A brutal game of catch with my dad became a lifelong lesson in perspective. What felt like torture to me was discipline to him. This story unpacks how leadership above the line asks us to move beyond our version of truth, seek the middle, and lead with understanding instead of judgment.

A playful backyard moment between Pepper and Motley revealed a powerful leadership truth: what we think we’re seeing is rarely the whole story. One reacted from play, the other from protection — two realities shaped by two motivations. When we learn to read the energy, question our assumptions, and notice whether behavior is coming from survival or connection, we lead with clarity instead of ego. The truth — and the path forward — always lives in the middle.

Communication is 55% nonverbal [body language], 38% vocal [tone, pace, volume], and 7% the words we use. Power up the nonverbal!