We weren’t built in a boardroom—we were born in the trenches of toxic leadership.

At Integral Exploration Development Group™ (IEXDG), we don’t just develop leaders. We restore what leadership was meant to be: values-driven, people-centered, and growth-minded.

Our founder, Dr. Denean Nicole Fields (Dr. DNicole), never set out to launch a consulting firm. She set out to lead. But what she encountered in the school systems and leadership spaces she once loved was disillusioning—leaders who demanded compliance over connection, environments where voicing concern was punished rather than welcomed, and a culture that only valued her when she was useful but silenced her when she spoke the truth.

Despite earning her doctorate in Educational Leadership and leading with excellence across both K–12 and higher education,

Dr. DNicole often found herself stifled by systems that feared authenticity and rejected vulnerability.

"If I couldn't trust the leaders above me, how could I expect teams to trust me below?” That single question reshaped everything.

Rather than mold herself into a version of leadership that didn’t reflect her heart or values, Dr. DNicole chose a different path—one rooted in self-definition, authenticity, and courage. She set out to define leadership for herself, help others lead without losing themselves, and shift from pleasing power to empowering people.

That decision birthed The Effective Leadership Culture Code™—IEXDG’s 6-pillar framework, grounded in the very breakdowns she experienced firsthand. It centers on communication that builds trust, not tension; connection that values people, not just performance; collaboration that breaks silos, not spirits; influence (captaincy) that models integrity, not intimidation; culture that prioritizes safety, not silence; and competence that grows with purpose, not ego.

She went on to train with global leadership icon John Maxwell, became a certified speaker and coach, and now leads a cross-sector team dedicated to transforming how leaders lead—so teams can actually thrive.