About

Trusted by leaders across industries

Vanderbilt Medical KPMG Main Street Arcare SEI Tractor Supply Company Vanderbilt University Cigna Delta Blue Christ Presbyterian Academy Vanderbilt Medical KPMG Main Street Arcare SEI Tractor Supply Company Vanderbilt University Cigna Delta Blue Christ Presbyterian Academy
Jonathan Payne in a suit standing near a goalpost on a football field, with a large crowd of people in the background inside a stadium.

2012

Scene from a sports event with many people, some wearing orange jackets and others with lanyards. Confetti on the ground indicates celebration, possibly after a game or medal ceremony.

2013

A crowded NFL press event on a football field with cameras, reporters, and security personnel, featuring a smiling Jonathan Payne in a suit and tie standing in the center.

2014

How it all began

Jonathan Payne founded Author Leadership with a simple conviction: leaders shape stories—both their own and the stories lived by everyone around them. When a leader becomes clear, grounded, and intentional, the impact reaches far beyond performance metrics. It restores people. It strengthens teams. It rewrites what is possible.

Jonathan’s understanding of leadership was formed early in his career inside the NFL League Office, where he worked from 2010–2016 in the Media Group. His role regularly placed him alongside seasoned team executives, broadcast leaders, game officials, and stadium operators navigating high-stakes decisions under constant pressure. It was a firsthand education in the full spectrum of leadership styles, the impact of ego on collaboration, and the skill required to navigate complex personalities—especially when the spotlight is brightest.

It was also a season marked by unique experiences, including being on the sidelines for six Super Bowls and serving on the small scheduling team responsible for building every NFL preseason, regular season, and postseason schedule. These years gave Jonathan a firsthand view of how pressure can form leaders over time.

A smiling couple standing close together outdoors in a field with autumn foliage, under a cloudy sky.
Skyline of downtown Nashville, Tennessee with skyscrapers, historic brick buildings, and Nashville riverboats in the foreground during sunset.

2016

The work takes shape

In 2016, Jonathan moved to Nashville and joined c3/consulting (later acquired by Ankura), a boutique firm known for helping leaders make sense of complexity—using creative, human-centered approaches to uncover a clear path forward. There, he partnered with organizations ranging from early-stage ventures to Fortune 100 companies, working across strategy, change management, leadership development, and executive coaching.

During this season, several truths took root. Jonathan saw how profoundly leadership health affects not only organizations, but families and communities. He experienced executive coaching himself and found it transformative—naming the tension that lived beneath the surface of so many leadership challenges.

Over time, his curiosity also deepened at the intersection of leadership, psychology, neurobiology, and spiritual formation. It became clear that his deepest joy and unique gifting lived in the formative work of helping leaders slow down, see clearly, and grow with intention.

A man is giving a presentation in a room with large windows and a backdrop covered in colorful sticky notes. Several audience members are seated, some taking notes. A large screen displays a slide titled 'Imagining the Future' with various bullet points.

2022

A man giving a presentation to a group of people seated at tables in a classroom or conference room. There is a large screen behind him displaying a slide with labeled building blocks and the text, 'what career story do you want to live out?' The audience appears engaged, and the room has large windows letting in natural light.
A family of six, including two adults and four children, standing outdoors in a park with fallen leaves, surrounded by trees with green and autumn-colored foliage. The family is smiling and holding hands, dressed in fall clothing.

In 2022, Jonathan launched Author Leadership around a simple but often overlooked truth: clarity is not a moment. It is a practice. Most leaders are not lacking ambition or ability—they lack clarity and disciplined intention. Author Leadership exists to offer leaders space—to reflect, to realign, and to lead from the presence required for real transformation.

Today, Jonathan partners with leaders across industries and seasons of life—many at inflection points where their external success no longer matches their internal clarity. Jonathan brings calm strength, reflective inquiry, grounded frameworks, and a deeply human presence to help leaders see their narrative with new eyes and reclaim authorship of their story, leading from a place of grounding rather than pressure.

Outside his professional work, Jonathan is a husband, a father of four, a friend, a church elder, and a youth sports coach. These roles continually shape his understanding of formation, discipline, and what it means to build a flourishing life—at work and at home.

Author Leadership exists to help leaders get clear, be intentional, and lead lives and organizations that reflect who they were created to become.

It is leadership work—but it is also human work. The practice of rewriting the story from the inside out.

Author Leadership begins

100+

Across healthcare, finance, education, nonprofit, and professional services—each navigating their own mix of pressure, responsibility, and change.

Leaders Coached

16+

From the NFL league office to executive coaching and nonprofit work, Jonathan brings deep experience with complex systems and very human leaders.

Years Experience

6

Our six-month Accelerator is intentionally designed to move beyond quick fixes and help you build sustainable practices, not just temporary inspiration.

Month Turnaround

Start owning
your story

If you sense drift—professionally or personally—this is your invitation to slow down and take an honest look. A simple conversation can open the path to clarity, courage, and renewal.