Origin Leadership Consulting

08/14/2026

Matriarchal spaces do not fear friction. They expect it.

We need to stop trying to smooth out every rough edge in the name of alignment. That friction is not a sign that things are breaking down. It is the sparks catching, and it is the only way a group actually creates anything real.

My latest journal entry, Why Are We So Obsessed With Alignment?, is live. https://thebraidedleader.substack.com/

08/12/2026

Maybe it’s my Gen X, get-to-the-point personality, but do the meetings to have meetings feel redundant to anyone else? The phrase, this could have been an email, has never been more real.

My latest journal entry, Why Are We So Obsessed With Alignment?, is live. https://thebraidedleader.substack.com/

08/11/2026

My real question is, why do we all have to be aligned to professionally do our jobs and be kind to one another while doing so?

Sometimes friction is needed. River rock doesn’t become smooth without it. A fire cannot start without it. The reality is, change cannot happen without it.

So why do we avoid it at all costs?

Read the full piece on The Braided Leader at the link below.
https://thebraidedleader.substack.com/

08/10/2026

Nothing alive is perfectly smooth. River stones only become round because they crash against each other in the current. Fire only catches because of the rough friction of wood.

Matriarchal spaces do not fear friction. They expect it. When we gather a council, we aren't looking for a chorus of polite agreement. We are looking for the sparks that happen when different perspectives rub against each other.

That friction isn't a sign of failure. It is the only way a group actually creates anything real.

My latest journal entry, Why Are We So Obsessed With Alignment?, is live. https://thebraidedleader.substack.com/

08/04/2026

I spent two years getting a master’s degree in leadership studies. We dissected case studies, analyzed corporate hierarchies, and memorized every modern framework on the books.

Guess what we talked about zero times?
Matriarchal leadership.

Traditional academia teaches leadership as a system of control, transaction, or vision projection. It treats leading like a performance; a set of tactics to implement so you can keep a system running fast.

This past week, sitting in a circle with First Nations and Métis elders, I was reminded of what those textbooks completely missed. Real matriarchal leadership isn't about flipping the old hierarchy on its head. It’s about caring for the ecosystem so everyone can thrive. It replaces the executive at the top of the pyramid with someone sitting in the center of a circle.

My latest piece, What University Forgot to Teach Us About Leadership, is live on Substack now. https://thebraidedleader.substack.com/

08/03/2026

"We weren’t just taught leadership frameworks in university. We were taught a specific, transactional worldview."
Looking back at your own training or early career, what was the biggest unlearning you had to do when you realized the corporate textbooks didn't match real life?

What does moving from the pyramid to the circle actually look like in practice? https://thebraidedleader.substack.com/

07/19/2026

I started The Braided Leader as a place to explore what it means to lead from a place of matriarchal teachings and real relationship. It is for those moments when the structures around us feel completely transactional.

The first post is live today. If you have been looking for a slower and more human conversation about leadership, the door is open. I would love to have you join me.

An exploration of Matriarchal leadership, ancestral protocol, and relational accountability. Click to read The Braided Leader, by Raelene, a Substack publication. Launched an hour ago.

06/02/2026

Ever wonder how National Indigenous History Month actually started?

It did not just appear on the calendar. It was the result of decades of hard work, advocacy and resilience by Indigenous communities demanding recognition for their history, heritage and contributions.

It officially grew from National Aboriginal Solidarity Day in 1996 into a full month of recognition by 2009.

If you want to connect with the deep history of the land you are on today, a great place to start is native-land.ca. It lets you look up the traditional territories, languages and treaties specific to your area.

Let’s use this month to honour where this movement came from, listen to Indigenous voices and move forward together in the true spirit of reconciliation.

03/24/2026

So proud of our team! We have just released our first custom course on Southern Michif Culture and Language. A deep Marsii to and for all the hard work and encouragement to bring this beautiful course to life!

Immerse yourself in the beauty of Southern Michif with our comprehensive course. Join us to explore the unique blend of Cree and French in this immersive learni