Leading Human
Stay present, stay human, and keep leading from the inside out.
Welcome to Leading Human, the podcast that explores the intersection of emotional intelligence, leadership, and the modern workplace. We’re your hosts, Shelley and Chad, co-founders of Big Self School and creators of Emma—the AI-powered tool helping small teams communicate better and lead with more clarity and heart. Each episode, we bring you insights, stories, and strategies to help you and your team grow—without losing your humanity in the process.
Become your Big Self
At Big Self School, we recognize a fundamental distinction between two aspects of the self: the Big Self and the Little Self.
The Big Self represents clarity, purpose, and untapped potential—the part of you that operates from wisdom, truth, and deep alignment rather than fear or ego.
The Little Self is the identity we construct—our roles, titles, demographics, and conditioned behaviors. It’s the part of us that reacts, defends, and resists change.
Most professionals and leaders unknowingly operate from their Little Self, caught in cycles of overachievement, fear, and self-limiting patterns that keep them stuck. They optimize for external success while feeling disconnected from their true potential.
Breaking this cycle requires self-awareness, courage, and intentional growth—the ability to see beyond surface-level strategies and cultivate the psychological skills needed to lead effectively.
We use terms like soul, true self, alignment, and higher consciousness to describe this process—not because they are universal, but because they distill the truths we’ve seen time and again in our work with leaders, teams, and high performers. The pursuit of your Big Self is not just personal—it’s a strategic advantage. When you operate from this place, you lead with impact, communicate with clarity, and navigate change with confidence.