Red Root Leadership was born from the belief that leadership isn’t granted by title – it’s forged through action, service, and conviction. As a tenured U.S. Air Force officer, I led large teams, complex missions, and high-stakes operations. That experience taught me that leadership is never about ego or position – it’s about people.
After transitioning into the civilian sector, I continued leading in the cyber-security space and saw the same pattern emerge: leaders being placed in positions of authority without the tools, mindset, or experience to lead well. I saw teams suffer, missions fall apart, and good people burn out – not because of bad intentions, but because the foundation was weak.
That’s why I started Red Root Leadership – not to complain about the leadership gap, but to fill it. I believe the order matters: relationships first, then establishing rhythm, then resources and tooling. When leaders get that right, everything else flows. My passion is to equip leaders (especially those rising in under served communities) with the mindset, tools, and grounded foundation they need to lead with strength and clarity.
We challenge performative leadership. We reject shortcuts. We build leaders who are rooted!
Red Root Leadership is grounded in more than a decade of leadership experience spanning the U.S. Air Force, military intelligence, the Department of Defense, cybersecurity, and enterprise operations.
Founder Kris Phillips has led teams through high-pressure environments, built teams and systems from the ground up, and made difficult decisions when the stakes were real. Those experiences shape an approach to leadership development that is practical, people-focused, and built around what leaders actually face every day.
Red Root Leadership brings those lessons into organizations to help managers strengthen relationships, create consistency, make better decisions, and lead their people with greater clarity.
Leadership development should do more than sound good in a workshop.
Our programs combine research-backed frameworks with lessons shaped by real leadership experience. Every coaching session, workshop, and assessment is designed around practical challenges leaders encounter every day, from building trust and addressing difficult conversations to creating accountability and leading through change.
Red Root Leadership exists to develop grounded leaders who lead with integrity, clarity, and care. Through coaching, workshops, and practical tools, we help leaders build trust, find rhythm, and resource their teams to grow, starting from the root.
To grow a generation of grounded leaders | people who lead not just with authority, but with integrity, clarity, and care. We envision a world where every team, community, and organization has leaders rooted in purpose, steady through change, and committed to building people-first cultures. Leadership isn’t a position, it’s a responsibility. And together, we’ll redefine what it means to lead well.
Strong leadership isn’t just about authority. It’s about creating an environment where people thrive. Grounded leaders foster trust, stability, and purpose, driving measurable results across revenue, engagement, and retention.
More revenue can be generated by effective leadership (McKinsey)
A big part of team engagement is driven by the quality of the manager (Callup)
58% of employees who quit blamed their manager — costing businesses over $223 Billion (SHRM Report)
Our approach to leadership development focuses on three core elements that equip leaders to inspire trust, maintain clarity, and empower teams with the tools they need to excel.
Leadership begins with people. Trust, empathy, and respect are the roots of everything.
"If you don't build relationships, you can't build a team."
Good leaders create structure - but not rigidity. Rhythm means clarity, consistency, and flow.
"Processes should support the people, not control them."
Technology and tools should enable - not distract. The right resources amplify your leadership.
"Use tools with intention, not dependence."
Our approach to leadership development focuses on three core elements that equip leaders to inspire trust, maintain clarity, and empower teams with the tools they need to excel.
“Thank you so much for training us to be better leaders.”
"U.S. Air Force Officer
“Kris always puts his team first. He stood up for us when it mattered most - true leadership in action.”
Senior Cybersecurity Analyst, Global MSSP
“Your leadership and guidance helped me improve as a leader.”
DoD Financial Professional
Ready to plant deeper roots and reach higher? Talk to our team and see how our programs can meet your exact leadership goals.
