In the complex landscape of modern leadership, where authenticity often battles convention and purpose clashes with profit, few leaders embody the fierce courage required to challenge systems while lifting others up. Amber McMillan stands as a testament to what happens when grit meets grace, when curiosity conquers comfort zones, and when leadership becomes an act of service rather than self-promotion.
Her story begins not in a boardroom or classroom, but in the most unexpected of places: a summer camp kitchen. It was there, amid the chaos of meal preparation and the pressure of feeding hungry campers, that the seeds of what would become “The Feisty PM” were first planted. This early experience taught her that leadership isn’t about having all the answers but about asking better questions, adapting quickly, and keeping your team fed, both literally and metaphorically.
“I developed my leadership philosophy by living it first in a summer camp kitchen, then in nonprofits, classrooms, and boardrooms,” Amber reflects. “Early on, I thought leadership meant having all the answers. Over time, I learned it’s about asking better questions, leading with heart, and embracing the collective.”
The Evolution of Feistiness: From Control to Curiosity
What sets Amber apart is her willingness to evolve, to let go of outdated models of leadership that prioritize ego over empathy. Her journey from traditional management approaches to what she calls “feisty leadership” represents a fundamental shift in how we think about influence and impact.
Key Achievements:
- Founded The Feisty Project Manager, Inc., pioneering authentic leadership development
- Served as PMI chapter mentor and past president, driving innovation within structured organizations
- Successfully transformed nonprofit organizational culture through empathy-centered leadership
- Coined groundbreaking term “interest-holder engagement” replacing the traditional term stakeholder management
- Recognized thought leader in inclusive leadership and DEI integration
- Impact coach and executive educator specializing in values-driven leadership development
- Champion of adaptive project management approaches that center human experience
- Expert in bridging profit and nonprofit sector insights for holistic leadership development
The transformation wasn’t immediate or easy. Like many leaders, she initially believed that strength meant control, that leadership required having all the answers. But through years of working across diverse sectors, from nonprofits to corporate environments, from classrooms to boardrooms, she discovered that true leadership is about vulnerability, curiosity, and the courage to challenge systems that no longer serve.
“My philosophy has evolved from control to curiosity, from ego to empathy,” she explains. “Today, I lead with feistiness: bold, values driven, and unapologetically human.”
This evolution culminated in the creation of The Feisty Project Manager, Inc., established in December 2023 in Victoria, BC. But the company represents more than just a business venture; it embodies a new paradigm of leadership that refuses to separate professional success from personal values, that insists on bringing the full spectrum of human experience into traditionally sterile corporate environments.
Redefining Engagement: From Stakeholders to Interest-Holders
One of Amber’s most significant contributions to modern leadership thinking is her intentional shift from “stakeholder management” to “interest-holder engagement.” This isn’t merely semantic; it represents a fundamental reimagining of how leaders relate to the communities they serve.
“I use ‘interest-holder’ intentionally because it centers people, not power, and breaks from the colonial roots of the traditional term,” she explains. “Stakeholder management prioritizes hierarchy and control. Interest-holder engagement means understanding who is impacted, who cares, and who needs to be heard. It’s relational, not transactional.”
This approach proved transformative when she stepped into the role of Executive Director at a nonprofit organization facing severe internal challenges. Staff morale was at an all-time low, trust had eroded, and traditional leadership approaches had failed to address the underlying issues.
Instead of implementing another strategic plan or reorganization, Amber did something radical: she listened. She organized listening circles with no agenda beyond creating space for people to speak their truth. What emerged from these sessions reshaped everything.
“People didn’t feel seen or supported, especially around health benefits,” she recalls. “That insight led to a complete shift in priorities. We restructured our budget to enhance benefits, and the change was immediate: renewed trust, increased retention, and a team that felt truly valued. Listening changed everything.”
The Heart of Complex Leadership: Empathy as Foundation
In today’s interconnected world, leaders must navigate increasingly complex communities with competing interests, diverse perspectives, and often conflicting needs. For Amber, empathy isn’t just a nice-to-have leadership quality; it’s the essential foundation that makes effective engagement possible.
“Interest-holder engagement means understanding who is impacted, who cares, and who needs to be heard. It’s relational, not transactional. It’s about building trust, creating space for dialogue, and making decisions with people, not for them “
“Empathy is the foundation,” she emphasizes. “In complex, multi-interest-holder communities, people come with different needs, fears, and hopes. Empathy allows us to listen without judgment, understand context, and build trust across difference. Without empathy, engagement becomes performance. With it, we build relationships that lead to real, lasting change.”
This empathy-centered approach extends beyond her direct leadership roles into her work as an impact coach and executive educator. Her journey into coaching began with her own experience of transformation, when a coach provided the mirror she needed during her lowest point.
“A coach walked beside me during my lowest point, not to fix me, but to help me hear myself again,” she reflects. “That experience transformed me. I knew I wanted to do the same for others: to help leaders lead with purpose, reconnect with their values, and create meaningful impact.”
Coaching Across the Leadership Spectrum
Amber’s coaching practice reflects her deep understanding that leadership development isn’t one-size-fits-all. Her approach varies significantly depending on whether she’s working with seasoned executives or emerging leaders, but the core principle remains constant: meet people where they are, not just where they want to go.
With executives, her focus shifts to legacy, influence, and leading through complexity. These seasoned leaders often need space to unlearn outdated approaches and refine their presence in increasingly complex environments. “Seasoned leaders need space to unlearn,” she notes, recognizing that experience can sometimes become a barrier to growth if not regularly examined and updated.
For emerging leaders, the emphasis is on building confidence, clarity, and core skills while helping them find their authentic voice. “New leaders need support to rise,” she explains. “Both require deep listening, but the lens shifts based on where they are in their journey.”
Innovation Within Structure: The PMI Chapter Leader Experience
As a PMI chapter mentor and past president, Amber brings a unique perspective to volunteer-led organizations that often struggle with innovation. Her approach demonstrates that process and progress aren’t opposing forces but rather complementary elements that can drive meaningful change.
“I inspire innovation by reminding chapter leaders with PMI that process and progress aren’t opposites, they’re partners,” she explains. “I encourage curiosity within the framework: ask better questions, challenge assumptions, and make space for experimentation.”
Her method involves blending structure with story, using lived experience to spark new ideas while staying grounded in core principles. This approach has proven particularly effective in environments where tradition and innovation often feel at odds.
The Future of Project and Change Management
Looking ahead, Amber sees significant shifts in how project and change management will evolve over the next decade. Her predictions are grounded in both technological advancement and human development, recognizing that the future belongs to leaders who can navigate both domains effectively.
“Over the next 5 to 10 years, project and change management will become more adaptive, human-centered, and tech-integrated,” she predicts. “AI will automate tasks, but emotional intelligence, ethical leadership, and inclusive engagement will be the differentiators.”
She envisions a future where rigid planning gives way to iterative, responsive models that embrace complexity rather than trying to control it. “Change will no longer be a phase; it will be constant. The future belongs to leaders who can navigate ambiguity, build trust across diverse teams, and lead with both systems thinking and heart.”
DEI as Foundation, Not Add-On
Amber’s approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion reflects her broader leadership philosophy: these aren’t initiatives to be added to existing structures but foundational elements that must be woven into every aspect of organizational life.
“I integrate DEI by making it foundational, not optional,” she states. “I ask: whose voice is missing? Who’s most impacted? Inclusion starts from the beginning, not after decisions are made.”
Her practical approach involves tools like diversity wheels and equity audits, but more importantly, it requires leaders to model vulnerability and humility. “I also model vulnerability and humility as a leader, owning my privilege and staying open to learning. DEI isn’t a checklist; it’s a mindset, a practice, and a commitment.”
She’s particularly focused on helping leaders move beyond performative gestures to create measurable impact. This involves embedding DEI metrics into performance reviews and compensation structures, conducting regular pulse surveys and equity audits, and creating cultural feedback loops that ensure insights lead to meaningful change.
Challenging Misconceptions About Inclusive Leadership
One of the most persistent challenges Amber encounters is the misconception that inclusive leadership is about avoiding conflict or prioritizing consensus over results. Her perspective challenges this assumption directly.
“The biggest misconception is that inclusive leadership is about being nice or avoiding conflict. It’s not,” she states emphatically. “Inclusive leadership is courageous and feisty. It requires you to challenge bias, disrupt comfort, and make space for voices that have been overlooked or silenced. It’s not about consensus; it’s about consciousness.”
This courage to embrace conflict in service of equity and growth reflects her broader leadership philosophy that authentic leadership sometimes requires making others uncomfortable in order to create lasting positive change.
Learning in Public: The Art of Authentic Thought Leadership
For emerging thought leaders seeking to find their voice, Amber offers advice that reflects her own journey from uncertainty to authentic influence.
“Start by getting honest about what matters to you,” she advises. “Your voice isn’t something you find; it’s something you uncover by tuning out noise and tuning into your truth. Don’t wait to be polished or perfect.”
Her approach emphasizes the power of learning in public, of sharing experiences and insights even when they’re still being formed. “Thought leadership isn’t about being the loudest; it’s about being real, consistent, and values-aligned. Share before you’re ready. Learn in public.”
This vulnerability-based approach to thought leadership reflects her deeper understanding that authentic influence comes not from having all the answers but from being willing to explore important questions openly and honestly.
Bridging Profit and Purpose
Amber’s experience spanning both profit and nonprofit sectors has given her unique insights into how these different environments can inform and strengthen each other.
“From the profit sector, I learned the power of structure, scale, and strategic focus,” she reflects. “From the nonprofit world, I learned the heart of leadership: how to mobilize people with limited resources and limitless passion.”
The synthesis of these experiences has shaped her current approach, which refuses to see purpose and profit as opposing forces. “Impact happens when we blend both: purpose with precision, people with process. Nonprofit taught me to lead with empathy; profit taught me to lead with intention.”
The Hard-Won Wisdom of Effectiveness Over Ego
Like many leaders, Amber had to learn some of her most important lessons the hard way. The transition from being right to being effective required her to confront her own ego and assumptions about leadership.
“One of the hardest lessons I learned is that being right isn’t the same as being effective,” she admits. “Early in my career, I thought strong leadership meant having the answers and proving my value. But I’ve learned that real leadership is about listening, letting go of ego, and creating space for others to shine.”
This lesson continues to inform her approach to leadership development and coaching, as she helps other leaders navigate similar transitions from ego-driven to impact-focused leadership.
The Next Generation of Leaders
What excites Amber most about emerging leaders is their refusal to accept outdated models of leadership and their commitment to authenticity from the beginning of their careers.
“What excites me most is their unapologetic authenticity,” she says. “The next generation isn’t interested in outdated hierarchies or performative leadership. They crave purpose, equity, and real impact. They ask bold questions, challenge norms, and lead with values from day one.”
She sees this generation as fundamentally different in their approach to leadership, refusing to wait for permission to create change and instead leading from wherever they find themselves. “They’re not waiting for permission to lead; they’re already doing it, in community, online, and inside systems they’re ready to transform.”
Living Transformation Out Loud
As Amber looks toward the future, her vision extends beyond personal success to creating lasting change in how leadership is understood and practiced. Her reference to Maya Angelou’s wisdom about knowing better and doing better reflects her commitment to continuous growth and authentic transformation.
“‘Knowing better’ for me has come through reflection, humility, and a willingness to unlearn,” she explains. “I’ve had to face my blind spots, own my privilege, and get honest about how I show up for myself and for others. Every time I fall short, I try to lean in, listen, and choose better the next time.”
The Feisty Project represents the culmination of this journey and the beginning of something larger. “I’m building spaces through coaching, content, and community where people can rise with clarity, courage, and connection. The Feisty Project is just beginning, and my deepest hope is to spark transformation in others by living mine out loud.”
A Legacy of Authentic Impact
Amber McMillan represents a new paradigm of leadership that refuses to compartmentalize professional success and personal values. Her journey from summer camp kitchens to executive coaching demonstrates that authentic leadership isn’t about perfection but about the courage to keep growing, learning, and serving others.
In an era where leaders are increasingly called to address complex social challenges while driving business results, Amber’s approach offers a roadmap for integrating purpose with performance, empathy with effectiveness, and personal growth with professional impact.
Her story reminds us that true leadership isn’t about having all the answers but about asking better questions, not about being the loudest voice but about creating space for others to be heard, and not about individual achievement but about collective transformation.
As she continues to build The Feisty Project and expand her influence as a coach, mentor, and thought leader, Amber McMillan stands as proof that leadership rooted in authenticity, curiosity, and service can create ripple effects that extend far beyond individual success to transform entire communities and industries.
The future belongs to leaders who are willing to be feisty in the best sense: bold enough to challenge systems that no longer serve, humble enough to keep learning, and fierce enough to fight for a more inclusive and equitable world. In Amber McMillan, we see that future taking shape today.
ABOUT THE FEATURED LEADER
Amber McMillan serves as The Feisty PM and founder of The Feisty Project Manager, Inc., established in December 2023 in Victoria, BC, Canada. Her distinguished career spans executive leadership in both profit and nonprofit sectors, project management excellence, and transformative coaching practice. As a PMI chapter mentor and past president, she has consistently championed innovative approaches to leadership that integrate purpose with performance.
