Glossary of Leadership & DBT Terms

Meredith Meyer
Sep 25
2 min read

In our work with leaders, teams, and high-performing individuals, we often lean on language from DBT and leadership theory. To help you move more confidently in that space, here’s a curated glossary of terms you'll see repeatedly in our work. Reference it anytime as you engage with our blog, coaching, or training content.

Leadership & Coaching Terms

Grounded Authority – A leadership style that balances confidence with calm emotional regulation, allowing leaders to make decisions from a place of clarity instead of reactive impulses.

Psychological Safety – A team climate where members feel safe to take risks, voice opinions, and admit mistakes without fear of punishment.
Executive Presence – The ability to project confidence, clarity, and credibility in high-pressure leadership situations.
Adaptive Leadership – A model of leadership that emphasizes flexibility, learning, and responding effectively to complex challenges.
Emotional Intelligence (EQ) – The capacity to recognize, understand, and manage one’s own emotions, as well as influence the emotions of others.

DBT Terms (Applied to Leadership & Life)

Mindfulness – The practice of paying attention, on purpose and without judgment, to the present moment. In leadership, it’s the key to clarity under pressure.
Accurate Expression – A DBT concept that means sharing your internal experience (thoughts, feelings, needs) clearly and truthfully — which strengthens communication and increases the chance of being understood.
Validation – The act of recognizing and affirming another person’s experience as real and understandable, even if you don’t agree with it. A cornerstone skill for building trust in teams.
Radical Acceptance – Fully acknowledging reality as it is, rather than fighting against it. Leaders use this to move forward in tough circumstances instead of wasting energy on denial or blame.
Wise Mind – The synthesis of logic (Reasonable Mind) and emotion (Emotion Mind). Leadership decisions are strongest when they come from Wise Mind.
Dialectics – The ability to hold two opposing truths at the same time (e.g., “I can accept myself and work toward change”). This skill is essential in resolving team conflicts.

Hybrid Terms - this is where therapy + leadership meet.

People Problems – Challenges that arise from human behavior in organizations — conflict, miscommunication, burnout — often more difficult than technical or financial issues.
Emotional Regulation for Leaders – Using DBT skills to manage stress, frustration, and reactivity so leaders can model resilience for their teams.
Values-Aligned Action – Setting goals and behaviors that reflect core values, reducing burnout and increasing motivation.

Want to dig deeper into any of these? Explore our blog posts, sign up for a coaching session, or use this glossary as a reference while you engage with our courses. We’d love to hear which terms you lean on most.