Editorial guidance for women who want more than hype
THE KATHRYN STANDARD
A considered space for women who lead. Raising the standard in leadership and well-being. Leadership at senior levels is not about intensity or visibility. It’s about judgment — sustained over time. The Kathryn Standard explores the standards that shape how leaders think, decide, and hold influence under pressure. This work is grounded in experience, restraint, and a deep respect for the conditions that allow leadership to endure. Rather than chasing trends or tactics, this space is devoted to clarity: how standards are formed, how boundaries are held, and how leaders protect the margin required for sound decision-making.
Kathryn, founder of The Kathryn Standard — raising the standard in leadership and well-being.
Welcome
Welcome to The Kathryn Standard
There is no shortage of advice for leaders. What’s missing is discernment.
Most leadership challenges don’t stem from a lack of effort or intelligence — they arise when standards erode quietly under pressure. When urgency replaces judgment. When capacity is depleted without acknowledgment. When systems hold, but the leader does not.
The Kathryn Standard examines leadership as a system — one shaped by governance, boundaries, restraint, and the conditions that support clarity over time.
Who This Is For
- Leaders of organizations, teams, or communities
- Those who make consequential decisions under sustained pressure
- Leaders who value clarity over noise
- The person who believes leadership should be durable, not performative
It is not designed for mass consumption.
It is designed for those who take responsibility for the standards they uphold.
Leadership as a Standard, Not a Role
The principles that distinguish strong leaders apply across domains.
How leaders govern organizations is inseparable from how they govern themselves. Judgment, restraint, and clarity show up in boardrooms — and in the quieter decisions that determine longevity.
Here, leadership is examined not as a title, but as a standard — one that reveals itself in decision quality, boundary-setting, and the ability to remain steady under pressure.
The Most Underrated Tool
We live in a culture that rewards excess—more products, more procedures, more hustle, more visibility. But excess rarely creates confidence. It creates dependence.
Restraint, on the other hand, builds authority. It’s what keeps beauty from becoming insecurity. It’s what keeps wellness from becoming obsession. It’s what allows leadership to feel grounded instead of performative.
Restraint is how you protect your energy, your appearance, your health, and your credibility.
The Standard
The Kathryn Standard is guided by one core belief: the goal is not transformation—it’s alignment.
Alignment between how you look, how you feel, how you lead, and how you live.
Here, you’ll find thoughtful perspectives on beauty, health, longevity, and leadership—filtered through experience, research, and a respect for balance.
This is not about doing everything. It’s about doing the right things well.
The Kathryn Standard is about setting your own bar— and having the confidence to keep it.
— Kathryn
About Kathryn
Kathryn Seebold is a senior executive and founder of The Kathryn Standard.
She has spent more than twenty-five years in executive leadership roles across the medical device industry and the nonprofit sector, often operating in high-pressure, results-driven environments where decisions carried real consequence.
Kathryn has served as Executive Director for two organizations, held multiple nonprofit board positions, and served in civic leadership roles, including President of the Junior League of Orange County.
She holds an undergraduate degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and an Executive MBA through Harvard’s YPO-affiliated program.
Her work reflects a consistent focus: how standards, judgment, and restraint shape leadership that holds up over time.
Work With Kathryn
Some of this work continues privately with a small number of leaders and organizations.
Kathryn advises senior executives, founders, and leadership teams on standards, judgment, and the conditions required for durable leadership. Engagaments are selective and relationship-driven, not programmatic.
If, after spending time with the writing, you feel alignment and are considering next step, you're welcome to inquire.