About

Annalise Schamuhn began her formal leadership training when she joined the Canadian Forces out of high school. Her philosophy is that good leadership promotes a culture in which members are empowered to achieve higher levels of personal growth. The most transformational growth moves beyond simply learning new skills and procedures; strong leaders challenge team members to see and engage with the world in a completely different way.

Annalise believes that these results are only possible when the leader is constantly striving to higher levels of “ego development”, and setting the ultimate example by leading in vulnerability. This belief was supported and honed by research when she recently returned to university for a second degree in Psychology with a focus on leadership. She is always happy to talk at length about how both her research and her personal practices of mindfulness and self-care have been instrumental in her journey toward  creating the conditions for optimal growth in others. 

Of course, it took a while to develop this approach to leadership and the courage to carry it out. Annalise’s first opportunity to lead soldiers was as a platoon commander when she was 23. She did fine, but not great. The training at the time had prescribed a style where the leader has all the answers and never shows a human side. This “great man” approach was in direct conflict with her true self. Over the years, she found her own authentic style and came to find the practice of leadership very rewarding. 

​After retiring from the military, Annalise worked with a humanitarian organization, managing overseas projects on the ground in India, East Africa, and Southeast Asia. She still travels on behalf of the organization including trips to Ukraine and Southeast Asia in 2022; she also works as a leadership coach and consultant to help other charities expand their impact. 

​Apart from one-on-one individual coaching, she also offers leadership development and consulting in organizational change. She sees the transformational impact it can make in dozens and hundreds of lives at a time when leaders are empowered and equipped to enables others to grow and enrich their lives. Annalise is honoured to create and hold the safe space for you to engage in conversations that will revolutionize your organization as well as your personal life. It is frequently shocking how much positive change can come out of several hours spent in the right environment – and she will help you create that.

Annalise enjoys a simple lifestyle that allows her plenty of time for adventures – traveling, exploring and spending lots of time outdoors or in the pottery studio. Her commitment to this balance means she has the luxury of only partnering with clients when there is a really good fit. She limits her work to a very manageable number of projects at a time and thus is fully present with each organizational leader or individual person. Click the link below to start collaborating on the change you would like to see.

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