Nicole Dreikorn

I attribute my success to leading with empathy and intention. I prioritize the well-being, clarity, and trust of the people I work with, because when individuals feel supported and valued, they are far more capable of meaningful contribution. Creating environments where people can do their best work—without burnout or confusion—has consistently led to stronger outcomes and more sustainable success.

Sometimes it's just as important to know what you're not meant to do as it is to determine what you are meant to do. Don’t rush to prove yourself—focus on doing the work well, and let consistency build credibility. Influence grows when your values and actions align over time.

I would tell young women to trust their perspective—even when it feels different from what’s being rewarded around them. This field often emphasizes speed, certainty, and confidence, but some of the most impactful leadership comes from curiosity, listening, and thoughtful questioning. Don’t rush to shrink those instincts to fit someone else’s model of success.

Build your skills deliberately, but give yourself permission to take a non-linear path. The experiences that may feel unrelated at first—creative work, caregiving, community involvement, even moments of uncertainty—often become the foundation of your strongest leadership muscles. They teach you how to read a room, hold complexity, and lead with humanity.

Most importantly, seek out mentors and peers who value who you are becoming, not just what you can produce. You don’t need to have everything figured out early. Leadership isn’t about arriving at certainty—it’s about learning how to navigate ambiguity with integrity, confidence, and care for others along the way.

One of the biggest challenges in my field is that change is happening faster than most organizations—and people—can comfortably absorb. Leaders are being asked to implement new systems, strategies, and expectations while teams are already navigating fatigue, uncertainty, and competing priorities. When change is treated purely as a technical exercise, it often creates resistance, disengagement, or burnout.

At the same time, this presents a powerful opportunity. Organizations are beginning to recognize that successful change depends on trust, communication, and inclusion—not just timelines and deliverables. There is growing openness to approaches that center the human experience, invite dialogue, and create space for people to process what change actually means for them.

The opportunity lies in redefining what effective leadership looks like during transformation. When leaders slow down enough to listen, involve others in shaping solutions, and lead with transparency, change becomes not just manageable—but meaningful. That shift has the potential to transform workplaces into environments where people feel seen, capable, and invested in the future they’re helping to build.

The values that guide me most deeply are integrity, collaboration, and empathy. Integrity means being honest about what’s possible, owning decisions, and aligning words with actions—especially during moments of uncertainty. I believe trust is built not through perfection, but through consistency and clarity.

Collaboration matters to me because the most durable solutions are rarely created in isolation. I value shared ownership, diverse perspectives, and the belief that people closest to the work often hold the most valuable insight. True collaboration creates not only better outcomes, but stronger relationships and a deeper sense of purpose.

Empathy is the thread that connects everything I do. It shapes how I listen, how I lead, and how I support others through change. Empathy doesn’t mean avoiding hard conversations—it means approaching them with care, respect, and an understanding of the human impact involved. In both my work and my personal life, I strive to lead in ways that leave people feeling respected, capable, and supported long after the moment has passed.