When Temple Grandin noticed cattle pushing back in the chute, she saw what others missed: they weren’t being stubborn—they were scared. That insight reshaped the livestock industry and offers a profound lesson for leaders, parents, and humans everywhere: most “difficult behavior” is fear in disguise. In this piece, I unpack how her perspective helps us shift from judgment to understanding and lead above the line where calm, clarity, and compassion can actually change lives.

When my husband’s chickens started escaping, he didn’t blame them—he adapted. Fence by fence, he met each challenge with awareness, not control. That’s the heart of evolving leadership: responding with clarity instead of reacting from fear. Leadership is about meeting the moment, adjusting when things shift, and trusting your ability to grow through it.

When my son pivoted from engineering to cannabis cultivation, I felt the sting of unmet expectations. That moment revealed a powerful leadership truth: real growth means releasing control and trusting the unfolding. Leadership isn’t guiding others toward our version of success—it’s creating space for them to discover their own