Leading with Grit and Grace: What I Took from Chief X That I Didn’t Know I Needed

Walking into ChiefX this year, I expected inspiration. What I didn’t expect was the kind of emotional reset that forces you to rethink how you lead, why you lead, and what it truly takes to lead well.

One of the most powerful conversations came from Valerie Jarrett, CEO of the Obama Foundation. In a fireside chat with Chief CEO Alison Moore, she said something that cut straight through the noise: “You have to learn to take a punch.” Not literally, of course, but emotionally, professionally, politically. Because the truth is, not everyone will agree with you. Not everyone will clap. And still, you lead.

That moment reminded me that resilience isn’t just about pushing through hard things. It’s about staying grounded in your values even when they’re being tested. Grit, yes, but paired with grace. Not the kind that’s soft or overly polite, but the kind that shows up when you’re being challenged and choose to listen anyway.

Dr. Angela Jackson expanded the frame, reminding us that leading well means creating space where others can thrive. She talked about the 9 Pillars in her book, The Win-Win Workplace, and reframed the relationship between employee well-being and business outcomes. They’re not trade-offs. They’re teammates. I walked away asking myself how I can design systems that support both, not just in theory, but in practice.

Mita Mallick reminded us that some of our most powerful leadership lessons come not from our mentors, but from the managers who got it all wrong. In her new book, The Devil Emails at Midnight: What Good Leaders Can Learn From Bad Bosses, she explores how to grow from those painful experiences without becoming hardened by them. Her perspective was sharp and unflinching, a reminder that the worst bosses still leave us with lessons and it’s up to us to decide what kind of leaders we become in response.

Chief X wasn’t just about thought leadership. It was about soul leadership. The kind that asks more of you. The kind that requires discomfort, self-awareness, and the ability to look at your blind spots without flinching.

I came in looking for tools. I left with a mirror.

And while leadership may never get easier, it can become more meaningful when we lead with grit, grace, and the willingness to grow.