Lead With the Hand You've Been Dealt

If you're reading this, you follow my blog or have one of my decks of playing cards. Maybe you attended a keynote. Maybe you attended a workshop or we met at a conference. However you found your way here, it was meant to be. If you have one of my decks - GREAT! If not, any deck of playing cards will do. Go ahead and pull a card.

This isn’t a game.

It’s not about luck.

It’s about leadership.

Every hand we’re dealt comes with a story. Some teach us how to fight. Others remind us what to hold onto. All of them reveal how we lead when it counts. The card you pulled is holding a mirror. Let’s take a look.

♠️♥️♣️♦️ The Suits: Leadership Pillars

Your card’s suit gives you the context. It tells you where to aim your reflection.

♠️Spades: Struggle & Strength

You’ve endured. You’ve pushed through. This card speaks to pressure and grit. Are you still surviving, or are you ready to lead from wisdom?

♥️Hearts: Compassion & Connection

This is about people. Not performance. Who needs more of your presence? Where have you been disconnected?

♣️Clubs: Courage & Conviction

This card is about action. It asks where fear may be calling the shots. What do you need to say or do, even if it’s uncomfortable?

♦️Diamonds: Vision & Value

Your direction matters. This card challenges you to pause and check your alignment. Are you leading from purpose, or are you just going through the motions?

🔢 The Numbers: Leadership Prompts

These prompts don’t change by suit. The number grounds your reflection. The suit shows where it applies.

Card Number Prompt

2 What tension am I holding between two roles or truths?

3 Where am I juggling too much, and what needs to be released?

4 What value do I need to return to right now?

5 What change or disruption have I been resisting?

6 Who do I need to support, or ask support from, today?

7 What is the way I lead teaching me about myself this week?

8 How am I using my influence? With clarity or by default?

9 What belief or habit do I need to let go of to move forward?

10 What wisdom have I garnered that I’m ready to share with others?

These questions are simple but layered. Your answers will shift over time, depending on what season of leadership you’re in.

💁🏾‍♀️ Face Cards: Your Leadership Identity

These cards reflect how you're showing up. They carry energy, not rank. And now, they come with a prompt to take the insight even deeper.

Jack: The Bridge

You connect people, patch systems, and fill the gaps.

Prompt: Where am I holding things together for others, and what do I need to feel supported?

Queen: The Mirror

You lead from emotional honesty and intuition.

Prompt: What truth about myself am I being invited to acknowledge or accept right now?

King: The Anchor

You provide structure, steadiness, and resolve.

Prompt: What responsibilities am I carrying that need to be delegated or shared?

Ace: The Spark

You ignite change. You see what others miss.

Prompt: What bold ideas or actions am I being called to initiate, and what’s holding me back?

🃏 Joker: The Disruptor

This is the plot twist. The unexpected moment. The uninvited challenge that forced everything to shift. It may have knocked you down, but it also revealed who you are when nothing is certain.

Prompt: What unexpected moment changed how I lead, and what did it reveal about me?

Now What?

The card in your hand is more than a metaphor. It’s a message. You don’t need a perfect plan. You need presence, clarity, and the courage to use what you’ve lived through.

If something stirred in you, take the next step. Share this experience with your team. Use it as a starting point for change or invite me in to help bring this work to life.

👉 Explore My Workshops and Keynotes www.dnicholedavis.com.

👉 Contact Me Directly nichole@dnicholedavis.com.

Want to share your reflection? Post it using the hashtag #LeadWithTheHandYouveBeenDealt and tag me @dndconsultingllc. I’d love to hear what surfaced for you.