About Us - The Leadership Lab
OUR BELIEF

The world and our families are desperate for full-hearted leadership.

CORE FOCUS

Enable leaders to be the best version of themselves at home and work.

CORE VISION

Make the world whole through local communities of full-hearted leaders.

CORE PURPOSE

Provide successful leaders clarity, courage, and confidence to live more meaningful, purposeful and influential lives through our local membership communities and leadership advising.

CORE OPERATING PRINCIPLES

Do good work.
Keep Heart.
Love People.
TRTFOOT (Teddy Roosevelt the F!#* Out of Things)

CORE TENETS

The world and our families are desperate for full-hearted leadership.
We must lead ourselves first.
We can be more than successful.
What got us here won’t get us where we want to go.
We don’t have to go it alone.
Leadership is an art.
When it comes to leadership; EQ>IQ.

MOTTO

Be more than successful.

THE LEADERSHIP ICEBERG
GUIDELINES FOR SUCCESS
Show Up

Be here now & somewhere else later.
Unplug.
Come Prepared.

Be Brave

Trust takes more courage than time.
Truth is freedom. Freedom is scary.
Lean into confrontations. Offer courageous feedback.
Open up. Practice vulnerability.
The most valuable gift you have to share is your Self.

One person’s work is everyone’s work

We’re more the same than we are different.
Look for similarities and connection (not solution).
Listen for themes.
Engage the story.

Be Curious

Ask honest questions.
Eliminate “Why?”
Avoid Yes/No questions.
Listen before you speak.
Ask the courageous question

Delight

Encouragement is always welcome.
Celebrate yourself. Celebrate others.

Stay True

Practice confidentiality.
Keep your own conscience.
Distrust openly.
Trust your own gut.

MEET OUR COACHES
Stephen James, LPC-MHSP
Stephen James, LPC-MHSP

Social Entrepreneur • Leadership Advisor • Bestselling Author

Stephen has spent his professional career helping others live lives of meaning and significance in several different contexts:

  • sought-after leadership advisor and consultant
  • a private practice psychotherapist working with individuals and couples for almost 20 years
  • mental performance coach with championship-winning head coaches, athletes, and teams from a variety of environments including MLB, MLS, NFL, NHL, Olympics, USL, and the SEC
  • founder & executive director of Sage Hill Counseling
  • co-author of seven books, including the bestselling “Wild Things: The Art of Nurturing Boys.”

Stephen earned his master’s in Counseling from The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology and his bachelor’s from Belmont University.

He has been married to Heather for over 25 years, and together they have four children.

Scott Hearon
Scott Hearon

COO

Scott is a social entrepreneur who builds and contributes to organizations that influence leaders to live and lead with courage and clarity. His professional contexts include:

  • Leadership advisor and organizational consultant for growth minded solo-preneurs and team leaders seeking clarity and alignment
  • Co-founder and former Executive Director of the Nashville Coaching Coalition
  • Chief Operations Officer for the Leadership Lab
  • Teacher and workshop facilitator for people-centric organizations

Scott, a Nashville native, earned his bachelor’s degree from Baylor University and is certified in the Spiritual Root SystemTM. He is husband to Allison and Dad to Fisher and Hart (and soon to be a third) and their black lab, Ranger.

Dane Anthony
Dane Anthony

Executive Coach

Dane’s professional path focuses on leading and facilitating conversations of meaning and purpose helping others explore the deeper connections that bring awareness and grounded practices to work and relationships.

He has fostered engagement-centered leadership in the following contexts:

  • more than 30 years in Higher Education as University Chaplaincy, Student Services Administrator, and Faculty member.
  • spiritual guide and mentor for more than 30 years through spiritual direction, vocational discernment, men’s groups, and retreat leadership.
  • 20+ years of experience teaching and consulting with the StrengthsFinder Inventory for individuals and businesses.

Dane earned his bachelor’s degree from Missouri State University and his Master of Divinity from Midwestern Seminary.  In addition, he holds certifications in Spiritual Direction and as a Prepared Facilitator in the Circle of Trust Retreat process from the Center for Courage & Renewal.

He has been married for more than 25 years to Maggie. They have 3 grown children.

Sarah Norris, LPC-MHSP
Sarah Norris, LPC-MHSP

Executive Coach

Sarah’s professional experience has always included an element of helping people align who
they are with what they do and how they do it. Having worked in the music business,
professional speaker business and now heart business, Sarah has helped others at the
intersection of head & heart work for a long time:

  • Leads a staff of 15+ counselors, oversees business strategies and operations, as well as
    develops and mentors therapists
  • Provides therapy and coaching for individuals who are stuck, in crisis or desiring some
    type of change
  • Facilitates small groups and workshops to help people live more authentically
  • Has performed in-depth analyses for professional speakers, helping them improve their
    brand & materials, remove barriers and become more bookable
  • Has spent a good portion of her life around on-stage talent, working directly with
    artists/speakers/executives, and developing an instinctive ability for knowing what works
    and what doesn’t

Sarah has a Master’s in Counseling from Dallas Seminary, as well as a Music Business degree
from MTSU. She resides in Nashville, TN with her husband, her daughter, and her second favorite
girl in the world, her beloved dog.

Rachel Darter
Rachel Darter

Executive Coach

Rachel is an advocate for others who brings together business and personal leadership
skills to help individuals lead lives of meaning and purpose. Rachel’s talents draw from
her ability to intersect her experience in various sectors with her desire to see individuals
and organizations succeed with a heart-led approach. Her experience includes:

  • Worked as an auditor for a Big 4 public accounting firm with an emphasis on
    health care services and large health systems
  • Oversaw connections and hospitality ministry for a church of more than 2,500
  • Facilitates group therapy to help people live more authentically
  • Provides therapy and coaching for individuals to help them embrace tension with
    the goal of movement, healing and change
  • Experience crafting organizational strategy and managing teams

Rachel holds both Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting and Master of
Accountancy degrees from Belmont University, and a Master of Marriage and Family
Therapy degree from Trevecca Nazarene University. Rachel resides in Nashville, TN. She
is wife to Jim and mother to Eleanor and Owen.

MEET OUR TEAM
Neely Rein
Neely Rein

Executive Assistant

Grace Streitmatter
Grace Streitmatter

Member Experience Coordinator