Hope Isn’t a Strategy. Agency Is.

Foundational Essays

A small collection of pieces that reflect how I think about leadership, clarity, and responsibility.

If you are new here, start with:

What Emotionally Intelligent Leadership Actually Looks Like

What Comes After Stabilization

Charissa Simmons 2/5/26 Charissa Simmons 2/5/26

Hope Isn’t a Strategy. Agency Is.

Charissa Simmons 1/25/26 Charissa Simmons 1/25/26

“I Hate to Bother You” Is a Leadership Signal

Charissa Simmons 1/24/26 Charissa Simmons 1/24/26

Leaders Set the Price of Truth

Charissa Simmons 1/23/26 Charissa Simmons 1/23/26

Leaders Don’t Get “No Bad Questions”

Charissa Simmons 1/13/26 Charissa Simmons 1/13/26

Language Shapes the Emotional Environment

Charissa Simmons 1/12/26 Charissa Simmons 1/12/26

How “Kind Of,” “Maybe,” and “Probably” Erode Confidence

Charissa Simmons 1/6/26 Charissa Simmons 1/6/26

Why Over-Explaining Can Increase Anxiety

Charissa Simmons 1/6/26 Charissa Simmons 1/6/26

Silence Is Still Communication

Charissa Simmons 1/6/26 Charissa Simmons 1/6/26