Attorney, author, and workplace consultant Patrice Borders, the EI Amplifier™, is grateful to live her purpose of teaching organizations to build mindful, emotionally intelligent leadership that energizes the work environment. As the creator of the Seven Keys to Emotional Intelligence™, Patrice specializes in giving leaders mental tools—based on modern neuroscience—to handle stress, uncertainty, conflict, and to intentionally nurture their professional and personal well-being.

Founded over 20 years ago, AmplifyEI enables organizations to deliver stronger results and leaders to evolve with greater focus, insight, and empathy – cultivating healthy teamwork and belonging.

A client described Patrice as “the perfect combination of IQ, EQ, facilitator, and wizard.” Embodying this description, she intentionally builds relationships that help individuals and organizations evolve into their best selves.

She finds joy in taking mindful walks with her husband, Keith and their fur baby, Obi and catching up on the unfolding – never dull – lives of their two adulting daughters – Candace Layne and Camille “Mimi Alyce.”

In 30 seconds or less, tell us who YOU are. This is not your professional bio, but rather, your response should reflect how you are uniquely you.
Several years ago, I wrote a poem inspired by George Ella Lyon’s famous Where I’m From Poem – I have used this with clients to cultivate connections. I’ll use it here to share, who I am, by answering what I Am From…

I am From Poem

By Patrice Borders (July 11, 2022)

I am from the pages of Zora Neal Hurston colored by the purple rain of Prince

I am from canned chow chow, yeast rolls, and homemade caramel cake frosted with love

I am from wiser playmates, soulmates, counselors, and advisors also known as my own sorority of sisters

I am from smiles framed by memories of mud pies and best friends forever, literally forever

I am from the dreams deferred — dreamt and birthed before the world was ready

I am from a blueprint with endless floorplans for resilience made sturdy by the concrete tears of my parents, their parents, and their parents, and their parents, mixed in the passage by salty waters

What is the primary motivation of your leadership?
I want people to have the tools to thrive and emotional intelligence is the common denominator of healthy, enriching, rewarding, fun, and successful lives and careers. This motivation was the inspiration for the creating of the Seven Keys to Emotional Intelligence. Center, Comprehend, Connect, Communicate, Collaborate, navigate Conflict, and shape Cultures of belonging. To continue to grow in self-awareness, and practice empathy and compassion as I stay deeply curious.

What has been the cornerstone of your life journey that influenced your personal mission and purpose?
I have named that defining moment, the 20SecondHUG.

When my daughters were toddlers, I was juggling the demands of motherhood with a busy consulting career. Every second of the day seemed filled with one urgent to-do or another.

I loved the life I was living, yet I was pulled in so many directions.

I became acutely aware of this one morning when the chaos of getting ready for the day completely distracted me from my daughters. As I dropped them off for pre-school, I realized that I was sending them into the world without really connecting with them.

It was clear that I needed to find a way to focus my energy and attention.

From then on, every morning when I dropped my daughters off at preschool, we would embrace for a full 20 seconds. I wanted to be fully present, for them to know they had my complete attention. I would clear all other thoughts from my mind and give each girl all my emotional energy in that embrace. Together we infused strength and warmth into our relationship, day after day.

There, the 20SecondHUG™ was born, it became our family’s thing… our way of greeting and saying good-bye everywhere. Slowing down. Tuning in fully. Seeing the person.

Who has had an immense impact on you as a leader? How did this person (or people) impact your life?
I learned resilience from my father and self-compassion from my mother.

What pieces of advice have you received along the way in your career or life journey that has stuck with you?
The most impactful advice I have received is to pause to be present to live your life here now and in this moment I have come to understand that we operate a lot of time on autopilot where we are moving from place to place moving from conversation to conversation and we aren’t really present we miss out on special moments and special relationships so for me what has really stuck with me that I try to keep core and center core is to center to get present to live here now in this moment `pause. Listen with empathy to yourself and others. Practice compassion with yourself and others. Slow down to speed up.

What one thing makes you most proud?
Of course, I’m proud of taking a vision I had and creating a global business with AmplifyEI. Most proud? I am most proud of the caring, loving, encouraging, compassionate family my husband, Keith, and I have created. We love each other, counsel each other, listen, work it out when necessary and truly enjoy the moments we get to spend together. And the village of family and friends who I let proud Dad do the heavy bragging A place to be Building a home where we I share this one with my husband – our daughters – Candace (PhD Candidate at Yale) and Camille “Mimi Alyce” (PhD Candidate at Princeton and Rhodes Scholar).

What’s one thing you do every day (or with consistency) to be a better person?
Meditation. It shows up most consistently in the minute to arrive I give myself (and often invite others to join me) before an executive coaching or Zoom meeting.

What are a few resources or behaviors you would recommend to someone looking to grow into a better leader?
As the EI Amplifier™, I am on a mission to provide practical ways to grow and practice emotionally intelligent behaviors. This is the reason I codified my work into the Seven Keys to Emotional Intelligence™.

How do you define success?
Success, in my view, is about creating your own definition and being clear about what you want to achieve on your own terms. Success, then, becomes a personalized journey, unique to each individual, shaped by their vision, goals, and the positive impact they aspire to make in their organization and community.

Why do you choose to make the Cincinnati region home?
I have always described Cincinnati as offering big city experiences with a small-town feel – and almost anywhere you want to go is generally no more than 20 minutes away!

What do you imagine for the future of the Cincinnati region?
I imagine that the sense of community continues to flourish – making it a place people choose because they can imagine building their lives and careers here – raising their families all within a sound economy to build their lives and careers, raise their families, and find ways to be in their flow.

What legacy do you hope to leave behind?
I am reminded of Dan Rockwell’s poignant words, ‘Legacy isn’t tomorrow. Legacy is now.’ This quote resonates deeply, because it underscores the belief that the legacy we aspire to leave is shaped by our daily words and actions. I am creating legacy when I replace my judgment of you with curiosity. I am creating legacy when I show my vulnerability and authenticity and hold space for yours. I am creating legacy when I double down on love – my love for humanity and bet on the ripple effect.