do this work. It has also been a reminder that leadership is not just about the stage or the travel schedule. Sometimes it looks like moving from ocean views to snow-covered peaks and still showing up grounded. Then you get back home and turn insight into action.
The Road Report: Keynotes, New Connections, and a KPI’s
Over the last 10 days, I covered 4 time zones and 4 states, delivered 3 keynotes, and had the chance to serve more than 400 leaders. That is a lot of miles, microphones, and a lot water with electrolytes that had to work overtime.
I went into this stretch with a very specific goal. In my world, I track a KPI called net2. To keep it simple, net2 is the goal of converting every single keynote into at least two meaningful, contracted assignments. It is how I measure if a message actually landed or if people just nodded politely, grabbed the handout, and headed for the exit.
And let me just say this plainly. The net2 did not just get met. It got smashed. These engagements yielded far more than two commitments across books, coaching, and consulting. That matters to me because it means the conversations did not end when I walked off stage. They kept going. They turned into real next steps, real partnership, and real evidence that this message is landing where it needs to land.
These leaders were not looking for a new system or a generic approach to management. They were looking for a way to stay grounded. We spent hours discussing how to lead when you feel like you should be falling apart. That is the reality of the role. It is not about being perfect. It is about having a core that is deep enough to handle the weight.
Defining the Strong CORE
I have been talking about this for a long time, but as we get closer to the book release, I want to be very clear about what we are building here. When I say Strong CORE, I am not talking about physical fitness or corporate buzzwords.
Strong CORE means growing deeper to lead stronger.
It is the ability to hold yourself together when everything around you is suggesting you should do the opposite. It is about self-awareness, emotional agility, and the strategic focus required to navigate complexity without losing your soul. In my work with hundreds of coaching clients, I have seen that the most successful leaders are not the ones with the best answers. They are the ones with the strongest internal foundation.
Most leadership development focuses on the visible parts. The titles. The results. The recognition. But none of that holds up without something underneath it. Your core is often invisible, but it is always present in how you respond to pressure and how you treat the people around you. People do not experience your intentions. They experience your core. (There will be a quiz on this later).
Shifting from the Grind to the Impact
For a long time, the focus for many of us has been on “the grind.” We have been taught that if we just work harder, move faster, and do more, we will eventually reach a place of security. But “the grind” is exhausting and, quite frankly, it is not sustainable.
We are shifting the conversation. We are moving from “the grind” to “the impact.”
The Strong CORE community is not about working yourself into the ground. It is about scaling your impact by being the kind of leader who creates high performing, inclusive teams. It is about aligning culture and strategy so that the work feels meaningful rather than just mandatory.
We are taking this public. We are moving out of the development phase and into the activation phase. The goal is to get these tools into the hands of as many leaders as possible. Whether you are an emerging leader or a seasoned executive, this is for you.
Community Activation: The June Pre-Sale
We are standing on the edge of June, which means pre-sales are just around the corner. I am not a fan of formal “launches” or high pressure sales tactics. That is not how we do things here. But I am a fan of community support and making sure this message reaches the people who need it.
To make the impact we want, I need your help. This community is the foundation of everything I do. When the pre-sales go live in June, I have three specific tasks for you:
Pre-order two copies. One for yourself to mark up, highlight, and keep on your desk. One for someone else who is currently in the thick of a leadership challenge. We lead better when we lead together.
Review it in the first week. Reviews are the currency of the book world. They help other leaders find the book and let them know it is worth their time.
Share your “why.” When you get your copy, tell me why you are reading it. What is the leadership challenge you are facing right now? What part of your core are you working on?
I want to hear from you. This is not a one-way street. The Strong CORE community is built on honest conversation and shared growth. (Yes, I will be checking in on these tasks).
Final Thoughts
This journey is becoming more real every single day. From the keynote stage to the final edits on the manuscript, I am constantly reminded that leadership is a practice, not a destination. It is a choice we make every morning to grow a little deeper.
And speaking of real, I am getting copy editing revisions back today. OMG... here we go! Nothing humbles a person quite like opening a document and preparing to have every comma in their life evaluated.
I am currently back at my desk, grateful for the impact of the last 10 days and bracing myself for the next round of book edits. The suitcase is unpacked, the timezone math is mostly behind me, and June is getting closer by the minute.
Are you ready to grow deeper?
Stay strong,
-Coach Chris