Inner Compass NEwsletters

The Inner Compass is a monthly reflection on the ordinary moments that shape how we lead

These short articles combine neuroscience, emotional insight, and research drawn from Dr. Joan Flora’s developing work on Unhooked: The Surprising Forces That Shape Listening in Conflict.

What Conversation Do We Think We’re Having? How Conflict Begins Before We Realize It (July 2026)

The Leadership Mistake That Makes Conflict Worse (June 2026)

In Conflict, When You Speak Matters More than What You Say (May 2026)

Staying Calm Isn’t Enough: The Skill Leaders Miss in Hard Conversations part 2 of 3 (April 2026)

Listening Under Threat: The Urge That Makes Listening Harder part 1 of 3 (March 2026)

Why Trying Harder Fails: The Myth of the Willpower Gap (February 2026)

When Our Brains Have No Place to Rest: The 47% Problem (January 2026)

When Stillness Feels Unbearable (December 2025)

The Science of Where We Look: How Focus Shapes Intention (November 2025)

Learn with Inner Sage:

If you want to practice this work in real time, I’m offering two free sessions through Inner Sage Leadership Group:

The Empathy & Attunement Studio, with Dr. Desiree Briel Rodi, PCC

Thursdays, Noon PST· via Zoom

Join a simple, structured practice to strengthen empathy for yourself and for others. This pilot offering is free through the end of summer.

You’ll learn to:

Clarify what you’re feeling and why
Stay calmer and more grounded in hard conversations
Remain connected to what matters without losing yourself in the moment

👉Registration

Raising the Quality of Conflict

Tuesdays, ·times vary (click registration link for details) · via Zoom
Participants learn to recognize emotional reactivity, respond without self-silencing or escalation, and use conflict as a pathway to clarity, trust, and forward movement over damage or avoidance.
👉 Registration

Listening Assessment: You don’t learn much about your listening when things are calm. You learn when they’re not. The Inner Sage Listening Assessment shows what happens in that moment when your nervous system speeds up. Take this assessment to learn more about how you listen under stress.

Boundaries That Build Trust: A Practice Lab for Coaches

This is a collaboration between ICF Oregon and ICF LA. 1.5 CC credits available through registration

Boundaries are often misunderstood. Rigid boundaries protect you, but they distance people. Relational boundaries protect the conversation and build trust without losing yourself.

For coaches, this is the work.

If you’re curious to explore more, this article is a great place to start.