Nathan Murfield, Ph.D., is a research scientist turned global executive, speaker, and author. He’s led teams across industries, from high-tech engineering to organizational transformation. Along the way, he’s learned that leaders don’t inspire trust by being perfect — they inspire trust by being whole.

I’ve spent my career chasing answers to big questions:

How do leaders create trust? How do teams thrive? Why do some organizations fall apart while others adapt and grow stronger?

I thought the answers were in data. So I earned a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering, became a research scientist, and eventually a global executive leading teams across industries.

But here’s what I learned the hard way: no spreadsheet, no formula, and no title makes you a leader worth following.

The real difference? Leaders who bring their whole selves to the work.

Not just their résumés. Not just their polished strengths. But also their flaws, failures, questions, and humanity.

That’s what Leading Wholly is about. It’s the framework I wish I’d had years ago — a way to integrate the science of performance with the reality of being human at work.

What I Believe:

• Authenticity beats authority. People don’t trust perfect leaders — they trust real ones.

• Wholeness beats toughness. Resilience comes from integration, not armor.

• Leadership is for everyone. Not just executives, not just extroverts, not just the “born leaders.”

When I’m not writing, speaking, or coaching, you’ll usually find me:

• Running the lakes in Minneapolis (my moving meditation).

• Talking leadership over coffee — strong coffee.

• Laughing with my family, who keep me honest.

• Learning something new (lately: how to grow things that don’t die instantly in a Minnesota winter)