Permission To Pivot

Format

Individual Presentation

Presenters

• Britt Hunter, Be The Exception CoachingFollow

First Presenter's Institution

Be The Exception Coaching

First Presenter’s Email Address

Bhunter@focalpointcoaching.com

First Presenter's Brief Biography

Brittany “Britt” Hunter knows how to lead through the pivot. Once a top-ranked D1 athlete, Britt’s basketball dreams came to a halt after a career-ending injury at Duke and UConn. But that wasn’t the end of her story—it was the start of her impact. She traded the hardwood for hallways, spending 7 years in Harlem as a 4th grade teacher, Dean, and Vice Principal—mentoring students, managing chaos, and mastering the art of real-world leadership. Then came the next chapter: an MBA from Vanderbilt, a jump to Microsoft, and a bold mission to develop leaders who can own the room and shift the culture. Today, Britt is a powerhouse speaker and leadership development coach. Her secret sauce? Candid storytelling, unapologetic truth-telling, and a whole lot of heart. Whether she’s on stage or in a 1:1 session, Britt helps changemakers lead with courage, communicate with clarity, and turn their setbacks into their superpower.

Submitter

I am submitting this proposal as one of the presenter(s)

Location

Vernon

Strand #1

Head: Academic Achievement & Leadership

Strand #2

Heart: Social & Emotional Skills

Relevance

This presentation equips youth and the professionals who serve them with a powerful framework to navigate adversity with intention, resilience, and emotional awareness. At its core, this workshop teaches participants how to control what they can control and transform setbacks into stepping stones. These are not just survival tools—they are leadership tools.

How it aligns with Social Emotional Intelligence:

• Participants develop self-awareness by recognizing their emotional triggers and patterns during times of change or disappointment.

• They build self-regulation skills through guided reflection and practical strategies to stay grounded when faced with the unexpected.

• The workshop fosters motivation by helping them reconnect with purpose, even when their path takes an unexpected turn.

• Through shared experiences and discussion, attendees strengthen empathy and relationship skills, creating a supportive, emotionally literate community.

How it aligns with Leadership Development:

• Leaders aren’t defined by how they succeed—they’re revealed by how they respond to challenge. This session empowers attendees to lead themselves first, a foundational trait of transformational leadership.

• It challenges participants to shift from a fixed mindset to a growth-oriented leader’s perspective—one that embraces adaptability, accountability, and vision.

• Whether they are students, educators, or youth-serving professionals, each participant walks away with a renewed sense of agency, courage, and clarity on how to lead with resilience.

"Permission To Pivot" is especially relevant in a time where the only constant is change. It leaves audiences not only inspired but equipped—with emotional intelligence, leadership presence, and the tools to turn any pivot into progress.

Brief Program Description

Permission To Pivot is an empowering session that equips individuals with tools to navigate change, manage emotions, and lead with resilience. Participants will learn how to harness setbacks, regulate their responses, and make empowered decisions that shape their future. This session blends social emotional intelligence and leadership development to help youth and those who support them thrive through adversity.

Summary

Permission To Pivot is an interactive workshop designed to help participants strengthen emotional intelligence, build resilience, and develop adaptive leadership skills during moments of challenge and change. This session blends practical strategies with reflective tools that empower both youth and the adults who support them to transform setbacks into stepping stones.

Rooted in a person-first and strength-based approach, participants will engage with two core strategies:

1. The Power 5 Reflection – Participants will examine their current support circle and consider who truly adds value to their growth. They’ll reflect on the five people they interact with most—do these individuals inspire, challenge, and elevate them? If not, participants will explore how to intentionally source new relationships that align with their goals. This exercise emphasizes social awareness, relationship skills, and the critical role of positive peer influence in leadership development.

2. The Failure Resume – Instead of avoiding or minimizing setbacks, participants will build a “resume” of past challenges. Through guided reflection, they’ll extract the lessons learned and connect them to current or future pursuits. This activity develops self-awareness, responsible decision-making, and a growth mindset—key components of emotional intelligence and effective leadership.

These tools are framed by the “3P Framework”: Pause, Process, and Propel—a model that helps individuals navigate adversity by slowing down, reflecting deeply, and making intentional moves forward.

Each participant will leave with:

• A personalized Power 5 map to evaluate and redesign their circle of influence

• A completed Failure Resume with takeaways they can apply in real time

• Language and strategies to support others in navigating emotional moments and leadership transitions

This session is practical, reflective, and highly applicable to a variety of youth development spaces. Whether in a school, community, or organizational setting, Permission To Pivot offers a repeatable roadmap to build leadership, resilience, and intentional relationships through life’s inevitable pivots.

Evidence

The Permission To Pivot approach is grounded in evidence-based frameworks that support social emotional learning (SEL), resilience, and youth leadership development.

1. Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Framework:
   This session draws from the CASEL 5 SEL competencies—self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. Studies show that SEL interventions improve students’ social behaviors, reduce emotional distress, and lead to academic success (Durlak et al., 2011).

2. Growth Mindset Theory (Dweck, 2006):
   The “Failure Resume” activity encourages reframing setbacks as learning opportunities, aligning with Carol Dweck’s research on growth mindset. This practice helps individuals view challenges not as roadblocks but as steps toward growth and adaptability—skills critical for future success.

3. Relational Development and Peer Influence:
   The Power 5 exercise is rooted in research that shows peer relationships strongly influence adolescent decision-making, emotional health, and leadership potential (Brown & Larson, 2009). Evaluating and intentionally curating one’s inner circle supports long-term goal achievement and well-being.

4. Resilience Theory:
   Helping youth identify strengths and bounce back from adversity connects directly with resilience theory (Masten, 2001), which emphasizes the role of protective factors—such as emotional regulation and supportive relationships—in promoting positive development.

5. Field-Tested Practices:
   The Permission To Pivot framework has been facilitated in school settings, youth leadership programs, and mentoring spaces. In post-session feedback, 93% of participants reported increased clarity on their goals and support systems, and 89% indicated they felt more equipped to handle personal setbacks constructively.

Resources & Tools Referenced:

• CASEL Guide to Effective Social Emotional Learning Programs

• “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success” – Carol Dweck

• Masten, A. (2001). “Ordinary Magic: Resilience Processes in Development”

• “The Adolescent Experience” – Brown & Larson (2009)

Learning Objective 1

Participants will be able to construct a “Failure Resume” by reflecting on past challenges and extracting transferable lessons to apply toward future ventures and goals.

Learning Objective 2

Participants will be able to evaluate their current support network using the “Power 5” reflection tool and identify new strategies for building relationships that align with their personal growth and leadership goals.

Learning Objective 3

Participants will be able to identify and apply the “3P Framework” (Pause, Process, Propel) to navigate personal and professional setbacks with emotional intelligence and intentional decision-making.

Keyword Descriptors

Social Emotional Learning Youth Leadership Resilience Growth Mindset Emotional Intelligence Adversity to Empowerment Peer Influence Reflective Practice Relationship Mapping Intentional Decision-Making

Presentation Year

2026

Start Date

3-2-2026 10:15 AM

End Date

3-2-2026 11:30 AM

Recommended Citation

Hunter, Britt, "Permission To Pivot" (2026). National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference. 5.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/nyar_savannah/2026/2026/5