Power isn't top-down.

It runs through the third rail.

THIRD RAIL
LEADERSHIP

Plug into your power.
Own your third rail.

Why Third Rail?

Third rails have a bad rap.

In politics, they’re hot-button issues that can end your career.
But in transit, the third rail powers the entire system.

Even though they're dangerous, third rails power 34 million rides every workday in the US.

Because of their high voltage, third rails are designed to keep people safe.

Sometimes they run above the train. Sometimes they're embedded at ground level. And sometimes, third rails only activate when a train sits directly on top of it.

We know not to touch the third rail.
And we trust that someone knows how it works. Where it is and how to harness it.

How to make power connect the pieces in a large, complex system.

Third rails aren't just dangerous.
They're designed.

As a leader, you are a third rail: you have immense power to guide and connect people, places, and ideas within your institution.

You have choices about how to use that power.

Including when, and why, to turn it off.

At Third Rail Leadership, we help you plug into your internal power, whether you're making small daily decisions or designing your impact and legacy.

Whether you're laying the path for your team…or for yourself.

Or even choosing to turn that power down.

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Power is not something we should be afraid of.

Power is great.
Power is energy.

~Yoko Ono

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At Third Rail Leadership, we help you plug into the power already inside you.

We help leaders at all levels tap into their power with courage, clarity, and conviction.

We work with individuals, teams, and whole institutions.

We offer an ecosystem of workshops, coaching, and support.

Everything we design helps leaders navigate complexity with sensible, easy-to-use tools.

We don’t design expensive programs for the elite few.

We prepare leaders at scale, because that's what powers an institution forward.

Third Rail Leadership is a small firm making a big impact through collaboration.

Colleagues around the country help bring our programs to life.
You tell us what you want to learn. We bring the experts to help you.

Curious about our collaborators? Click the program you're interested in and you'll who's working with us to make it happen.

10 1/2 LESSONS FOR LEADERS

IMPACT ANNUAL SUMMIT

10 1/2 LESSONS FOR LEADERS

Jennifer Askey, PhD, PCC
10 1/2 Lessons Lead Coach

Jennifer was a tenured faculty member in German Literature before becoming a coach. She has faculty awareness, adminisrtator savvy, and a big heart.

Carole Chabries, PhD
Lead Facilitator

Carole wanted to be a professor until she realized tenure looked like jail. All these years later, she still loves teaching the most.

Sarah Moore-Nokes
10 1/2 Lessons Lead Coach

Sarah loves helping people think differently. Makes sense for a pastor-turned-coach with a penchant for organizational development.

IMPACT: Annual Summit

2025: A Focus on Faculty

Jennifer Askey, PhD, PCC

Jenny Mehmedovic, MBA, BCC, ACC

Jen Polk, PhD

2024: Jumpstart Your Spring

Timely. Relevant. Practical.

Power can be slow and deliberate. It can also be lightning quick. You need both.

When a crisis hits, you don't have time to pore through piles of research searching for the right solution. You need the confidence to act quickly, with integrity and self-trust.

That's why we focus on equipping you with tools you can use. Our tools and frameworks are grounded in research and shaped by experience. They're the tools you'll turn to in the moments that matter the most.