The Power (and Price) of Playing by the Rules

A Generative Power® Leadership Reflection from Lisa Conners

Generative Power® is a suite of keynotes, courses, master classes, and a community I created to share a simple truth: our power—each person’s power—is generated from the inside out.

Continuously cultivating internal power is ancient wisdom, woven into every spiritual tradition and reflected in the most effective coaching and therapeutic approaches.

It is the foundation of our resilience, creativity, communication, and our ability to form deep, authentic, loving relationships.

Through Generative Power programs, I share this wisdom in my own voice—shaped by my life experiences, inspired by the many people I’ve been fortunate to know, and the multi-faceted professional experiences that I’ve navigated.

I invite you to download my free pdf, Leadership Reflections on The Power (and Price) of Playing by the Rules.

Regardless of your personal or professional background, I guarantee, your internal power won’t feel the same after reading this short guide.

For more context, read below for how and why I created these reflections.

Here’s to a powerful 2026!

Coach Lisa

GENERATIVE POWER® and THE PATTERNS THAT EMERGED

In 2025, I created two Generative Power®, self-directed courses that I invite you to join!

The 7-Day Momentum Builder

The 8-Week Power Challenge

And, in addition to executive and leadership coaching, I created and presented keynotes and programs with the following titles:

  • Your Authentic Leadership Presence

  • The Power (and Price) of Playing by the Rules

  • Imposter Phenomenon (aka Imposter Syndrome)

  • The Generative Power of DISC: Unlocking Leadership

  • The Power to Choose: Taking Ownership of What Comes Next

  • Generative Power: Cultivating Greater Awareness, Confidence, and Resilience from Within

  • Women and Wealth: The Power of Betting on Yourself!

  • 8 Secrets to Generative Power

As I immersed myself in creating these impactful experiences for experienced, driven leaders, one pattern kept rising to the surface.

I recognized that everyone follows internal rules - many of which they never consciously chose. Some of those rules help us to succeed. Others now shape our decisions, boundaries, and leadership presence in ways that may no longer serve us.

This led to creating my master class, The Power (and Price) of Playing by the Rules.

To my surprise and delight, the universal nature of this topic became evident as individuals enrolled from 32 countries.

I’m grateful that my professional journey has led me to create programs that resonate with a global community eager to learn more about how to live with purpose, lead with vision, and create greater impact.

I invite you to download leadership lessons about the rules you may be following.

Different leaders. Similar patterns.

Across industries and identities, a shared realization surfaced:

Leaders weren’t stuck. They were following internal rules they’d rarely named.

Patterns like:

“Say yes to be seen as committed.”

“Don’t outshine others.”

“Hold it all together.”

“Only speak when you’re certain.”

These weren’t flaws.
They were adaptive responses — often rewarded by culture, career, or early survival needs.

Naming them changed how leaders saw their choices.

Why Do These Rules Persist?

Because they worked — until they didn’t.

Internal rules tend to stay in place not out of fear, but efficiency.
They were often rewarded in the environments we grew up or worked within:

Harmony over honesty
Achievement over rest
Compliance over conflict

With time, these behaviors became habits. Habits became rules.

And rules began shaping leadership from the inside out.

Awareness of that pattern creates space — for choice, clarity, and change.

A Philosophy of Generative Power

Leadership shaped by awareness, not conditions.

At the heart of this reflection is a simple idea:

The most powerful leadership doesn’t come from following the rules we were given — but from choosing the generative rules that align with who we are now.

That’s what Generative Power® invites.

Leadership that is conscious, values-aligned, and continually evolving.

Continue the Reflection, Privately

A free e-book for leaders who want to explore these ideas at their own pace

This e-book is not a summary or solution. It’s a continuation of the masterclass’s most resonant insight:

Many leaders are still following internal rules they didn’t consciously choose.

Inside, you’ll find:

The invisible patterns that shape leadership decisions — often beneath awareness 
Why these rules persist, even when they no longer serve
A breakdown of the three types of internal rules: conditioned, strategic, and generative
The quiet cost of carrying outdated rules forward — even when things still “work” on the surface
A gentle, non-performative invitation to reflect on where your leadership might want more choice

It’s not about change for the sake of change.

It’s about becoming more aware of what’s shaping your leadership — and what’s possible when you lead from clarity.