New York, NY – Dr. Natalie Callis, founder of Quintessential Consulting LLC and creator of Unfiltered Leadership™, has unveiled The F.O.R.C.E.™, a sports-focused framework that places emotional intelligence at the center of competitive performance. Designed for athletes and teams, The F.O.R.C.E. provides a clear blueprint for staying composed, making wise decisions, and leading under pressure.
“Unfiltered Leadership™ is the discipline of becoming comfortable with discomfort,” says Dr. Callis. “The F.O.R.C.E. brings that same discipline into sports, teaching athletes to regulate themselves when the moment is biggest.”
An Emotional Regulation Blueprint for Athletes
The F.O.R.C.E. is rooted in the same human intelligence principles that power Dr. Callis’ executive work. Instead of treating emotions as a distraction, the model treats them as data to be understood and managed. Athletes learn how to stay grounded when intensity spikes, how to reset after mistakes, and how to respond rather than react in high-stakes moments.
This emotional regulation blueprint helps athletes:
- Maintain clarity when games are on the line
- Build a consistent, repeatable focus
- Avoid self-sabotage under stress
- Lead themselves and others with calm authority
Turning Emotional Intelligence into a Competitive Standard
For years, emotional intelligence in sports has been framed as a “nice-to-have.” The F.O.R.C.E. challenges that narrative by turning it into a core competitive advantage. Its five pillars, Focus, Ownership, Resilience, Character, and Excellence, are taught as daily habits and observable behaviors, not vague ideals.
Within this system, emotional intelligence looks like:
- Focus: Calm under pressure, increases precision
- Ownership: Accountability for effort & attitude
- Resilience: Bounce-back mindset after mistakes
- Character: Respect, sportsmanship & integrity
- Excellence: striving for growth and purpose, not perfection
These traits form the internal infrastructure that separates steady high-performers from unpredictable or volatile players.
Building Leaders, Not Just Players
The F.O.R.C.E. is designed to elevate who an athlete is, not just what an athlete does. It cultivates emotionally intelligent reflexes, self-control, situational awareness, empathy, accountability, and integrity that shape how athletes influence their teams and environments.
By focusing on identity, the framework helps athletes:
- Communicate with maturity
- Collaborate effectively under pressure
- Inspire trust and confidence from teammates and coaches
- Lead regardless of age, title, or position
The result is a new standard for emotional intelligence in sports, one where leadership is measured by consistency of character, not just performance on the scoreboard.
About Quintessential Consulting LLC
Quintessential Consulting LLC is a leadership and culture transformation firm that develops human-first leaders in business, healthcare, education, and now athletics. Through evidence-based frameworks, including The Ascent to Unfiltered Leadership™ and The F.O.R.C.E.™, the firm supports organizations and teams seeking emotionally intelligent, resilient, and values-aligned leadership at every level.
Learn more and connect with Dr. Callis on:
LinkedIn: Dr. Natalie Callis
X: @Drncallis1
TikTok: @quintessential.coach
About Dr. Natalie Callis
Dr. Natalie Callis is a board-certified executive coach, healthcare executive, and leadership strategist with more than 25 years of experience in high-stakes environments. Born and raised on the East Coast, she holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) in Executive Leadership from Rutgers University and advanced credentials in leadership, quality, and emotional intelligence.
Her academic and professional work combines nursing science, organizational psychology, human behavior, and systems leadership. She is the architect of The Ascent to Unfiltered Leadership™ and The F.O.R.C.E.™, frameworks that help executives and athletes alike move beyond performance culture to identity-based leadership and inner alignment. A mother of twins, she is active in modern parenting and leadership conversations across the U.S.
