Deline Institute for Professional Development

10/05/2026

I’M READY FOR A BIGGER MICROPHONE!

I am officially in the running to become the next Top Host and earn the opportunity to host my own six-episode podcast produced by iHeartRadio!

For me, this is bigger than a title or a $25,000 prize. This is an opportunity to take the work I have dedicated my life to and give it a much larger microphone.

I want to reach more women. Amplify more voices. Share more powerful stories. And remind women everywhere that their experience has value, their voice matters, and their next level is possible.

Winning Top Host would allow me to expand that mission on a national platform.

This is a serious step toward something much bigger, and I need your vote to help make it happen.

VOTE FOR DR. MADELINE ANN LEWIS FOR TOP HOST!

Vote here:

Will Dr. Madeline Ann Lewis be a guest on an episode of On Air with Ryan Seacrest, win $25,000, and lead a podcast produced by iHeartRadio?

09/16/2026

Success nugget... LEADERSHIP MATTERS: A CONVERSATION FOR WOMEN READY TO LEAD!

Join me for an engaging conversation on leadership, executive presence, career growth, and practical strategies to help women show up, rise up, and lead with purpose.

https://youtu.be/Kr8YNz3VPg4?si=X823LcKRUlvL3oe4

Dr. Lewis talks about what it really takes to lead with confidence ...

09/14/2026

https://youtu.be/CaGNiIa4948?si=6bseC7hKhpc0eTjP

Are you paying the Empathy Tax at work without even realizing it? I...

09/12/2026

I’m excited to share my newly published leadership feature in Executive Diary Magazine!

Success nugget... What happens when a woman has the credentials, experience, and ability to lead, but still hesitates to be seen?

In this feature, I share lessons from my leadership journey, from serving as a Sergeant Major in the United States Army to helping accomplished women find their voice, strengthen their
confidence, increase their visibility, and step fully into leadership.

We also explore my 8 Habits of Highly Successful Women, the experiences that shaped my leadership philosophy, and a message I believe every woman leader needs to remember:

You do not have to become someone else to lead. You have to recognize the value, ability, and leadership that are already within you and have the confidence to let them be seen.

I invite you to read my Executive Diary Magazine feature and share the leadership lesson that speaks most powerfully to you.

Read the full Executive Diary Magazine feature: https://executivesdiary.com/.../09/08/dr-madeline-ann-lewis/

Dr. Madeline Ann Lewis is President/CEO of the Executive Women's Success Institute, an international TEDx speaker, author, and career coach dedicated to helping women build visibility and advance into executive leadership.

09/09/2026

I TOOK ONE EXTRA DAY OFF. APPARENTLY, THE COMPANY COLLAPSED!

Success nugget... Ladies, I need somebody to explain something to me. Labor Day was already a holiday. Monday was FREE. All I did was look at Friday and think, “You know what? I believe I will take you too.”

That is it.

One little extra day.

I turned a three-day weekend into a beautiful four-day weekend, and I regret NOTHING. I rested. I relaxed. I disconnected. I enjoyed myself.

By Tuesday morning, I walked back into the office refreshed, recharged, Chocolate Caramel Latte in hand, purse on my shoulder, and ready to get back to business.

I opened the door.

Apparently, civilization had collapsed. People were waiting. Folders were waiting. Messages were waiting. My computer was sitting there looking suspicious.

Then I opened my email.

147 NEW EMAILS.

Excuse me? I was gone ONE EXTRA DAY!

Before I could put my purse down:

“Did you see my email?”

No.

I was OFF.

“Can you hop on a quick call?”

I just got here.

“We need you ASAP.”

Apparently, you needed me Friday too, but I was somewhere minding my business.

Then came my personal favorite:

“I just have a few questions.”

Ladies, we all know there is no such thing as “just a few questions.” That is how they get you.

One question becomes five questions. Five questions become a meeting. The meeting produces another meeting. Then somebody says, “While we have you here...”

NO!

But somewhere underneath all the humor is something I want women to remember.

You are allowed to rest. You are allowed to take the day off. You are allowed to disconnect without feeling guilty. You do not have to work yourself into exhaustion to prove that you are committed, capable, or valuable.

Rest does not diminish your leadership. Sometimes rest is exactly what allows you to return with the energy, clarity, and perspective you need to lead well.

And if everything falls apart because you took ONE extra day off?

Ladies, you do not need less vacation.

They need a better system!

Now, if you will excuse me, I have 147 emails to deal with.

But first...

I am going to finish my Chocolate Caramel Latte.

Some boundaries survived the four-day weekend!

09/06/2026

Success nugget... LEADERSHIP WORD OF THE WEEK
COURAGE!

What It Means:
Courage in leadership is the willingness to speak up, share your perspective, challenge an idea when necessary, and stand behind what you believe, even when doing so feels uncomfortable.

Leadership does not require you to have the loudest voice in the room. But it does require you to use the voice you have.

How to Put COURAGE Into Action:
1. Speak before you talk yourself out of it.
When you have an idea, insight, or concern that can add value to the conversation, contribute it. Stop waiting for the perfect moment or the perfect words.

2. Ask the question others may be afraid to ask.
Courageous leaders are willing to respectfully challenge assumptions, seek clarity, and raise issues that need attention.

3. Advocate for yourself and others.

Use your voice to communicate your value, ask for opportunities, acknowledge your accomplishments, and make sure other women's ideas and contributions are heard and recognized.

Remember:
Your expertise brought you into the room. Your courage allows you to make an impact once you are there. You do not have to shrink your voice to make others comfortable.

Your voice belongs in the room. Use it.

Discussion Question:
What is one situation where you know you need to have more courage to speak up?

09/04/2026

YOU EARNED THE SEAT AT THE TABLE. BUT ARE YOU USING IT?

Success nugget... Getting into the room is an accomplishment. Making your presence count once you are there is leadership.

In Volume 1, Issue 008 of the Show Up to Rise Up Leadership Brief™, our Cover Story, “You Have a Seat at the Table. Now What?”, challenges women to move beyond simply being included and start using their voices, trusting their expertise, and contributing with confidence.

Read Volume 1, Issue 008 of the Show Up to Rise Up Leadership Brief™.

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08/12/2026

Success nugget...

08/05/2026

Success nugget... WHERE'S MY ASSISTANT???

This morning started like any other.

Coffee? ✔️
Big meeting on the calendar? ✔️
Agenda prepared? ✔️
Confidence level? Through the roof. ✔️

Then my phone rang...

"Dr. Lewis, I'm so sorry. I'm sick and won't be able to make it today."

Oh no… silence… pause… Then I snapped out of it while thinking!

My assistant. My right hand. My "she already thought of it before I did" person.

No problem, I thought. We have two temporary team members helping this month.

Then reality showed up.

One looked at me like I had asked them to launch a rocket to the moon.

The other politely explained, "I've never done that before."

Meanwhile, the meeting clock was ticking... my paperwork seemed to multiply... technology suddenly became more complicated than usual... and I found myself asking...

"WHERE'S MY ASSISTANT???"

It was one of those moments that was funny... after I survived it.

But beneath the laughter was a powerful leadership lesson.

Sometimes we underestimate the people who quietly keep everything moving. They aren't always the loudest voice in the room. They may not have the biggest title. They may not be the one giving the presentation.

Yet when they're absent...

Everyone notices.

That's what it means to become the go-to person.

The person people trust.
The person who brings calm to chaos.
The person everyone hopes is in the room when the pressure is on.

Ladies, don't ever underestimate your value.

If your absence creates confusion...
If your knowledge can't easily be replaced...
If people breathe easier when you walk into the room...

You have become more than an employee.

You have become indispensable.

And here's the leadership challenge for all of us:

While you strive to become the person everyone can count on, also invest in developing others. Great leaders don't just carry the load. They teach others how to carry it too. That's how organizations grow, teams become stronger, and leadership is multiplied.

As for me...

The meeting went well.

My blood pressure eventually returned to normal.

And when my assistant comes back...
She just might receive the "Most Valuable Player of the Month" award.

Because today reminded me that one exceptional woman can have tremendous influence, even when she's not in the room.

Leadership Takeaway:
Your value isn't measured by how busy you are. It's measured by the positive impact you make, the confidence you inspire, and the difference people feel when you're there... and when you're not.

Now tell me... have you ever had one of those "Where's my assistant?" moments? I'd love to hear your story!