Show Up and Participate: The Mindset of an Unshakeable Leader

Welcome to the second episode of Becoming Unshakeable! If you’ve been a follower and fan of Leadership with Heart, you’re in exactly the right place. From here on out, Becoming Unshakeable will be the new name of my show—and I can’t wait to bring you invaluable insights on what it means to lead with clarity, compassion, and courage.

When I began planning the very first guest episode of Becoming Unshakeable, I thought carefully about who could help bridge the journey from Leadership with Heart to this new season of resilience and self-leadership. The choice came quickly. My longtime friend and inspiring leader, Rich Gassen, was the perfect person to join me.

Rich has spent more than a decade as a supervisor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and he has always impressed me with his steady commitment to growth, learning, and values-based leadership. His personal mantra, “show up and participate,” has guided him through every challenge, from a serious health scare to leading a major team relocation. 

What struck me most in our conversation was how Rich has never stopped being a learner. He constantly seeks out new knowledge, applies it to his work, and shares it generously with his team and colleagues.

During our conversation, Rich opened up about what being unshakeable means to him. For him, it is about leaning on his values, staying grounded in creativity and curiosity, and never losing sight of the whole person he is leading. He reflected on how compassion and transparency shaped the way he guided his team through difficult times, and how active listening allowed him to support others in moments when life outside of work was weighing heavily. His approach to leadership is deeply human, rooted in the belief that progress matters more than perfection.

Rich also spoke about what he had to unlearn on his leadership journey. Moving from a technical role into a supervisory position meant realizing that he didn't need to have all the answers. Instead, he learned to listen more, ask better questions, and empower his team to find solutions themselves. That shift not only helped him grow but created more resilient, capable people around him.

What I love most about Rich’s story is how authentic it is. He does not pretend to be perfect. Instead, he focuses on showing up every day, aligning with his values, and creating the conditions for others to thrive. That mindset is at the heart of what it means to be unshakeable.