The Science of Leadership

Leadership is the multiplier that drives organizational success.

The Importance of Strong Leadership

Impact Leader is prepared to assist your organization fine-tune to the next level of performance and leadership improvement. We engage an extensive network of trainers and coaches using proven tools and approaches customized for your organization’s needs.

Paula’s unique perspective — from counseling individuals to serving as Missouri’s State Health Officer — gives her unmatched ability to guide organizations through complexity and into sustainable growth.

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Team Member Engagement

According to their most recent State of the Global Workforce Report, Gallup believes the cost of lost productivity in the United States is $2 trillion annually.

“Employee Engagement Levels in the U.S. Workforce (2025). Source: Gallup, State of the Global Workplace: 2025 Report.”

Without strong leadership,

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Organizations and employees

  • Become internally competitive rather than cooperative

  • Are motivated only by transactional rewards like money

  • May feel unsupported, unappreciated, and lose pride in their organization

  • Become unwilling to strive for collective goals

  • Experience spreading negative emotions and dissonance

  • Are reluctant to take risks or fully commit

  • Hesitate to innovate or support organizational objectives

    *List was compiled from research by James M. Kouzel and Kouzed and Barry Posner

Strong leaders reverse these trends, creating workplaces where teams are empowered, motivated, and aligned with organizational goals.

The Leadership Challenge Advantage

At Impact Leader, we use The Leadership Challenge®, a research-based framework by Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner, to develop leaders who consistently deliver results.

Organizations that apply these practices experience:

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Better performance and effectiveness

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Reduced turnover and absenteeism

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Improved teamwork and empowerment

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Increased productivity

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Greater commitment from staff

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Higher leader credibility

By helping leaders model the way, inspire a shared vision, challenge the process, enable others to act, and encourage the heart,
we build a culture of excellence from the top down. Impact Leader exists to exponentially change lives through better leadership.

Why Impact Leader?

Paula Nickelson, Founder + CEO, understands the complexity of organizational challenges and leverages proven tools and customized strategies to help leaders improve their skills, strengthen their teams, and transform their organizations. Paula brings a unique perspective shaped by decades of leadership in:

Government

Healthcare

Academic Healthcare

Nonprofit

Corporate

What Sets Us Apart

Impact Leader engages an extensive network of trainers and coaches using proven tools and approaches customized to your organization’s needs. Paula’s blend of frontline counseling, executive leadership, and state-level policy expertise makes her uniquely prepared to facilitate  organizations fine-tune performance and build strong, resilient leadership.

Leaders Change Lives.

Lead Better. Lead with Impact.

Take the Next Step.

Strong leadership transforms organizations. Your leadership journey starts today