Have you ever had a moment as a leader when everything just… stopped? A tough decision, bad news, a setback—and suddenly your instincts kicked in. Maybe you felt the urge to push back, to retreat, or maybe you didn’t know what to do at all. That’s the human side of leadership.

No matter whether you lead a small team, a big organization, or a community project, every leader faces these instinctive reactions. But there’s also a higher choice available to us—one that can shift everything , Dr. Danette O’Neal explores the four instinctive responses leaders face in moments of pressure: Fight, Flight, Freeze, and Faith. This presentation challenges leaders to recognize their natural reactions, choose wisely, and rise with purpose.