Finding Your Rhythm: Leadership, Communication & the Power of the Pause

What if the “grind” isn’t about working harder but about doing the quiet, repetitive work that prepares you to perform at your best?

In this powerful conversation, Michael Brenner, CEO of Right Chord Leadership, joins Alissa Bickar on Rise Above the Grind to explore leadership, communication, emotional intelligence, team dynamics, personal growth, and what it really takes to become a better leader.

Using music as a powerful metaphor, Michael explains how leaders can move from discord to harmony by developing the skills, self-awareness, and discipline required to work effectively with others.

• What the “grind” really means — and why the unseen work behind the scenes matters.
• Why leadership is a skill that can be developed, not something you simply have to be born with.
• The importance of active listening, empathy, self-awareness, and emotional intelligence.
• The power of the pause and why taking a moment before responding can completely change an outcome.
• How reactive communication—especially emotional emails—can damage relationships and leadership credibility.
• Why leaders need to understand their values, purpose, boundaries, and non-negotiables.
• How vulnerability and humility can actually make leaders stronger and more effective.
• The connection between healthy communication and high-performing teams.
• Why precision matters—but great teams also need room for spontaneity, experimentation, and exploration.
• How leaders can identify and address toxicity within teams.
• Why mistakes don't have to define us—and how to turn a “wrong note” into something meaningful.
• The hidden reality behind the polished success we see on social media.
• Why entrepreneurs and leaders need to give themselves room to learn, practice, fail, and grow.

Michael's musical metaphor runs throughout the conversation:

What chords are you playing?

Are your actions, communication, values, relationships, and leadership in harmony—or out of tune?

Leadership isn't about getting everything right. It's about developing the awareness to recognize when something is out of tune, taking responsibility, learning from it, and choosing what comes next.

As Michael puts it through the lens of music, when you play a wrong note, what you do next can change the entire song.

1. Mastery happens through repetition.
   The preparation nobody sees is what allows you to perform with confidence when the moment arrives.
2. Leadership is learnable.
   Great leadership involves competencies that can be practiced and developed over time.
3. Pause before you respond.
   You don't have to act on your first emotional reaction. Creating space between stimulus and response allows for a more thoughtful and constructive choice.
4. Know what you stand for.
   Self-awareness includes understanding your values, purpose, boundaries, and non-negotiables.
5. Vulnerability isn't weakness.
   A leader who can say “I don't know” or “What do you think?” creates room for others to contribute and strengthens the team.
6. Great teams need both precision and freedom.
   Structure creates consistency, while experimentation creates innovation.
7. Mistakes can become growth opportunities.
   Instead of blame and humiliation, effective leaders examine what happened, take accountability, and create measures to improve.
8. Calm is a leadership advantage.
   Sometimes the most powerful thing a leader can do is step away, regain perspective, and return with clarity.

Michael Brenner is the founder and CEO of Right Chord Leadership, a leader and team development company focused on helping leaders and teams “find their groove, get in sync, and work in harmony.”

A professional musician, speaker, trainer, and doctorate holder in adult learning and leadership, Michael brings his experience in music, organizational behavior, and leadership development together to help people become more effective leaders and teammates.

He is also the author of Strike the Right Chord: The Emerging Leader's Guide to Exceptional Performance.

Website: Right Chord Leadership
LinkedIn: Michael Y. Brenner
Book: Strike the Right Chord: The Emerging Leader's Guide to Exceptional Performance

What “chord” are you playing right now—and is it in harmony with the leader, entrepreneur, or person you want to become?

Share your biggest takeaway from this conversation.

What if becoming a great leader is less about having all the answers and more about learning how to listen, pause, adapt, and find your rhythm?

In this episode of Rise Above the Grind, Alissa Bickar sits down with Michael Brenner of Right Chord Leadership for a powerful conversation about leadership, communication, emotional intelligence, team harmony, mistakes, growth, and the discipline behind mastery.

From the power of the pause to knowing your values and non-negotiables, Michael shares practical insights on how leaders can move from discord to harmony—and turn their wrong notes into opportunities for growth.

🎧 Watch the full conversation and discover what it really means to Rise Above the Grind.