When entering rooms where she might be underestimated, Harris uses a mental tool: she visualizes the people who supported her journey, like her first-grade teacher. This reminds her to carry their pride and expectations, empowering her to use her voice confidently.

Mercy Corps' CEO highlights a nuanced form of organizational grief: it's not just mourning what was lost, but also the future that 'could have been.' Acknowledging the death of a planned strategy, like a major rebrand or expansion, is a critical step for leaders and teams to process major setbacks and move forward.

Before her high-stakes debate with Trump, President Biden called Harris not to encourage her, but to complain about his own negative press. Harris interpreted this as a sign that his motivations were primarily about himself, even when the team's success was on the line.

Society hasn't processed the collective trauma of events like the pandemic, leading to widespread emotional dysregulation that prevents clear thinking. To move forward, groups must first feel and acknowledge the fear and grief, rather than just intellectualizing the problems.

When asked if she feared being targeted by a Trump administration, her brief, flat response ("of course") was a missed opportunity. Instead of a passionate defense of democracy, her answer showcased an inability to capture the political imagination, highlighting a core weakness of her potential candidacy.

Despite sharing the intense experience of losing the election, Harris and her husband never discussed that specific night until she was forced to for her book months later. This shows how high-functioning partners can compartmentalize and avoid processing shared trauma, even when living through it together.

Harris suggests that feeling like an "imposter" isn't a flaw but can be a sign of leadership potential. It often stems from a deep, humble understanding of the seriousness of a role and the great responsibility one holds on behalf of others.

Buttigieg suggests that crowning Kamala Harris as the nominee without a competitive primary was a strategic error. He argues that a primary process, while messy, sharpens candidates and strengthens them for the general election. By avoiding this test, the party may have fielded a weaker nominee.

Harris reflects on the decision to not force the issue of Biden's candidacy earlier in the race. What she once framed as an act of 'grace' and loyalty, she now admits in hindsight was likely 'reckless,' demonstrating the painful trade-off between personal relationships and strategic imperatives.