Illustrating Leadership Lesson: Listening to your Body
If you’ve ever heard the term “somatic” and wondered what it meant, Joanna breaks it down beautifully: the word soma means “body.” Somatic or embodied work, she explains, simply means remembering that we have a body — and that it carries important information about how we feel, lead, and connect.
In leadership, that awareness can change everything. “When we forget we have a body,” Joanna says, “we lose access to the wisdom it holds — like when stress shows up as tension in your shoulders or a knot in your stomach.”
Somatic practices help leaders slow down, listen, and make decisions that feel aligned — not just logical.
The Power of Being Seen
When asked about the best leader she’s ever worked with, Joanna shared the story of Michael, her chief program officer at a youth development nonprofit.
Early in her career, she learned about an external leadership program the day before applications were due — and it required a reference letter. Despite barely knowing her personally, Michael not only agreed to help but sent a thoughtful, two-page recommendation within 30 minutes.
What moved Joanna most was how accurately he described her strengths and contributions — proof that he had been paying attention, even when she wasn’t reporting directly to him.
That moment became a turning point in her leadership journey. “It’s one thing to have a leader who believes in you,” she shared, “but another to have one who truly sees you.”
Seeing Your People in a High-Stress Space
Working in nonprofits comes with unique pressures: tight budgets, long hours, and the constant drive to serve others often leave little space for employee care. Yet, as Joanna and I discussed, leaders who take the time to know their people and make them feel valued actually create more sustainable organizations.
As she put it, “Getting to know your people — really getting to know them — means understanding how they work, not just how you want them to work.”
She also emphasized that self-awareness is essential for leading well: “You can’t help your team regulate if you’re not aware of your own body, capacity, or trauma responses. Leadership starts in the nervous system.”
Why Mission-Driven Leaders Need Embodiment
In the nonprofit world, leaders often overextend themselves in service of the mission. But Joanna argues that embodied leadership actually deepens connection to that mission, rather than detracting from it.
“When I felt safer and more seen at work,” she reflected, “I connected to the mission in a deeper way. People don’t leave missions — they leave managers.”
Through her coaching practice, Joanna helps social impact professionals reconnect to their bodies, reframe scarcity mindsets, and build careers that feel aligned and sustainable.
Small Somatic Shifts That Make a Big Difference
Embodied leadership doesn’t require an hour of meditation every morning — it can start small. Joanna recommends:
Taking a short walk when you feel stuck.
Pausing to notice where stress shows up in your body.
Practicing titration — focusing on one small sensation at a time instead of diving into deep discomfort all at once.
Even a few minutes of mindful awareness can help leaders regulate their nervous systems and make clearer, more compassionate decisions.
As Joanna says, “If you don’t take the time to listen to your body, eventually your body will make sure you do.”
Connect with Joanna Lund-Pops
You can connect with Joanna and explore her embodied career guidance work at her website. Listeners of the Illustrating Leadership Podcast can also email her directly for a free 30-minute coaching session — just mention that you came from the show.
Your host, Jessica Wright, is a Life & Career Development Coach for Leaders and the Founder of Wright Life Coaching, LLC. You can connect with and follow her on LinkedIn.
