You know that feeling when you're in a meeting and everyone is nodding, but you can sense the underlying tension? That unspoken "thing" that no one wants to bring up? Honestly, most leadership training doesn't touch that. It stays on the surface with charts and "synergy" and corporate buzzwords. But in Southern Oregon, something a bit more substantial is happening.
Kristi Frederick is bringing the Dare to Lead curriculum to Medford, Oregon, and it’s not your typical "sit and listen" workshop.
If you’ve spent any time in a leadership role, you’ve probably heard of Brené Brown. Her research on vulnerability and courage changed the way we think about work. But reading a book is one thing; actually doing the work in a room full of other managers who are also struggling with burnout and "armored" leadership is something else entirely.
The Reality of Leadership in Medford
Medford has a specific vibe. We have a mix of massive healthcare systems, booming small businesses, and a growing tech scene. It’s a place where relationships matter. When a culture gets toxic here, word spreads fast.
Kristi Frederick isn't just someone who read a book and decided to teach it. She’s a Certified Dare to Lead™ Facilitator (CDTLF) with a Master’s in Organizational Development and Change. Basically, she’s spent over two decades figuring out why teams fall apart and how to put them back together.
She founded a firm called Omnia Vincit Amor (which means "Love Conquers All"). It sounds a bit "woo-woo" for a business name, right? But once you look at the data on psychological safety and its impact on a company’s bottom line, it starts to make practical sense.
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What Actually Happens in These Workshops?
Most people go into leadership training expecting to learn how to delegate better. Or maybe how to use a new project management tool. Kristi Frederick’s Dare to Lead sessions in Medford focus on four specific skill sets that are, quite frankly, a lot harder to master:
- Rumbling with Vulnerability: This isn’t about oversharing your childhood trauma at the water cooler. It’s about having the "hard" conversations without getting defensive.
- Living into Our Values: We all have values on our websites. But do we actually use them to make decisions when things get messy?
- Braving Trust: Using the "BRAVING" acronym (Boundaries, Reliability, Accountability, Vault, Integrity, Non-judgment, Generosity) to diagnose where trust is breaking down in a team.
- Learning to Rise: Dealing with the inevitable failures and setbacks without letting them crush the team's morale.
The "Magic Maker" approach Kristi takes—that’s her self-described title—blends some pretty heavy research with actual, usable tools. She’s a BetterUp-trained coach, so she understands the nervous system stuff too. When you're under pressure, your brain goes into "fight or flight." You can't lead well when you're in that state.
Why This Matters for Southern Oregon Now
Let's be real. The last few years have been brutal for local leaders. Between the pandemic’s long-tail effects, labor shortages, and the general "vibe shift" in the workplace, people are tired.
I’ve seen leaders in Medford trying to "white-knuckle" their way through. They think if they just work harder or act tougher, the team will fall in line. It usually backfires. You get quiet quitting, high turnover, and a culture of fear.
Kristi Frederick's work focuses on human-first leadership.
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She recently co-facilitated a "Courage & Care" workshop at the Rogue Credit Union in Medford. The focus? Burnout prevention and nervous system regulation. It’s about building a culture that supports people and results. Because you can’t have one without the other for very long.
Is It Worth the Time?
Time is the one thing no manager has enough of. So, spending a full day—or several days—in a workshop feels like a risk.
But think about the cost of a "toxic" hire or a department head who everyone is afraid of. The turnover costs alone are astronomical. Dare to Lead isn't just about feeling good. It’s about building a "courageous" culture where people feel safe enough to take risks and tell the truth.
One of the coolest things about Kristi's approach is that she doesn't just talk at you. She uses a mix of videos, exercises, and real-talk facilitation. She’s worked extensively in healthcare leadership—a field where "high pressure" is an understatement—so she knows how to handle rooms full of skeptics.
Moving Beyond "Armored" Leadership
Brené Brown talks about "armored leadership"—the tendency to lead from a place of self-protection. We use perfectionism, cynicism, or "knowing it all" as a shield.
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Kristi Frederick helps Medford leaders trade that armor for "daring leadership."
- Instead of being a "knower," you become a "learner."
- Instead of avoiding conflict, you "lean in" to the rumble.
- Instead of using fear as a motivator, you use connection.
It sounds simple. It is incredibly difficult to do.
If you're looking to bring this to your team, you're usually looking at a few different formats. Sometimes it's a 1-day "foundations" workshop. Other times, it's a full 24-hour curriculum that leads to a certificate.
Actionable Steps for Local Leaders
You don't have to wait for a workshop to start changing how you lead. Here are a few things you can do tomorrow morning:
- Audit your "armor": Next time you feel defensive in a meeting, stop. Ask yourself: "What am I trying to protect right now?"
- Check your "Vault": Are you a safe place for your employees' information? If you gossip about one employee to another, you've destroyed trust for both.
- Define your "Clear": As the saying goes, "Clear is kind. Unclear is unkind." If you aren't giving clear feedback because you're afraid of being "mean," you're actually being unkind by letting them fail.
If you’re in the Medford area and want to see what a session looks like, keep an eye on local SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management) chapters or the Rogue Valley business calendar. Kristi often speaks at these events.
Leadership doesn't have to be a lonely, armored grind. It’s possible to lead with both a "backbone and a heart," and having someone like Kristi Frederick in the Rogue Valley to guide that process is a massive asset for our local business community.
Next Steps for You: Check your current team's "trust battery." If it’s running low, don't ignore it. You might want to look into the BRAVING inventory from the Dare to Lead curriculum. It’s a solid way to pinpoint exactly where things are getting shaky. If you're ready for a deeper dive, reaching out for a consultation regarding a team retreat or a workshop is usually the most effective way to kickstart a culture shift.