For leaders who think they're already self-aware
Leadership Is a PracticeNot a Personality
Most leadership books sell you a personality type. This one gives you a practice.
Free · From Chapter 1
Four exercises to start the practice today
Pulled straight from Chapter 1. Four short exercises to help you notice what's actually happening, in you and in the room. Instant download, plus updates as we get closer to release.
Early praise
What readers are saying
“Desiree writes the way she leads: no BS. Her superpower is honesty, without armor, and with room for everyone at the table. Her story of taking off the mask and leading from within is one every leader, especially those who’ve had to prove they belong, will recognize. Keep a pen handy, the worksheets alone are worth the price. Reading this made me a better leader.”
David Turetsky
Founder & Managing Consultant, HR Data Labs; host, HR Data Labs Podcast
“I could not get enough of this book. It transformed my perspective on what true leadership is about while allowing me time to reflect and critically evaluate myself… The writing is clear, organized, well-paced, and easy to comprehend. I recommend Leadership Is a Practice, Not a Personality to managers, team leads, HR departments, and those interested in either personal or organizational growth.”
Stewart Brian
Readers’ Favorite
“A great business management guide that avoids predictable, shallow marketing buzzwords you usually find in corporate books… If you’re trying to build a workplace where different types of people can actually do great work without hiding who they are, this guide gives you a fantastic roadmap for real cultural change. Very highly recommended.”
Robert Collier III
Readers’ Favorite
The Book
The work most leadership advice skips
This book is for leaders who are good at the job and still feel the gap between what they mean and how it lands. It walks through the internal work most advice skips: noticing your own blind spots, treating empathy as something you use in the room, not just something you feel, building inclusion into systems instead of statements, mentoring without ego, and earning authority instead of assuming it.
Six stages, with stories, tools, and exercises in every chapter. Not a personality test. A practice you return to, one landing at a time.
- 01
Notice
What is actually happening, in you and in the room.
- 02
Reflect
Sit with it before you respond to it.
- 03
Empathize
Use it in the room, not just feel it.
- 04
Include
Build it into systems, not statements.
- 05
Mentor
Give it away without ego.
- 06
Lead
Authority you earned, not assumed.
Ebook out now. Paperback out October 27, 2026 through Guiding Brilliant Writers (GBW) Publishing
Desiree Goldey · Austin, Texas
Twenty-five years of watching how authority is actually earned
For years, Desiree led the way she thought leaders were supposed to: competent, composed, always prepared, never letting anyone see what she was carrying. As a Black woman in industries where the systems and unwritten rules were built for someone else, she kept trying to fit a mold that was never going to fit her. What changed everything wasn't a new strategy or a new title. It was deciding to stop leading on autopilot and start leading from within.
Today she is the founder of Do Better Consulting and co-host of the Talentless podcast, with more than 25 years across sales, marketing, hospitality, consumer goods, and talent. She advises founders, executives, and talent leaders on how they lead, hire, and build teams.
Leadership Is a Practice, Not a Personality is her first solo book.
Excerpt
Read the opening
Leadership is not about having all the answers, looking perfect, or even checking all the boxes. Leadership is about an internal self-awareness, knowing who we are, understanding our weaknesses, embracing our strengths, and being honest about how we show up in the world. Until we truly understand ourselves, we'll never be a leader of real consequence. If we're not self-aware, we're failing as a leader, and we won’t even know it to begin with. It's that simple.
From Chapter 1, The Power of Self-Awareness in Leadership
Keep reading.
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FAQ
Questions, answered
- What is Leadership Is a Practice, Not a Personality about?
- It argues that leadership is a skill built through self-awareness, not a personality type you're born with. The book lays out six stages you actively practice: Notice, Reflect, Empathize, Include, Mentor, and Lead.
- What are the six stages of leadership in the book?
- Notice what's actually happening, in you and in the room. Reflect before you respond. Empathize by using it in the room, not just feeling it. Include by building it into systems, not statements. Mentor by giving it away without ego. Lead with authority you earned, not assumed.
- When is Leadership Is a Practice, Not a Personality being published?
- The ebook is out now. The paperback publishes October 27, 2026 through Guiding Brilliant Writers (GBW) Publishing.
- Who wrote Leadership Is a Practice, Not a Personality?
- Desiree Goldey, founder of Do Better Consulting, wrote the book. It's her first solo book, drawing on more than 25 years of business, leadership, and talent experience.
- Can I buy this book for my team or company?
- Yes. Use the form below and I'll follow up directly.
Buying for your team?
Bulk orders for teams, companies, and events. Send an inquiry and I'll follow up directly.