Planting The Seed - Daring Greatly + 3 Questions + (the occasional free version of The Harvest for all subscribers) Thank you for being here.

Welcome to the free section of The Harvest, 'Planting The Seed'. It is a delight to have you here!

I arrived in Aotearoa (New Zealand) this week to speak on ‘Daring Greatly’ and human-centred leadership.

‘Daring Greatly’ comes from Theodore Roosevelt’s quote that to dare greatly is to be ‘in the arena’ and the quote is foundational in Brenè Brown’s book of the same name.

To dare greatly is to be in the arena, but that doesn’t necessarily mean being on the front lines. Sometimes, daring greatly means giving a kind word to your neighbour or a team member. Daring greatly differs for everyone, but it means showing up in our full humanity.

Daring greatly does not necessarily mean sharing the intimate details of our lives with the people we work with, but we all want to be led by humans. It takes courage to do the inner work to look at the areas where we give away our power and the areas where we are firm in our power and to ask ourselves what we need to explore as a leader.

It is incredibly courageous to lead from a human centre when we come from a work culture built not to show vulnerability, do what needs to be done, and create a distance between you and the people you lead or work with.

During the conference, one of the participants decided to share some things going on in her personal life. She had been hiding some news from them, which was exhausting for such a small team.

Many leaders in the room recognised that their version of daring greatly included celebrating successes before moving on to the next project. Not doing so left them feeling they were on a constant treadmill.

When I asked the room who turns to controlling and micromanaging behaviours when they are overwhelmed or anxious, two-thirds raised their hands.

What powerful knowledge to know about oneself as a leader.

I have worked with leaders and teams for twelve years. The constant change and uncertainty we are all experiencing have raised anxiety and overwhelm, affecting leaders and cultures and, therefore, trust in both.

We are imperfect and flawed, and when we are pulled out of power and into fear, we can all adopt unhelpful behaviours.

Professional and personal development work benefits leaders and is a gift to the people we lead and the ones we love.

3 Questions:

1.   What are your go-to (unhelpful) behaviours when you are overwhelmed or anxious?

2.   What is the impact on you?

3.   How does this affect how you show up in certain situations or with certain people?

I currently have availability for five clients in 2025. If you are interested in extra support through a coaching relationship with me, I would be happy to connect with you for a discovery session.

Discovery Sessions:

A discovery session is a 45-minute complimentary session where you can experience the coaching process for 30 minutes and then ask any questions you have for the remaining 15 minutes. By the end of the session, we will both know if we are a good fit.

My approach is holistic, which means I work with who you are, not what you do.

The POWER Collective™ - 2025

“I have learnt that I am in charge of my own life, and how to take action consistently with this. I have learnt that the more that I take charge of my life, and stop being a passive observer, the more rewarding life is.

I have learnt that I am responsible for my own happiness. And, as much as I have been told otherwise or believed otherwise, I am not responsible for anyone else's happiness. I do not have to feel guilty for making choices that make me feel happy and safe and whole. I have learnt that I am enough. Feeling like I am constantly striving for "better" or "more" doesn't serve me. What does serve me and makes life feel simpler and calmer is recognising that I am enough, just as I am.

I have learnt that life is richer and more rewarding when I take up space.

I would not have stopped, and learnt these extraordinary lessons were it not for the POWER Collective™." - Helen - Legal / Barrister

The POWER Collective™

The Power Collective™, based on my book POWER - A Woman’s Guide to Living and Leading without Apology, may be for you.

A 6-month group-coaching program that offers coaching and mentoring from me, along with elevating community support.

The Harvest

{An occasional free version of The Harvest for all subscribers; thank you for being here.}

Shifting self-created narratives | Spot the difference | What I’m reading | What I am listening to right now.

The chair of light. x

I have shared the story of the potting shed and how my foster parents, Sue and Russell (with a little help from me), constructed a potting shed on the farm.

But at this stage, there is no point in me sowing seeds or trying to cultivate anything in the potting shed until we live there permanently, so until then, it is a perfect place to write.

As much as I love writing in my study and in two to three cafes in Melbourne, this year, I wanted to break any self-created narratives about where I needed to write. So, I have been mixing it up and writing in airport lounges, hotel rooms, libraries, and random cafes.

I bought my first pair of noise-cancelling headphones in 2018, and the world of writing ‘out in the world’ opened up to me. I am sensitive to noise, so although I can now write anywhere, this would not be the case if I did not have my noise cancellers. They mean that no matter where I write, I always have the same soundscape with me.

I do not need headphones in the potting shed; it has a soundscape I don’t need to shut myself away from. The sound of the birds and the wind are noises I find enriching, not depleting, like a café.

I find it easier to write in small and confined spaces, though; I like a sense of being held in a space.

Giving the potting shed a good spring clean a few weeks ago was in preparation for spring and this next stage of the book-writing process.

A little bit of inspiration. A lot of sitting in the chair, and calling in patience.

At the farm last week, I had two primary tasks; write and weed, a wonderful marriage of two of my favourite things.

I jumped from writing in bed to the sofa, to the kitchen table, and to the potting shed. Then, after sessions of writing, I was in the flower paddock, weeding around the roses and shrubs we planted on my birthday weekend, weeding the large perennial beds and staking and weeding the kitchen garden.

The fact that the potting shed is in the kitchen garden is perfect for weeding and writing, and this current book explores the themes of success through the lens of nature. I cannot think of a better environment to inspire my words.

Though I was distracted by the best sort of distraction, tracking this fox for a good six minutes or so, which means my tracking skills (including what I have learnt about ‘Fox Walking’) in my nature-based leadership program is working.

Sharing words with a fellow author this week, I sent her some pics of the potting shed, and she told me that the picture I sent her reminded her of the author EB White, writing ‘Charlotte’s Web’ in his shed.

I found the pic. Xx

Spot the difference - EB White and KN Black

If you need some book recommendations, here is what I have read (and finished) in the last little while.

Something else I have learned over the previous couple of years is not to finish books that do not resonate with me. I will not share books I have not finished, or as we call in endurance running - DNF.

Please support your local bookshop where you can.

Meditations for Mortals – Oliver Burkeman

Parable of the Sower – Octavia E Butler

Night - Elie Wiesel

On Writing Well – William Zinsser (a book I re-read every time I write a book)

Wilding – Isabella Tree

A Lion Tracker’s Guide to Life - Boyd Varty

Let your life speak – Parker Palmer

The Forester’s Daughter – Claire Keegan

Black Liturgies– Cole Arthur Riley

A beautifully made and moving podcast I am listening to:  

It addresses climate grief and active hope, a powerful combination of owning and shifting narratives about what is happening to our planet and how to bring grief and hope together as a solution.

• What self-created narratives do you have about how, where and when you do things?

• If you were to shake things up, what opportunities open up for you?

Become a paid subscriber to The Harvest for less than two monthly coffees. You will have access to exclusive seasonal coaching events and the ability to engage with me and The Harvest community. A place of open-hearted delight, nature-connection and personal growth.

Welcome x