What Does Leading With Moxie Mean to You?

Anyone who knows me knows one of my favorite sayings is “Be Bold.” It is a core component of Echoing Green’s belief system—that each “solutionist” must muster up all their internal boldness to be able to create the change they want to see in the world. It’s bold to envision big change. It’s even bolder to take action to enact the change. We see this boldness in our Fellows. We teach boldness in our Work on Purpose trainings. We love boldness.

Another way of thinking about boldness... is MOXIE. Alexia Vernon is the chief visionary behind Moxie Camp, a weekend “play-space to help women scale their impact in the world… and make moxie a way of being.” When she asked me to take part of this inspiring weekend, I didn’t even let her finish before I said, “Sign me up.”

I am joined by a group of extraordinary trainers, who we asked, What does leading with moxie mean to you?

These are their inspiring answers:

"When one leads from a place of moxie, she recognizes that her success is not about what she does. Rather, it’s about what she leaves behind. So when we, as I like to say, “Step Into Our Moxie,” we get out of our own way. We bulldoze through real and self-imposed fears about not being smart enough, experienced enough, connected enough, strong enough, and so forth—and keep our focus on our focus—the sustainable impact we want to facilitate. Moxie isn’t just a mindset or an attitude. It’s a skill. And at Moxie Camp, I’m thrilled to create a playspace for women to get up on their feet, practice moving people to action, and get comfortable in their power to shorten the learning curve to showing up to each day of life from a place of moxie."
Alexia Vernon
Creator, Moxie Camp

"There are many ways to answer this question, but for me, leading with moxie is figuring out how you can build a critical bridge between the online and offline worlds, because when you do, you make a lasting, multidimensional impact. I am very passionate about using social media to build relationships and attract resources for my nonprofit work, and while I joke that it's my superpower or magic wand, the serious truth is that it's a skill that takes a lot of time, patience, and strategy to develop. If you have "moxie"—that force that will break barriers, and create "firsts" in history, as we like to say at She's the First—then you have to give it life on as many platforms as possible, to find your team. I would love to see more men and women have the courage to let their most authentic, articulate selves shine online, and to then have enough curiosity to create an offline relationship with the people and brands that connect with them."
Tammy Tibbetts
Founder and President, She’s the First

"Leading with moxie looks like a number of things as I've learned throughout my career. It is about exhibiting both confidence and class. It's about being assertive, without being a b--ch. Leading with moxie also means you have compassion. It means that you care about your team and their growth. You make yourself go outside of your comfort zone almost every day and you grow your career on your own terms. When you lead with moxie you make mistakes, AND you have the gumption to pick yourself up, dust yourself off, analyze what you've learned, and make sure you don't make that same mistake again. When you lead with moxie you have an arsenal of tools at your disposal, and you're not afraid to use them. It also means that you have surrounded yourself with good people that support you—and that you have supported them as well."
Sheryl Victor Levy
Senior Director, Digital Strategy @ Phil & Co.
Founder, Savvy Strategy Inc.

"Leading with moxie for me means leading with my most authentic self. When I am centered and being completely honest about my truth, I am fully loaded with my moxie mojo. It doesn't matter if I am focusing on something in my business, in my love life, or with my well being because being authentic, honest, and true to myself gives me the power to live my life with a strong sense of confidence! This is something that I am constantly teaching our readers and fans as well. We provide resources in a variety of different areas of life so that each reader can tap into what brings out her moxie. Leading with moxie is all about leading with your truth and everyone has the power to do it!"
Nitika Chopra
Founding Editor-In-Chief, YourBellaLife.com

"Some may say “leading with moxie” is working with chutzpah and without fear. But, perhaps the strongest and most effective leaders are not afraid of  'weakness' or vulnerability. They are able to share their own fears and the things they have learned (and are still learning). For me, moxie in leadership is the strength and compassion to connect with others in the face of their fear and aspirations—and walk with them as they overcome. True leaders do not say, "Follow me and you will no longer have problems." True leaders say, "Here are the tools we have to get through the challenges—because we are in this together." A true leader lifts others up, and is not afraid to fall."
Xian Horn
Positivity and (Dis)ability Activist

"As a culture, I believe we frequently under-estimate how much moxie is required to live life on our own terms. Doing so demands clarity, honesty, transparency, compassion, and authenticity first with ourselves—and then with others. What leading with moxie looks like to me is the same as what fascinates me about moxie in general: quiet effort. Having a teachable spirit and maintaining a commitment to stay the course when what you (or others) "see" doesn't match the vision of what you are working to create stems from quiet effort."
Jacquette M. Timmons
CEO of Sterling Investment Management, Inc.

Tell us your answer for "What does leading with moxy mean to you?" here.