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I was carrying more than my share.
- Nicole F. Smith, M.Ed. (CEO/Founder)
- Nov 13
- 5 min read
Hey there,
Have you ever noticed how leadership feels heavier than it used to?
Leadership feels heavier because you’re carrying more than strategy.
⚠️ You’re expected to stay calm when their emotions are high.
⚠️ To communicate clearly when you’re running on fumes.
⚠️ To inspire others when you’re questioning your own confidence.
That emotional load is real — and it’s costing leaders more than they realize.
Did you know:
Poor leadership costs organizations billions of dollars annually due to a combination of lost productivity, high employee turnover, and decreased engagement.
In the U.S., estimates range from $360 billion to $550 billion per year, while some global figures suggest the cost could be as high as $8.8 trillion. These costs include direct expenses like replacing employees, but also indirect ones like lower sales and poor company reputation
Are you a contributor to this stat? I hope not.
A single poor leader can cost an organization around $100,000 annually in lost revenue through lower output and staff attrition.
Some estimates suggest a poor leader can cost an organization as much as $4,723 in lost wages per year, and up to $126,000 in overall losses
The truth is, most leaders aren’t struggling because of skill gaps. They’re struggling because no one taught them how to manage the emotional weight that comes with leading people.
That’s why I created Refined Leadership: Golden Lessons to Lead with Emotional Brilliance. This one-hour live experience is your leadership reset — a space to pause, reflect, and strengthen the emotional muscles that great leadership demands.
📅 December 10, 2025
⏰ 12:00 pm eastern | Via Zoom
It’s built around my book, 20 Golden Leadership Nuggets | Refined by EQ Impact®, but this time I’m bringing it to life — guiding you through the lessons that change how you lead in real time.
You’ll learn how to:
✅ Identify the emotions driving your leadership decisions
✅ Stay composed and confident when pressure rises
✅ Build trust that fuels connection, not exhaustion
And because I want you to walk away with more than insight, your $59 registration includes:
📘 Refined by EQ Impact® Companion Guide
🎁 A signed copy of my book — mailed to you, free
🎥 Replay access if you can’t attend live
Why Now
Because emotional intelligence isn’t a “soft skill” anymore — it’s the competitive edge every effective leader needs.
The next 12 months will belong to leaders who can handle pressure without losing their presence.Those who don’t learn to manage emotions now will keep reacting instead of leading, losing credibility and clarity in the process.
If you’ve felt emotionally stretched, misunderstood, or disconnected in your leadership… this hour is your turning point.
You’ll walk away lighter, clearer, and equipped to lead yourself and others with emotional brilliance.
Join me live.Let’s refine how you lead — before burnout refines it for you.
📅 December 10, 2025
⏰ 12:00 pm eastern | Via Zoom
👉 [Reserve Your Spot + Claim Your Free Signed Book]
Leadership is emotional.
Let’s make it intentional.
With gratitude and impact,
Nicole F. Smith, CEO/Founder, JMS Creative Leadership Solutions
Creator of the EQ Impact® Framework
Check out this video!
🤖 AI + EQ = The Future of Leadership
Did you know that EQ makes your IQ shine? My books helps you walk your emotionally brilliant journey. Let's go!
꧁⎝ 𓆩༺✧༻𓆪 ⎠꧂ ꧁⎝ 𓆩༺✧༻𓆪 ⎠꧂ ꧁⎝ 𓆩༺✧༻𓆪 ⎠꧂ ꧁⎝ 𓆩༺✧༻𓆪 ⎠꧂
💡 Why I Re-Wrote This Book
Years ago, as an HR Director, I had a breaking point. Frustrated and unheard, I unleashed on a colleague. I call him an A$$. (Well, he was one honestly.) BUT, that moment became the wake-up call: leadership isn’t just strategy or title. Leadership is emotional.
For years, I watched talented leaders burn out or lose influence because no one ever taught them to manage the emotional side of leadership. This book is my answer to that gap.
It was written in just 90 days — not because I rushed, but because I leaned into the pause. The same pause I now teach leaders to use when emotions run high.
“Awareness is not passive. It’s the choice to look in the mirror and ask: Who am I in this moment, and is this who I want to be as a leader?”
That’s why I re-wrote this book — to give leaders the courage to be self-aware, the discipline to master their emotions, and the wisdom to build legacies that last. I took my #1 best seller and tore it up....ripped it apart, and added in my EQ Impact Framework with such clarity and discipline. My focus was very different this time around.
I felt, it was time to put our legacies in MOTION. Do not wait to leave wondering if you made an impact. Walk away KNOWING you left an impact. That's legacy in motion.
“Leaders don’t earn respect by being the fastest to speak. They earn respect by choosing the moment that will have the greatest impact.”
꧁⎝ 𓆩༺✧༻𓆪 ⎠꧂ ꧁⎝ 𓆩༺✧༻𓆪 ⎠꧂ ꧁⎝ 𓆩༺✧༻𓆪 ⎠꧂ ꧁⎝ 𓆩༺✧༻𓆪 ⎠꧂
📌 If you do not want to attend the workshop, I get it (kinda) but, push a button...any button!
📘 Grab your copy of 20 Golden Leadership Nuggets | Refined by EQ Impact®
I do accommodate bulk orders! So get copies for your team and maybe we can gather for a quick Q&A or webinar! And, yes, I am available for book club discussions. There are reflection questions in the back of the book! Help me get to 2000 books by March 31, 2026!
OH! We are on Amazon if that is your jam and want it the next day.
👥 Bring the EQ Impact® Framework to your team through coaching, workshops, or speaking engagement. I will support you and your team through all the chaos and crisis taking place right now and in the future.
Thank you for being part of this journey with me. This isn’t just my story — it’s ours.
Together, we’re building leaders, including yourself, to lead with courage, compassion, and emotional brilliance.
Want to set up some time? Let's talk: Click here!
Leaders choose to work with me and my team because we don’t just talk strategy—we build emotionally intelligent leaders who lead with clarity, presence, and purpose.
You're receiving this email because you’re not interested in performing leadership. You’re here to practice it.
You booked a call, joined an event, or signed up because something in you said, it’s time to lead differently. You’re ready to create a life and business rooted in who you are—not in outdated rules or titles that never fit. And we’re here to help you do exactly that—with emotional intelligence at the center.
