By Jewel Quackenbush | Quackenbush Coaching LLC
She was brilliant, respected, highly analytical—and a neurologist.
After a high-stakes meeting where everything spiraled, she pulled me aside and said, “I went in clear. I came out shaking. I don’t even know what happened.”
She studies the brain for a living. But in that moment, it wasn’t her expertise leading the room.
It was her limbic system.
What Is the Limbic System, and Why Should Leaders Care?
The limbic system is the emotional command center of the brain. It governs memory, emotion, instinct, and survival. It doesn’t wait for logic. It reacts to perceived threats—whether physical or psychological.
For leaders, this means that any space that feels unsafe—through tone, body language, or tension, can trigger a survival response.
You might freeze. You might defend. You might speak from armor instead of alignment.
The Problem with “Powering Through”
Too many leaders white-knuckle their way through meetings, trying to look composed while their bodies scream “danger.”
That’s not leadership. That’s self-abandonment.
When your limbic system takes the wheel, your executive presence becomes a passenger. What suffers?
Clarity. Connection. Culture.
The Quackenbush Leadership Reboot: 4 Steps to Regain Presence
1. Notice the Signal
Recognize the shift—tight chest, shallow breath, change in tone. These are your internal alarms.
2. Pause and Ground
Take three deep breaths. Feel your feet on the floor. This isn’t wasted time. It’s recalibration.
3. Reframe the Moment
Ask yourself: “Is this a threat, or is it unfamiliar?” Most reactions are habit—not reality.
4. Regulate and Respond
Speak with intention. Use your tone and energy to create psychological safety, even in tough conversations.
Case in Point: The Neurologist’s Breakthrough
After that hallway moment, we didn’t talk strategy.
We talked breath.
We talked body awareness.
We built rituals to help her recognize the moment before the moment took her.
Within weeks, her team began describing her as calmer, clearer, more present. Not because she changed jobs but because she changed how she showed up.
Leadership isn’t just what you do. It’s how your presence lands.
Before you coach your team, coach your nervous system.
Because when you lead from a regulated place, you don’t just get through the moment you transform it.
Ready to Lead with Intention?
Subscribe to the Quackenbush Coaching Newsletter or book a free 20-minute clarity call.
Let’s coach the system that leads everything: you.
Quackenbush Coaching LLC | All Rights Reserved 2025
Quackenbush Coaching LLC 