I’m Nicole F. Smith, M.Ed.—Emotional Intelligence Strategist, Leadership Coach, and Creator of the EQ Impact® Framework.

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I help leaders close the gap between intent and impact.

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That gap is where trust breaks. Where decisions slow. Where leaders lose credibility without realizing why.

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Good intent is no longer enough.

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With more than 30 years in corporate consulting and talent development, I’ve worked inside organizations where leadership pressure is constant and the cost of misalignment is real.

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What I’ve learned is simple and uncomfortable:

• Leaders don’t struggle because they lack skill or experience

• They struggle because they underestimate the impact of how they show up

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When emotional intelligence is unmanaged, execution suffers.

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My work reframes emotional intelligence—not as a soft skill, but as a leadership operating system.
 

Through the EQ Impact® Framework, leaders learn how to:

• Regulate emotion under pressure

• Communicate with clarity and authority

• Take ownership of impact without defending intent

• Build trust that holds during hard decisions

• Maintain decision velocity when perspectives clash

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This work is practical. It is applied. It is designed for leaders who need results, not theory.

I help create alignment between what leaders mean, what teams experience, and what organizations need to move forward.

I deliver this work through:

• Fractional leadership and talent development partnerships

• Executive and high-potential coaching

• Leadership workshops and organizational intensives

• Keynotes grounded in real leadership moments, not motivation

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My podcast, Blow Your Mind(set), reinforces this work by challenging outdated leadership norms and pushing leaders to trust themselves, and think and lead more intentionally.

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Why Work With Me?

You don’t need more leadership content. You need clarity.

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You need alignment. You need leaders who understand that impact—not intent—is what teams respond to.

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Clients work with me to:

• Strengthen trust without slowing execution

• Navigate difficult conversations with confidence

• Reduce leadership friction caused by misalignment

• Build emotionally intelligent cultures that perform under pressure

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Through JMS Creative Leadership Solutions, I’ve partnered with Fortune 500 organizations, growing companies, large and small nonprofits, and higher education institutions.

 

Every engagement is rooted in the same belief: Leadership is emotional.

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When leaders learn to manage that reality, performance improves, culture stabilizes, and results follow.

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If intent and impact are misaligned in your values, leadership or organization, we should talk. Let’s align how you lead with the impact you intend to have.

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