Our Purpose
To strengthen leaders’ authorship and effectiveness—building agency, energy, and leadership capacity so impact can last.
Vision
A world where leadership responsibility is matched by leadership capacity in ways that sustain both results and humanity over time.
Why Jonlieu Exists
Jonlieu exists to address a persistent gap in education and nonprofit organizations: Leadership responsibility has expanded faster than leadership capacity.
Senior leaders are accountable for outcomes, culture, and retention—while emerging and mid-level leaders are expected to navigate complexity, pressure, and people issues with limited internal support. Over time, this mismatch shows up as:
- inconsistent leadership performance
- decision hesitation and escalation
- burnout among high performers
- stalled leadership pipelines
- preventable disengagement and exits
Jonlieu was created to address this gap directly—not with more training, but by strengthening the internal capacities that determine how leaders perform under real conditions.
Our Point of View
Leadership does not break down because leaders lack commitment or competence. It breaks down when leaders lose authorship—when pressure, urgency, and constraint erode their ability to think clearly, decide deliberately, and act with ownership.
Sustainable leadership requires capacity:
- agency to take ownership without over-functioning
- energy that can be sustained, not borrowed
- judgment that holds under pressure
- emotional steadiness in complex human systems
Jonlieu’s work is designed to restore and strengthen these capacities so leadership becomes reliable rather than reactive.
How Our Work is Different
Most leadership development focuses on external skills: strategy, communication, team leadership, management techniques. Those skills matter. But they don’t hold when pressure is constant.
Jonlieu complements existing development by:
- separating leadership growth from evaluation so issues surface earlier
- providing confidential, structured support outside the chain of command
- reducing dependency and upward escalation
- strengthening decision confidence and ownership at the appropriate level
We don’t ask senior leaders to do more. We build leadership capacity systems that make leadership more sustainable across the organization.
Who We Partner With
Senior leaders accountable for leadership performance, culture, and retention
Emerging and mid-level leaders developing the internal capacity to lead effectively.
Organizations navigating complexity, transition, or growth
Systems ready to invest in leadership capacity—not just training
Core Values
People
People are whole, resilient, and resourceful.
Leadership
Leadership starts from the inside out.
Learning
Learning unlocks limitless possibilities.
Psychological Safety
People must feel safe to learn and thrive.
Agency
Agency is the first leadership skill.
Awareness
Awareness is the first step towards understanding.
Michelle Watson-Grant, Ed.D., ACC
About Michelle
I’m Michelle Watson-Grant, leadership coach and educator.
I’ve spent decades in education and mission-driven organizations—supporting leaders while carrying increasing responsibility myself. I know what it’s like to be accountable for leadership outcomes without having the time, space, or systems to truly support the leaders you’re responsible for.
I’ve lived both sides of this reality:
- as a senior leader responsible for developing others
- and as a leader navigating pressure, constraint, and sustained demand
That experience shaped my conviction that leadership effectiveness is determined less by skill and more by capacity.
Today, my work focuses on helping senior leaders strengthen emerging and mid-level leaders’ authorship—so agency, energy, and sound judgment don’t quietly erode under pressure.
My approach is calm, deliberate, and direct. I create space for leaders to think clearly, regulate themselves, and lead with intention rather than urgency.
Michelle's Background & Training
I hold a Master’s in Education, Teaching and Learning, and a Doctor of Education from Nova Southeastern University.
I'm a credentialed coach with the International Coaching Federation. My professional training includes:
• Positive Psychology
• Team Development Essentials
• Burnout Prevention & Recovery
• Navigating Transitions
• Design Thinking
• Agile Project Management
Beyond the Work
When she’s not coaching or teaching, Michelle is most often outdoors. She finds grounding in nature—walking mountain trails, breathing in ocean air, tending her garden, and noticing the small details that emerge when life slows down.
Time spent camping with her husband, Kevin, and their two dogs is an important way she restores energy and reconnects with what matters most.
Michelle also enjoys nature photography and writing children’s stories—creative practices that nurture curiosity, invite reflection, and help her stay connected to the rhythms that support holistic living.
Continue the Conversation
If you’re seeing strain—or want to prevent it before it shows up—we should talk.