GOOD TROUBLE IS A TEAM SPORT

Sometimes the Hardest Truth Is the One We Tell Our Own People

I got out of my car and rubbed my sweaty palms against my dress.

I almost turned around.

But now I stood at the big wooden door of the restaurant.

These women had been my friends for sixteen years. We’d gone to high school together and seen our way through marriage, having and raising children, and girls’ trips.

I waited as long as I could. I looked around the table at my five friends who were deep in conversation and wine.

I took a deep breath and said...

"Bill and I are getting divorced."

“What?” Suzy asked. “No way.”

I nodded my head.

“Why?” Suzy asked. “He doesn’t beat you, does he? He’s not an alcoholic or an addict, right? You have two young daughters. You can’t get divorced. He’s a good provider.”

Tears pricked my eyes. I bit the inside of my cheek.

“No, Bill, isn’t,” I said.  “And he’s given us…but it’s just that he’s never home and when he is—”

“The bible says marriage is a lifelong sacred covenant,” Kim said.

I stood from the table. Walking to the restroom, I swallowed my tears. Once I closed the door to the stall and sat down on the toilet lid, I cried. 

I’m so stupid. I should have known.

My parents had already looked at me with disappointment.

Now my closest friends were judging me too.

The lesson I learned that night in the restaurant is the same lesson organizations need to learn today: people can't lead, innovate, or tell the truth unless they know they'll still belong after they do.

We Are Wired to Belong

Image: Community

Scientists across psychology, neuroscience, anthropology, organizational science, and public health all point to the same conclusion:

Humans are wired for belonging.

For hundreds of thousands of years, belonging meant survival.

Our ancestors survived because they lived in communities.

They shared food.

Raised children together.

Protected one another.

Told stories.

Even today, our brains often interpret rejection as danger.

We don't simply want to belong.

We need it.

How Do You Know You're Safe?

Have you ever walked into a room and immediately known whether you could be yourself?

• Can I admit I made a mistake?
• Can I disagree?
• Can I ask questions?
• Can I tell the truth?
• Can I belong?

That's culture.

Not the mission statement.

Not regurgitating the organization’s values at every meeting.  

Culture is how people feel.

Good Trouble Doesn't Happen Alone

Throughout July we've celebrated Good Troublemakers.

Women.

Men.

Volunteers.

Storytellers.

Rugged outdoorswomen.

Everyday people choosing vulnerability and courage.

But here's what I've realized.

Good Trouble isn't just created by brave people.
It's created by brave cultures.

Power-Over vs. Power-With

Traditional leadership says:

Image: Traditional organization chart

• Stay in your lane. 
• Don't question authority. 
• Protect your position. 
• Competition wins. 

Ignited Leadership says:

Image: Ignited leadership

• Ask questions. 
• Share power. 
• Tell the truth. 
• Listen first. 
• Every voice matters. 
• We solve problems together. 

Every Organization Is Telling a Story

Some organizations tell people:

1. Stay quiet.
2. Don't rock the boat.
3. Know your place.

Others say:

• Tell us what's broken.
• Help us make it better.
• You belong here.
• Your voice matters.

These are Good Troublemaker organizations.

What Good Troublemaking Organizations Look Like

They believe:

• every voice matters. 
• belonging is intentional. 
• leadership is shared. 
• curiosity beats certainty. 
• mistakes are opportunities to learn. 
• collaboration beats competition. 
• people matter as much as performance. 

Meet Three Good Troublemakers

1. Patagonia challenges the belief that a corporation exists solely to maximize profits. Instead, it leads with purpose—protecting the planet, encouraging people to buy less, repair more, supporting employee activism, and investing its profits in environmental causes. Patagonia proves that business can be a force for good. 
2. The Moth challenges the idea that only experts, celebrities, or leaders have stories worth telling. Through live events, podcasts, and community programs, ordinary people courageously share their lived experiences, replacing judgment with empathy and division with connection. The Moth reminds us that every voice matters and every story has the power to change the world. 
3. Black Girls CODE challenges the belief that technology belongs to a select few. By training and supporting girls and young women of color with coding, robotics, AI, and STEM skills, the organization is expanding who gets to innovate, lead, and shape the future. Black Girls CODE proves that when everyone belongs, everyone benefits.

None of these organizations are perfect.

That's the point.

Good Troublemakers aren't perfect.

They're courageous enough to question the way things have always been done.

They choose purpose over popularity.

Belonging over hierarchy.

Power-With over Power-Over.

Imagine...

Imagine every child growing up believing they belong.

Imagine workplaces where telling the truth isn't risky.

Imagine communities where differences become strengths instead of divisions.

Imagine organizations where leadership isn't reserved for people with titles.

Imagine families where love is bigger than judgment.

That's the world LOUDER GIRL believes is possible.

That's Ignited Leadership.

That's Good Trouble.

And the best part?

Good Trouble is a team sport.

Join the FREE LOUDER GIRL Community of Good Troublemakers

A place where women:

• Cause Good Trouble
• Get support
• Tell their stories, share their truths

When You Join, You'll Receive:

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