Lead with Humanity
Create a Culture Where People Thrive
We help leaders develop the courage for hard moments, the presence to respond instead of protect, and the skills to partner with people.
This is leadership from the inside out.And it changes everything.
What Happens When We Don’t Lead from Courage, Presence, or Partnership?
We operate in silos, struggling to share information and communicate.
Survey scores are less than desirable when it comes to leadership.
People are “passing the buck” and not taking responsibility.
We avoid tough conversations and have an unspoken "just the positive" expectation.
We spend way too much time managing problematic behaviors.
Employees don't trust leaders and don't see them as credible.
People are doing the quiet quitting thing or psychologically checking out.
Drama, dysfunction, and toxic behaviors are on the rise.
Leadership isn’t about control—it’s about connection.
At StartHuman, we help leaders shift from protection to presence, from comfort to courage, from managing to partnering, and from external authority to internal alignment.
Instead of...
Holding power over
Clinging to comfort
Reactivity or protection
Managing people like tasks
Outer performance metrics only
Try Leading With...
Partnership and shared ownership
Capacity to be with discomfort
Presence and groundedness
Honoring the human side of leadership
Inner clarity and self-leadership
How We Partner for Transformation
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Coaching
We work with leaders and executives in a 1:1 or small group setting. Coaching is intended for customized support—including leadership development planning, processing 360-degree feedback, real-time feedback, emotional regulation tools, and thought partnership through complexity.
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Leadership Development
We design and deliver leadership development experiences that go beyond theory. From custom programs to proven frameworks (like Dare to Lead™ or Blanchard’s SLII®), our work helps leaders build the presence, courage, and relational skill to lead humans—not just processes.
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Culture Development
Our culture work is deep, relational, and not for everyone—designed for organizations whose leaders have done their own inner work and are ready to co-create a workplace where trust, courage, and humanity can thrive. This isn’t just change management. It’s culture transformation.
How It Works
We begin with a discovery session—a space to get curious together about what’s unfolding for you, your team, or your culture.
This is where we explore your current challenges, goals, and readiness for meaningful change.
There’s no one-size-fits-all here. Based on what we uncover, we’ll design a personalized roadmap that supports your leadership journey—whether through coaching, leadership development, or culture-shifting strategies.
This is where the work comes alive. Together, we’ll build the courage, presence, and abilities it takes to lead through discomfort, model what matters, and embody human-centered leadership in real time.
We’ll pause to honor progress, integrate lessons, and celebrate growth—because transformation is a practice, and every step forward is worth acknowledging.
From here we’ll complete our journey, or decide what’s next.
Meet Your Guide
Leadership is personal.
And the most powerful kind starts from within.
I’m Amber Barnes—coach, facilitator, educator, and the founder of StartHuman. For nearly 20 years, I’ve been walking alongside leaders who want to do more than just manage people—they want to partner with them.
My work lives at the intersection of courage, presence, and partnership.
It’s designed to help leaders build the capacity to stay grounded in discomfort, lead with their whole selves, and co-create cultures where people don’t just survive—they flourish.
I don’t do quick fixes or one-size-fits-all models. I help people do the real work of becoming the kind of leader others trust, follow, and grow with.
If that sounds like the kind of leadership you're ready for—I'm here to walk with you.
AMBER BARNES
Founder and Chief Education Officer
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