So, today, we’re examining four common stress responses: fight, flight, freeze, and fawn.

If you’re an Elevate Program alum, you’ve heard us reference these in the context of TED* and our Problem Orientation. But we’ve never gone deep on all four. My hope for this week is to unpack each and provide examples, so we can all be better equipped to recognize which we fall into.

Joining me this week is Javier, who brought a ton of great nuance and real-world examples to each of these responses.

Here’s the framing to hold onto as you read: these stress responses aren’t bad. They’re adaptive. Under stress, our brain is essentially asking, ”What’s the fastest, easiest, most comfortable way to reduce this discomfort right now?” Sometimes these responses help us get through. And they often pull us away from what we actually want. The goal this week is awareness, not judgment.

Before We Begin

Remember, the power of this work comes not only from understanding it, but practicing it.

• If you’re an annual subscriber, utilize your 90-week workbook to capture reflections and track your practice.

• If you’re an Elevate Program Alum, this can also be done in the Cohd Learning Portal.

• Monthly subscribers can download the practice template below.

Read more

• What coaching really is

• What strong coaching questions look like (Both around goal setting and defining the way forward)

This week, I wanted to look at coaching from the other seat, and begin to answer the question: When should I be asking for coaching?

Most of us are carrying a lot at any given time. And when we need support, it’s easy to default into reactive strategies like venting, complaining, asking for advice, rescuing, or simply just trying to muscle our way through it on our own.

But there are certain moments when coaching can be one of the most effective forms of support we can ask for, because it gives us the time and space to think more clearly, more deeply, and more intentionally.

Today, we’re going to dive into some of those moments.

Before We Begin

Remember, the power of this work comes not only from understanding it, but practicing it.

To support, a reminder about the following resources:

• If you’re an annual subscriber, utilize your 50-week workbook to capture reflections and track your practice.

• If you’re an Elevate Program Alum, this can also be done in the Cohd Learning Portal.

• Monthly subscribers can download the practice template below.

Read more

More specifically:

• Why feedback is such an important tool for helping us shift out of the Victim role and into the Creator role

• And how (with some small tweaks) we can show up intentionally as a Coach or a Challenger when delivering feedback

Historically, when we’ve talked about feedback, we’ve been focused on the S.O.S. structure. (Which isn’t going away.) But today’s conversation is all about adding another layer, which is asking: Who am I choosing to be in this conversation?

Before We Begin

Remember, the power of this work comes not only from understanding it, but practicing it.

To support, a reminder about the following resources:

• If you’re an annual subscriber, utilize your 50-week workbook to capture reflections and track your practice.

• If you’re an Elevate Program Alum, this can also be done in the Cohd Learning Portal.

• Monthly subscribers can download the practice template below.

Read more

When we take a coaching approach with someone, it can be easy to focus on the insight, the “aha” moment, the question that helps to shift the other person’s perspective. But, insight alone is only one part of the equation.

We need action to create change.

If we end a conversation without a clear path forward, we didn’t coach… we just had a really nice conversation.

Joining me today to provide insight into the importance of this step in the process and to give us some specific questions to keep in our back pocket is Cohd coach Jackie Lesser.

Before We Begin

Remember, the power of this work comes not only from understanding it, but practicing it.

To support, a reminder about the following resources:

• If you’re an annual subscriber, utilize your 50-week workbook to capture reflections and track your practice.

• If you’re an Elevate Program Alum, this can also be done in the Cohd Learning Portal.

• Monthly subscribers can download the practice template below.

Read more

This week on The Practice Plan, we’re diving into Healthy Conflict through the lens of the Five Dysfunctions of a Team model.

When most people hear the word “conflict,” they immediately think of tension, disagreement, or even damage to relationships.

But in high-functioning teams, conflict is not only normal, it’s essential.

Healthy conflict is what allows teams to:

• Make better decisions

• Move faster with alignment

• Build stronger, more honest relationships

Without it, we don’t eliminate conflict… we just move it underground.

Before We Begin

Remember, the power of this work comes not only from understanding it, but practicing it.

To support, a reminder about the following resources:

• If you’re an annual subscriber, utilize your 50-week workbook to capture reflections and track your practice.

• If you’re an Elevate Program Alum, this can also be done in the Cohd Learning Portal.

• Monthly subscribers can download the practice template below.

Read more

This week on The Practice Plan, we’re honing in on one of the most important elements of a coaching conversation: creating a robust and meaningful goal.

In my time training folks how to put on a coaching hat and support others through inquiry (check out our recent post on What Coaching Actually Is), one of the top mistakes I notice is our inclination to move quickly… especially when it comes to establishing the goal.

I think it’s because we crave resolution and action. We want to get into the “good stuff” and solve the problem. And it’s easy to assume that we’re all on the same page about where we’re trying to get to.

But I’ve noticed that when we can slow down. Pressure test our goal. Poke holes and create real clarity on what we want and why it’s important; we ultimately save time and achieve better outcomes.

So, to dive further into this topic, I spoke with one of our amazing Cohd coaches, Sara Hugo, to learn about her experience learning to coach, teaching others, and some of her favorite questions for creating a meaningful goal.

Before We Begin

Remember, the power of this work comes from not only digesting it but practicing it. To support, a reminder about the following resources:

• If you’re an annual subscriber to the Home of Elevaters, utilize your 50-week workbook to capture notes, answer questions, and formalize your practice plan.

• If you’re an Elevate Program Alum, you can do the same in the Cohd Learning Portal.

And, if you’re here as a monthly subscriber, you can download the practice template below.

Read more

This week on The Practice Plan, we are discussing how and when to utilize perspective-taking.

This is one of the many tools that are simple to understand but can be difficult to apply in practice. Certainly, there are moments when we are deeply curious and look to learn more from the people around us. And I find the most game-changing applications of perspective-taking come in moments when we have a personal, deep conviction.

When we have an opinion or stance that we are deeply grounded in, it rarely feels instinctual to seek out our blind spots.

To recognize the power of perspective-taking and to refine our internal gauge for how and when to use the tool, I spoke with Jackie Lesser, another of our incredible Cohd coaches.

Before We Begin

Remember, the power of this work comes not only from digesting it but also from practicing it. To support, a reminder about the following resources:

• If you’re an annual subscriber to the Home of Elevaters, utilize your 50-week workbook to capture notes, answer questions, and formalize your practice plan.

• If you’re an Elevate Program Alum, you can do the same in the Cohd Learning Portal.

And, if you’re here as a monthly subscriber, you can download the practice template below.

Read more

This week on The Practice Plan, we are discussing The Rescuer Role, one of the three roles that make up The Dreaded Drama Triangle (originally created by Dr. Stephen Karpman).

Of the three (victim, persecutor, and rescuer), the Rescuer Role is often the most eye-opening because many of us can fall into it without any malintent. We simply want to make things easier for the people around us.

But in practice, the habit of rescuing can actually undermine the growth of our teammates (or friends, children, partners, parents, etc.).

So, this week we wanted to explore what the Rescuer Role is, and how it often shows up in the workplace.

To do this, I spoke with Erin Van Galder, one of our amazing Cohd coaches, whom I have known since nearly the very beginning of Cohd and who studied and understood The Dreaded Drama Triangle long before our meeting.

Before We Begin

Remember, the power of this work comes not only from digesting it but also from practicing it. To support, a reminder about the following resources:

• If you’re an annual subscriber to the Home of Elevaters, utilize your 50-week workbook to capture notes, answer questions, and formalize your practice plan.

• If you’re an Elevate Program Alum, you can do the same in the Cohd Learning Portal.

And, if you’re here as a monthly subscriber, you can download the practice template below.

Read more

This week on The Practice Plan, we’re going to be exploring the strongest element of The Trust Equation: Intimacy. And, to take a quick step back, The Trust Equation is an incredibly useful framework created by David Maister, Charles Green, and Robert Galford for understanding exactly how we build (or rupture) trust in a professional environment.

When looking at all four components of The Trust Equation, intimacy is regarded as the “strongest”. It’s the component that builds deep, long-term trust.

So, this week we wanted to explore how to build trust when you’re starting from scratch or when you’re focused on strengthening a challenging relationship.

To do this, I spoke with Kayla Kilpatrick, an HR professional and an Elevate alum who recently started a new role. She offers a practical take on the impact of high-trust relationships at work and real-world examples of how to start small when building intimacy.

Before We Begin

Remember, the power of this work comes not only from digesting it but also from practicing it. To support, a reminder about the following resources:

• If you’re an annual subscriber to the Home of Elevaters, utilize your 50-week workbook to capture notes, answer questions, and formalize your practice plan.

• If you’re an Elevate Program Alum, you can do the same in the Cohd Learning Portal.

And, if you’re here as a monthly subscriber, you can download the practice template below.

Read more

We’re kicking off The Practice Plan by defining what coaching actually is to us. It’s one of the key skills we teach in the Elevate Program because:

1. It’s really counterintuitive for most of us, and we need reps and practice to become proficient at it

2. It’s a vital practice if we are looking to elevate the people around us

Before We Begin

Remember, the power of this work comes from not only digesting it but practicing it. To support, a reminder about the following resources:

• If you’re an annual subscriber to the Home of Elevaters, utilize your 50-week workbook to capture notes, answer questions, and formalize your practice plan.

• If you’re an Elevate Program Alum, you can do the same in the Cohd Learning Portal.

And, if you’re here as a monthly subscriber, you can download the practice template below.

Read more

If there’s one belief that sits at the center of all our work at Cohd, it’s this:

Real growth doesn’t happen because we read about a concept once.
It happens because we practice.

Self-awareness, thoughtful communication, coaching, and navigating team dynamics aren’t strictly intellectual exercises. They’re behavioral ones. And behavior changes through repetition, reflection, and intentional reps over time.

That’s exactly why Cohd’s Elevate Program is structured the way it is. Participants don’t just learn tools. They practice them week after week, reflecting on how they show up, experimenting with new approaches, and learning alongside others who are doing the same.

Over the years, one piece of feedback has come up again and again from participants:

One of the biggest gifts of the program is that it creates space each week to stop and think about how I’m showing up.

The Practice Plan was designed to bring that same spirit of intentional practice to a broader audience.

What the Practice Plan Is

The Practice Plan is our way of expanding the reach of Cohd’s Elevate toolkit and making these tools more accessible to individuals and teams who want to grow.

Every week, we focus on one concept or tool that we teach inside the Elevate program.

The goal isn’t just to introduce the idea.
The goal is to practice it.

Each Monday, subscribers receive a new Practice Plan that includes:

1. A conversation about the tool

You’ll hear me talk through the concept with a fellow coach, program participant, or Elevate alumni. Part of the conversation will introduce the tool itself, and part of it will explore how people have actually applied it in real life.

These conversations are intentionally practical. They surface different perspectives, examples, and lessons learned from people who are actively using these ideas in their work and lives.

2. A written breakdown of the concept

Alongside the conversation, you’ll receive a clear written explanation of the tool or framework so you can understand the structure behind it.

3. Individual reflection questions

These questions help you think about how the concept applies to your own leadership, relationships, and day-to-day interactions.

4. Team discussion prompts

For those who want to use the Practice Plan with their teams, we include prompts designed to spark meaningful conversations in team meetings or development sessions.

5. A practical exercise

Each week includes a simple way to practice or experiment with the tool in your real-world context.

The Role of the Worksheet/Workbook

One thing we are intentional about with the Practice Plan is this:

We don’t want it to become something you simply read and move on from.

The real value of this work comes from reflection and application. Taking a few minutes to think about how the concept shows up in your own leadership, noticing where you might experiment with it, and capturing what you’re learning along the way.

To support that, every Practice Plan comes with a structured place to work through the prompts.

If you are a monthly subscriber, you will see a downloadable worksheet each week. This is a simple template that walks you through the key pieces of the Practice Plan — space to capture your reflections, respond to the discussion prompts, and think through how you want to experiment with the concept in the week ahead.

If you are an annual subscriber, you will receive the full annual Practice Workbook. This is a PDF that includes space to capture reflections across 50 weeks of practice, so everything can live in one place over the course of the year. We also include a few additional prompts designed to help you notice patterns in your leadership and track your growth over time.

Whether you’re using the weekly worksheet or the annual workbook, the goal is the same:

To create a small, consistent space each week where you can pause, reflect, and intentionally practice how you want to show up.

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For Individuals and Teams

The Practice Plan was designed with two audiences in mind.

Individuals who want a consistent rhythm for reflecting on their leadership and continuing to develop their communication, self-awareness, and relational skills.

And teams who want a simple structure for bringing development into their regular conversations.

You might use it as:

• a personal reflection practice

• a prompt for a team meeting discussion

• a coaching conversation starter

• a leadership development touchpoint

The format is intentionally flexible so it can meet people where they are.

Bringing the Practice Plan to Your Team

Many teams choose to subscribe together so they can build a shared language around leadership and communication.

If you’re signing up a group, one person can act as the account admin and manage the subscription for the team.

Here’s how it works:

• Teams receive 20% off when 10 or more people subscribe on the annual plan.

• The admin can add or remove members at any time from the team subscription.

• If someone new joins your organization, you can add them and the cost will be prorated for the remainder of the year.

• If someone leaves, you can swap their seat for another team member.

This flexibility makes it easy to keep the Practice Plan integrated into your team as people join, transition roles, or move on.

For step-by-step instructions on managing a group subscription, see the reference articles below:

• I’m part of a group that wants to subscribe to a publication. Can we sign up for a group subscription?

• I’m the administrator of a group subscription. How do I add members?

Want your company to cover The Practice Plan?

If you’re an individual interested in the Practice Plan and think it could benefit you or your team, there’s a good chance your company may be open to covering the cost as part of your professional development.

To make that process easier, we’ve put together a short note you can share directly with your manager that explains what The Practice Plan is and how teams are using it.

Home Of Elevaters Sponsorship Request

146KB ∙ PDF file

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The Community

One of our core values at Cohd is Growth in Community.

We believe development is rarely something that happens in isolation. The most meaningful growth tends to happen when we’re reflecting alongside others, hearing different perspectives, and learning from how people approach similar challenges.

Inside the Elevate program, that shared learning environment is one of the most powerful parts of the experience. Participants aren’t just learning tools. They’re practicing them alongside a group of thoughtful peers who are navigating similar leadership moments in their own work.

Subscribers to the Practice Plan also get access to the Home of Elevaters community space here on Substack.

This space is designed to support that same spirit of shared development.

You can use it to:

• ask questions about the tools we’re practicing

• share how you’re applying something in your own work or team

• learn from how others are approaching similar situations

• reflect on what’s working and what isn’t

Human development becomes much richer when it’s something we’re working on together.

The community space simply gives us a place to continue those conversations.

A Final Thought

There’s something we say to every participant when they begin the Elevate program:

You get out what you put in.

These tools are powerful. The language can open new ways of thinking about conflict, feedback, accountability, and leadership.

But the real shift happens when you pause long enough to reflect and intentionally try something different.

If you spend 30 minutes a week engaging with the Practice Plan — thinking through the prompts, experimenting with the exercise, and noticing what happens — you’ll start to see the impact.

And if you skim it quickly and move on, that’s what you’ll get out of it too.

Growth isn’t a solo activity.
And it isn’t a passive one either.

The Practice Plan is simply a structure to help make the work of development a little more consistent, a little more intentional, and a little more accessible.

One week at a time.

Join the Practice Plan

If the Practice Plan sounds like something that would support your own development, we’d love to have you join us.

And if there’s someone on your team, a colleague, or a friend who you think would enjoy practicing these ideas alongside you, consider sharing this with them. Growth tends to stick when we’re learning and reflecting together.

For teams looking to bring this work into their organizations, we offer a group discount. When you subscribe 10 or more people you receive 20% off your subscription. It’s a simple way to introduce shared language, reflection, and development into the rhythm of your team.

Subscribe below to access the weekly Practice Plan, the workbook resources, and the Home of Elevaters community.

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