LeadHERship
Coaching Collective™️
Program
Stepping Into Her Power
“A Leadership Development & Coaching Program for Women in Local Government”
📣 Info & Update Page: Municipal Women in Govt. - CoCo! 🌟 •
📣 Info & Update Page: Municipal Women in Govt. - CoCo! 🌟 •
Welcome to the
LeadHERship Coaching Collective™️
“Stepping Into Her Power” Series
CoCo!
Welcome CoCo (Colorado Cohort)!!! This page is your go-to space for all things related to our journey together. You’ll find program updates, resources, exercise/homework suggestions, and the participant roster, (more on this below). I’ll continue to add new content here as the series unfolds, so be sure to check back and refresh your page regularly!
Homework:
Continued observations in the day-to-day. What have are you noticing about yourself? Trends? Themes? Have you noticed any of “our topics” show up?
Go live with abandon! Report back as to when you felt truly authentically YOU!
📋🎥🎙️📒 Session: Recordings, Resources, Homework, and Notes
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CoCO! - Session #4 - Habits!
LINK to Video: https://youtu.be/JnDQBOoQtnU
Wow! Lots going on in your lives… travel/trips, job shifts, and new awarenesses. Thank-you for your vulnerability, sharing, and trusting. 🙏🏻
In addition to the ongoing and overarching theme of Standing/Stepping Into Your Power, we focused on finding balance—Honoring Self While Respecting Others. 🌟
Today’s primary focus and conversation was on the Dirty Dozen Habits that keep women stuck.
Habit #1: Reluctance to Claim Your Achievements
Habit #2: Expecting Others to Spontaneously Notice and Reward Your Contributions
Habit #3: Overvauling Expertise
Habit #4: Building Rather Than Leveraging Relationships
Habit #5: Failing to Enlist Allies from Day One
Habit #6: Putting Your Job Before Your Career
Habit #7: The Perfection Trap
Habit #8: The Disease to Please
Habit #9: Minimizing
Habit #10: Too Much
Habit #11: Ruminating
Habit #12: Letting Your Radar Distract You
Our next session, Session #5, is November 13th, 1-3 MST/3-5 EST. See yout then!
Continue to observe, get intentional about loss and disappointment… almost like grieving, and process the loss of expectations. Get quiet, light candles, play soft music, cry, and (maybe) journal your brains out.
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CoCo! - Session #3 - BE-ing Present
LINK to Video: https://youtu.be/zld3jHXq8L0
*STRETCH is a good thing (thanks again Nicole!)
*Opening reflections:
-Madeline: New to town manager, “Do I deserve the job?”//”I DO deserve this” and continuing to grow that confidence.
-Alisha: “Felt good on the 1st day”—No matter what happens, yah, I felt good on the 1st day//“looking to the right” to get confirmation from manager. //Let the journey unfold!
-Nicole: “I don’t advodate for myself”//power matrix (yuck!) // lack of goals, (mattering to me?)
Although I didn’t mention the theme, it is BE-ing Present. Not getting caught in the past or the future. The past (i.e. guilt, shame, embarrassment, etc.) or the future (fear, fear, and more fear). What prevents us from being present? It’s similar to those barriers.
We touched on body language (more later), worthiness (being a frequent underlying theme and an almost constant struggle), and < and >
Bottom-line. FEAR prevents us from being our best selves. Fear of being seen. Fear of being too much. Fear of vulnerability. Fear of being judged. Fear of not being perfect. Etcetera.
What if… we lived with abandon? And truly, with faces to the sun, felt JOY? Felt WHOLE? Felt like we LOVED ourselves? Like we were/are a priority? 🤷🏻♀️
Thank-you for your responses, your vulnerability, and your engagement. LOTS going on—stay safe and take care. Special thoughts to each of you for your individual situations.
Have a fabulous couple of weeks!
❤️H.
p.s. I love that we have adjusted dates for each of you! Woohoo… it feels so balanced and “being there for each other”. Honestly, there is a lesson in everything!
Date adjustments:
Our October 28th session is now scheduled for November 5th, 8-10 MST/10-12 EST
Our November 11th session is now scheduled for November 13th, 1-3 MST/3-5 EST
Homework:
-Continued observations in the day-to-day. What have are you noticing about yourself? Trends? Themes? Have you noticed any of “our topics” show up?
-Go live with abandon! What were you doing/When did you feel authentically YOU?
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CoCo! - Session #2 - YOU
LINK to Video: https://youtu.be/BXXickCYwXw
We discussed the BINARY MINDSET and expanding the spectrum to be a 10 point scale, aligning with the mantra “Honor SELF while respecting others”.
One of the best presents you can give yourself is “presence”. I hope you continue to focus on this and grow your practice. Initially it feels futile. Then, at some point, it becomes a have-to-do. 🙏🏻🧘🏻♀️✌🏼
From last session, we revisited the concept of drawing on your vertical-from-the-CORE source of energy, versus your horizontal-outside-yourself energy… literally switching your LIGHTsource.
Lots of discussion around pink and blue communication (or pomegranate & bananas!). Words to remember: CONNECTION vs. INDEPENDENCE, and the spectrum of DOUBT and CERTAINTY. These concepts can help explain what happens when a problem arises and how it is handled, as well as interviewing! (thank-you Nicole for the supporting HR point-of-view!)
QUOTE: Water is fluid , soft, and yeilding. But water will wear away rock, which is rigid and cannot yield. As a rule, whatever is fluid, soft, and yielding will overcome whatever is rigid and hard. This is another paradox: what is soft is strong” ~LaoTzu
HOMEWORK: the homework will be the foundation of Session #3. Continue to observe & journal your findings.
1. a. What aha’s, or shifts-in-thinking have occurred for you? Especially related to the communication & gender topics.
1. b. What new awareness about your CORE/true-self have you had, or are you having?
1.c. What are your self imposed barriers?
1.d. Which concept has played out in real life?
2. Stepping Into Your Power is a mindset as much as it is (if not more than) technique, strategy, and knowledge. How are you shifting in your mindset? in action? I know it still early …but what is your best before & after moment /example since starting this process?
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CoCo! - Session #1a - YOU
LINK to AUDIO: (first part of session): https://youtu.be/L2uMduDP7qQ
LINK to VIDEO: (2nd part of session): https://youtu.be/LegS5SBI4R4
I have two links because, as you know, I was kicked off during the session! No video on the first section and video on the second. You might need to open these in a separate window on your browser.
It was great meeting all of you—loved the energy, the digging-in engagement, and the depth of your answers! Much appreciated.
Again, the homework is (not all the questions, these are merely thought stimiulators)
1. Who are you (without labels, titles, roles)? What are the themes in your backback?
What are your limiting beliefs? How do you limit your potential?
How do you get in your own way? What are the leaves on your mesh frame?
Is there something holding you back from being the best version of YOU?
2. “Meditate”. This can range from just stopping, sitting, and being quiet, to intentionally
focusing on something… like what’s in your backpack? Or finding your inner core light.
Or maybe your breathing (popular!). Try this 2-3 times for 10-30 min.
3. Bring a rubber band to the next session.
4. Your choice - either as a resource (to expound on topics), or as a “development read”
Have a great couple of weeks!
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Dan GIlmartin PODCAST
Link: https://www.heidifrye.com/podcast/dan-gilmartin-passion-project
Dan is the Executive Director and CEO of the Michigan Municipal League. In this episode he talks about the passion behind the 16/50 project, the importance of (and challenges for) Women in Government, and the goal to change the status quo.
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Mariah Walton PODCAST
Link: https://www.heidifrye.com/podcast/mariah-walton-her-ceiling-is-now-her-floor
Those who are interested in CIty/Town/VIllage management will certainly find this podcast super insightful! So… for your listening pleasure, here is the link! Enjoy!!
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Carlos Manzano PODCAST
Link: https://www.heidifrye.com/podcast/carlos-manzano-new-york-state-of-mind
Carlos is one of the top execs in the NYC - Commission for Gender Equity . He wrote his PhD thesis on the women leading in NY City Government. I met up with him on a trip to NY August 2023, and promptly invited him onto the podcast. We had so much to talk about!
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Emily Kieliszewski PODCAST-Part 2!
Link: https://www.heidifrye.com/podcast/emily-kieliszewski-emotionsbehindthemask
I couldn’t stop! Emily and I finished the podcast and she kept talking about the emotions behind everything she had gone through. RAW. REAL. REVEALING. Pretty special interview. (Again, Emily is a manager at MML and the amazing caretaker of the 16/50 program)
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Emily Kieliszewski PODCAST-Part 1
Link: https://www.heidifrye.com/podcast/emily-kieliszewski-empowerment
In this podcast with Emily—MML Manager, 16/50 Project program caretaker, and former Miss Michigan—she talks about Empowerment, Leadership, and our favorite development program! Fun convo!!
Meet the Cohort
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Alisha Janes (AJ)
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Madeline VanDenHoek
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Nicole Schafer
Dates &
Details!
For Women with Busy Lives Who Need the Details!
Once you’ve said YES, registered, and committed to growing YOU, here is the information you’ll need:
📅 Dates:
Starting September 2025 – Meetings held on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month (*with the exception of the final session in December)
September 9, September 23, October 14, October 28, November 11, November 25, December 9, *December 16
⏰ Time:
Session time: 3:00-5:00 EST/2:00-4:00 CST/1:00-3:00 MST/12:00-2:00 PST.
🖇️Admin:
Once you are registered, I will send important information including class lists, expectations, and the program link. Invoices will be sent the weeks of August 25th and September 1st. Keep an eye on your inbox! 📩
❤️H.
☑️ Meeting Expectations
Please review the meeting expectations below. At the first session, you will be asked if you have reviewed the information and are committed to upholding it.
📋 Participant Roster
I want you to meet one another with fresh eyes and open hearts, without prepping, researching, or assuming about each other—so please resist the urge. There’s real value in stepping into the unknown and trusting yourself to connect authentically, without needing all the details up front. If possible, faces only.
We’ll begin by experiencing each other as we are, in real time — the names and details will follow soon enough.
A little more challenging with the CoCo group since many of you know each other, but all good! No extra research!! 😉
📋🎥🎙️📒 Session: Recordings, Resources, Homework, and Notes
This document will be updated after each session with a session recording link, homework assignment, and session notes (if any).
Please refresh your page
Within (approximately) 48 hours of each session. Certain links might require you copy and paste into a new browser. Regarding the recordings—please to not share with others outside of the program—each person’s story/situation is private, and the information is proprietary.
Again, the Thursday prior to our next session for any meeting prep. If there separate attachment, I will send out a separate email.
☑️ Meeting Expectations
Maintain confidentiality — What’s shared in this space, stays in this space(!!!). Trust is foundational to this work.
Be open and courageous — Vulnerability is welcomed. Show up as your full, imperfect, powerful self!
Contribute - Ideally each person contributes a thought or a response at each session. This is good for everyone!
Be on time — Sessions start at 3:00 p.m. EST and your presence matters.
Be consistent — The value of this experience grows with your shared commitment over time.
Commitment to staying current — If you do miss a session, you are committed to stay current and review the recording by the next session.
Honor the group — If you can’t attend, please send a message to your collective peers (contact info will be shared)
Be present — Minimize distractions, close other tabs, and treat this as protected time.
Engage thoughtfully — Listen fully, speak authentically, and support one another with care (please no email while waiting your turn!)
Withhold judgment — We’re all in different places in our leadership journey. Assume best intentions and embrace curiosity.
Be mindful — When it is your turn, please be mindful of the suggested time allotment, giving your fellow participants an opportunity to participate.
Stay open — New insights, perspectives, and ways of leading may stretch you. That’s part of the process.
Keep the momentum going — Take time between sessions to reflect and/or journal, try on new insights, engage in homework suggestions, and revisit the questions that challenge or inspire you.
We’re building something powerful together — and while we hold each other to these expectations, we also hold space for grace, knowing that life happens.
This experience is designed to reconnect you to your core power—to expand the way you lead, communicate, and grow.
You’ve been doing important work. You care deeply about your community and the people you serve. Now is the time to focus on you—your leadership, your voice, your presence, your growth.
The LeadHERship Coaching Collective: Stepping Into Her Power is a 4-month leadership development experience designed specifically for women in municipal government, grounded in the transformative ideas from The Light Switch, providing a framework for accessing personal power. This journey isn’t about “turning on” your power—it’s about switching the source. From this place you lead with more clarity, intention, and self-trust.
This is where you begin.
Reclaim your voice.
Own your presence.
Lead with authenticity and purpose.
You’ll learn how to:
Lead with a renewed sense of self
Communicate with purpose and presence, not just position
Learn to approach interactions from a new vantage point, giving you newfound capability and awareness
Navigate people dynamics with confidence and self-trust
Let go of the baggage and show up authentically
Learn management and leadership best practices
Discover YOU, and what you’re capable of
This is foundational work. And you won’t do it alone. You’ll be supported by a professional executive coach, and surrounded by women who share your commitment to public service and personal growth.
If you’ve ever thought, “There has to be a better way to lead”—you’re right.
It starts here.
“Your power isn’t something outside of you. It’s already within. This work is about drawing it out—and leading from that place.”
We’ll dig into the topics that matter most to your growth, including:
What a strong and grounded YOU looks like and how it applies to your leadership
How to communicate clearly—no over-explaining or holding back
Learning a new game-changing communication tool
Navigating the in’s and out’s of feminine and masculine energy
Letting go of the top habits that keep women stuck or small
Tapping into your inner power—the kind that’s already within you—and learning how to lead from that place
Lead Beyond Barriers
✅ 8 live virtual group coaching sessions over 4 months
✅ Real-world application and problem-solving with your leadership collective
✅ Small cohort (10-15 participants) so you get the most out of every session
✅ A strong network of female municipal leaders who get it
✅ Exclusive private coaching bonus (after the halfway mark)
✅ Designed with the intention of learning, leading, reflection, support, idea generation, inspiration, and inspired action
✅ Best-practice leadership strategies
For Women Leaders with an Eye on the Future
This program is exclusively for women in U.S. municipal government who:
Want to refine and elevate their leadership strategies while continuing to grow in their roles
Are ready to engage in meaningful conversations and address real-world challenges with confidence and strategy
Value expert guidance and the power of learning alongside like-minded peers
Are ready to step more fully into their power—no more shrinking, second-guessing, or playing small
“Working with Heidi has been transformational for me. She challenges me to think about situations from multiple vantage points and figures out how to get the best out of my team. My growth as a leader is directly tied to working with Heidi. She is a highly effective executive coach who walks the line perfectly between pushing you and your potential, and celebrating your progress. I love her! 😊.”
Ready to Command the Space?
Work with me, Heidi Frye, a leadership strategist and executive coach who has spent decades helping high-achievers lead with confidence, influence, and real impact.
Join this exclusive cohort to sharpen your strategy, expand your leadership presence, and lock in special pilot pricing before the full launch.
