I learned to lead by carrying a lot.
Then I learned there was another way.
I’m Katherine Taiclet, the woman behind Carry Less. Lead More. After decades of leadership, I came to a deeply personal realization: being capable of carrying something doesn’t mean we’re meant to carry all of it.
Today, I’m using what I’ve learned to help other high-capacity women lead with greater intention, clearer boundaries, and less pressure to carry it all.
How I Got Here
I became a CEO in 2016, but leadership had been part of my life long before the title. My career has taken me through agriculture, water, human resources, energy, and community leadership, often in spaces where being dependable, capable, and willing to take on more was rewarded.
For a long time, I measured strength by how much I could carry. By 2023, I began recognizing the signs that the pace wasn’t sustainable. In 2024, I felt the weight of it. In 2025, I started responding differently.
I didn’t want to stop leading, achieving, or caring deeply. I wanted to learn how to do those things without losing myself in the process.
That became Carry Less. Lead More.
Maybe you know this feeling, too.
You’re capable. Dependable. The person people count on.
You’ve built a career, cared for people, managed the details, solved the problems, and learned how to keep going, even when your own needs slipped further down the list.
Carry Less. Lead More. isn’t about doing less because you can’t handle it. It’s about getting intentional about what deserves your energy, where to set boundaries, and what you’re ready to put down.
What I believe
Leadership doesn’t have to mean carrying everything.
You can be ambitious without being endlessly available.
You can care deeply without taking responsibility for everything.
You can set boundaries without caring less.
You can put something down without giving up.
Carrying less creates room to lead more intentionally.