Aesara Partners 

At Aesara Partners, our mission is simple: enable you to be the best version of yourself. We offer a range of focused services that unlock the potential of people, teams and cultures to maximise business performance. 

Collectively our Partners and Associates have decades of experience both in executive coaching and as board level leaders themselves working in multiple sectors across global markets.

Partner & Executive Coach

Doshisha University

Professor of Strategic Management, Global MBA Program

The CFO Coach K.K.

The CFO Coach K.K. is a boutique executive coaching firm specializing in developing High-Performance​ Financial Leaders and Teams.

Founder & Executive Coach

Kansai Gaidai University

•	Awarded President's Global Education Award (Teacher of the Year).

Professor of Leadership & Management

Benesse Holdings, Inc. (USD 4.5B; Tokyo Stock Exchange Code: 9783)

•	Member of the Board of Directors for Berlitz Corporation; Benesse Corporation; and Benesse Style Care.  Chairman of Audit Committee for Berlitz Corporation. Member of Benesse Holdings Pension Committee.
•	Global CFO covering all 40+ Benesse group companies
•	Championed and supported multiple cash generation initiatives including a CFO led "Save to Grow" initiative to improve Company Financial performance and to identify significant savings for business reinvestment
•	Enhanced Finance bench strength and hired a high potential team to start financial business consulting
•	Implemented several process and capability best practices to move group companies towards global standards

Global Chief Financial Officer & Corporate Senior Vice President

McCann Worldgroup Holdings

• Overall Responsibility for Operations (Finance, IT, Legal, and Administration - 10 legal entities) 
• Successfully turned around long term loss making lead agency by delivering double digit margin improvements within two years
• Delivered double digit margin improvements for all six MWG Group companies 
• Built a new Finance team and moved from Scorekeeping to Business Partnership and improved business performance
• Major projects within last two years include: 
  - Shared Service center creation/migration
  - New Financial System Migration
  - Acquisition & Divestiture
  - Business Turnaround
  - Retirement Plan consolidation/change
  - Office relocation/rent reductions

Group Chief Financial Officer, Executive Vice President, and Member of The Board

Becton, Dickinson and Company

• Led Finance, Procurement, General Affairs, and Rebates teams (43 staff) to deliver multi-million dollar cash and profit performance improvement for first year and beyond. Exceeded all budget expectations.
• Engaged Japan Management Team and Global Finance Leadership Team on company objectives to deliver best outcome (Finance Transformation initiative, Sales effectiveness improvement, Key Account Management, Business Continuity plan, and strategy/selection of backup distribution center).  Led process for 2012-16 Business Plan development
• Developed and executed Finance department strategy and vision to move from scorekeeping to business partnership. Implemented job rotation program and hired several high potential employees to improve bench strength.
• Championed multiple Finance and Procurement initiatives including definition and implementation of new 401k Retirement Plan; divestiture of non-core business; change of primary banks (reduced bank fees by over 30%); vendor reduction process, and new travel expense management system 
• Taught New Manager Essentials program and selected as leadership trainer for PEPFAR program in South Africa to teach Leadership and Change Management to African Health Ministry officials

Finance and Administration Director

Avon Products Inc.

•	Implementation project leader for Avon Sales Leadership Framework (ASLF) – Highest priority project for the Company to adapt to a new Sales Model.  Completed project implementation in record timing.  Awarded regional award as part of ASLF Team. Only person in Asia recognized for both Top-line and Bottom-line contributions in the same year.
•	Defined and executed new vision and mission and led Sales Support department to complete over 40 initiatives (within a six-month period) as part of Team’s new journey towards field motivational excellence. Incorporated new processes to deliver high impact incentives, and to create Sales energy and momentum for sales turn-around.    
•	Achieved highest employee engagement scores with Sales Support Department significantly exceeding country results in over 95% of categories.  Previously had also led Finance department to highest employee engagement scores.
•	Global Project leader for a high potential, multi-functional, multi-national team to study and recommend actions to improve Global Sales Incentive management/spending process.
•	Oversaw execution of a variety of Company and Public/Media events ranging from Sales Conferences to Philanthropic events including Annual Awards to Women, and Pink Ribbon Campaign support.

Executive Director and Member of the Board

•	Responsible for Financial policy making/implementation and reporting for Avon Japan as a public company (including statutory/public, and Board Meetings). All year-end financial documents audited with no comments/exceptions.
•	Defined and executed new department Vision and Mission, and recruited, trained and developed a completely new Finance team (80% new hires within a six month period) to move from scorekeeping to business partnership. Finance team formed core of country high potential list.
•	Consistently over achieved profit performance commitment under adverse conditions of sales decline by aggressively managing strategic business needs with cost cutting; Delivered zero overhead growth during all years; Japan winner of regional awards for best cost management performance, and for boldest transformation strategy.
•	Provided leadership and support for critical decisions and strategy development as Japan Leadership Team Member.  Actively led change management process within company.
•	Consistently achieved best internal control results in Asia-Pacific/Avon over a period of eight audits.  Japan one of only two countries with highest audit rating. Outstanding performance generated support to remove Japan from list of High Coverage countries.
• Co-developed strategic/financial business case, and obtained approval for number of campaign reduction in 2006 making Avon Japan only country ever in Avon to undergo campaign reduction. 
• Independently analyzed and provided strategic direction for Plant study which challenged and reversed previous recommendation by outside consultants on plant closure.
• Provided leadership in several restructuring initiatives by providing an achievable plan to achieve 12% people related cost reduction.  Played lead role in this study representing Finance, Supply Chain and HR 
• Consistently achieved highest performance rating and nominations to several high potential programs
• Elected (and re-elected) to Board of Directors

Executive Director, CFO and Member of the Board of Directors

Delphi

• Prepared Asia-Pacific regional messages / presentations for Delphi Strategy Board, and for Delphi Board of Directors.
• Supported development and implementation of critical Asia-Pacific strategies.  Performed competitive intelligence and other special studies to identify risks / competitive threats and outlined regional / corporate response.
• Provided Miller Heiman strategic selling process training to Asia-Pacific personnel to improve value propositions and increase sales effectiveness.

Director Asia-Pacific Planning

• Management responsibilities for Finance, HR, General Affairs, and Six-Sigma.
• Active member of the Japan Strategy Board and Japan management team.  
• Six-Sigma Deployment Champion for Delphi Japan.

Delphi Japan – CFO & Administration Director

Country Responsibilities:
• Managed all finance functions including accounting, budgeting / forecasting and treasury.
• Lead development of cross-functional and cross-divisional Internal Control Review Board.
• Lead and supported strategic initiatives including venture development support, site enhancement, competitive analysis, transfer pricing, and cost reduction studies.
• Represented Japan in Asia-Pacific Financial Task Team.

Regional Responsibilities:
• Coached country CFO and staff to implement common financial reporting processes.
• Supervised and provided training for engineering / commercial / plant / site analysts.  Coordinated regional financial training programs for the sector in the Asia-Pacific region.
• Coordinated the regional budget, business plan, and capital management process.
• Supported development of common financial practices among ventures including:  Loan monitoring, F/X and cash management, compliance with accounting principles, report submission, etc. Provided regional oversight of venture risk exposure.

Asia-Pacific Senior Finance Mgr.

Executive Coach | MBA Professor | Ex-Global CFO

I help senior leaders master complexity, elevate strategic impact, and lead with authentic authority.

I bring over 25 years of C-level and boardroom experience as a former Global CFO for a $5B publicly traded company, combined with a deep commitment to human-centered leadership development.

Today, I coach global executives, CEOs, and leadership teams — specializing in executive transitions, strategic leadership, high-performance teams, and Asian leadership development.

I am also an MBA Professor of Leadership and Strategic Management, blending research-driven frameworks with boardroom-tested insights to develop transformational leaders.

Based in Kyoto, fluent in English, Urdu, and Japanese.

Connect with me: arif@thecfocoach.jp

Website: www.thecfocoach.jp (please sign up on my mailing list to receive future announcements and newsletters)

Arif Iqball

Helping PE-backed leaders become world-class operators | Creator of the Sands Performance Assessment | Father of 5

I help PE-backed leaders quickly grow their team, scale their business, and delight their investors through better leadership.

Over the past 15 years, I’ve developed a smart, intuitive coaching program that’s helped hundreds of CEOs build healthier, higher-performing teams.

The secret? High Growth Leadership builds the five core skills every fast-scaling leader needs:

Prioritization – Know what matters. Ignore what doesn’t.
Execution – Get the right stuff done. On time. Every time.
Mindset – Build the resilience to lead under pressure.
Trust – Become the leader people rely on.
Teamwork – Collaborate better. Multiply results.

I love this work but, to be honest, I never thought I’d be on this journey.

For much of my early career I worked in management consulting, helping senior execs navigate complex strategy and growth challenges. The work was high-profile, but I saw too many smart leaders quietly struggling, stretched thin, unclear on priorities, and disconnected from the people who mattered most.

That disconnect became my obsession.

After getting married, I realized that being a jet-setting consultant wasn’t aligned with my #1 priority: to be a great husband and (eventually) father. That’s what led me to coaching, and later, to creating the Sands Performance Assessment.

Most assessments help you describe people. This one helps you understand them.

You'll discover what drives your team's behavior so you can coach, support, and lead them more effectively.

This isn’t another DISC, MBTI, or simple personality test. This tool pinpoints:

- What matters to each person
- What kind of feedback they respond to
- What drives their best work
- What creates trust and what breaks it

That insight helps leaders improve performance, deepen connections, and build alignment at scale.

Whether I’m coaching 1:1 or working with full exec teams, my goal is the same:
Help leaders lead in a healthy, sustainable way.

If you want to lead with more clarity, or you’re looking for a scalable tool to build better teams, let’s connect.

1️⃣ Subscribe to my newsletter:
Over 4,000 CEOs and Senior Executives get practical tips to improve leadership.
bit.ly/4oikIub

2️⃣ Get the Sands Values-Based Assessment
Buy the tool top execs use to uncover what builds trust, drives performance, and improves alignment across PE-backed teams. (coming soon!)

3️⃣ Apply for Coaching
Join my 8-week executive coaching program for leaders ready to transform how they live and lead.
bit.ly/3UcpKe3

If you have questions about what I offer, DM me or email info@sandsleadership.com

Ben Sands

Good leaders explain the vision with facts.

Great leaders sell it with a story.

At every touchpoint of a business — from your team, to the board, to customers —
your job is to reinforce a key narrative:

Where the business is.
Where it's going.
Why it's going to be great.

Strong leaders don't leave that storytelling up to chance.
They use the right framework at the right time:

STARR Method
↳ A simple structure for making results clear and credible.

• Situation: The context and stakes
• Task: The goal or problem to solve
• Action: What you did and why
• Result: What changed and what it delivered
• Reflection: What you learned and what you would repeat

SCQA Framework
↳ A clean way to explain complexity without turning into a data dump.

→ Situation: What is true today?
→ Complication: What changed or is getting in the way?
→ Question: What decision do we need to make?
→ Answer: The decision, plan, and next step.

ABT
↳ A fast narrative that keeps people tracking from problem to action.

And - Offers shared context
↓
But - The constraint, tension, or risk
↓
Therefore - What we are doing next

Monroe's Motivated Sequence
↳ A persuasion structure that moves people from interest to commitment.

• Attention: Name the moment and the stakes
• Need: Make the gap or risk clear
• Solution: Present the approach
• Visualization: Show what success looks like
• Action: Ask for the decision or commitment

Simon Sinek's Golden Circle
↳ A way to create buy-in by connecting the work to meaning.

→ Why: What we believe and why it matters.
→ How: The approach we're taking
→ What: The specific priorities and actions

I've put in exactly when to use each framework in the image below.

Save it and come back for future reference.

You don't need to be polished to tell the right story.
You just need to know exactly what your goal is, and the right way to tell it.

Which storytelling framework do you think is most important?

--------------------------

On Thursday, January 29th at 12:30 PM EST, I’m hosting a live session for senior leaders.

6 Steps to Leading a Healthy, High-Performing Team

I’ll break down:
→ A 6-step roadmap from transforming a team from good to great
→ Why strong leaders still end up with inconsistent results
→ The individual skills that actually drive team performance
→ How to create real accountability—without pressure or micromanagement

If results feel harder than they should…
If effort is high but momentum isn’t…
If execution is your focus this quarter—

This session is for you.

Sign up here: 
https://lnkd.in/eY7Tm6hQ

--------------------------

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I help smart, driven leaders become world-class operators | Author, High Growth Leadership newsletter | Father of 5

You're not helping by hovering.

You're holding your team back.

Thanks to Dora Vanourek for this visual.

Most micromanagement doesn't come from bad intent.

It starts as pressure to not drop the ball.
To prove you deserve the seat you're in.

And the more pressure rises, the safer it feels to cling to control.

That appears in language and behavior:

❌ "Don't start without my approval."
❌ "Why are you still working from home?"
❌ "Why didn't you copy me on that email?"
❌ "Why didn't you just follow instructions?"
❌ "I want daily updates on your progress."
❌ "Why is this still not done?"
❌ "Why can't you just do it my way?"
❌ "This is why I have to double-check your work."
❌ "Why weren't you at your desk at 8am?"
❌ "What makes you think you're ready for this?"

Leaders don't wake up wanting to talk like this. 

But they appear from beliefs that have been formed years ago.
Left unchecked, they bleed into every interaction.

But when you work your way out of them, you start to lead with more clarity.
and your team takes on more ownership.

To reinforce trust day-to-day, start shifting your language to this:

✅ "I trust you to take initiative, no need to wait for me."
✅ "Work where you're most productive."
✅ "Share only key updates. I trust you to manage the details."
✅ "I appreciate your creativity in trying a new approach."
✅ "Keep me posted on any major developments. I'm here to help."
✅ "How's progress? Do you need any support?"
✅ "Your approach is valid, what inspired your method?"
✅ "You've got this. Let me know how I can help you succeed."
✅ "Feel free to be flexible, as long as work gets done."
✅ "I believe in your potential, let me know if you need any support."

Every time you respond instead of react, you weaken the fear response.

As fear comes out of the system, trust becomes your default.

If you what a clear snapshot of how strong your leadership foundation is,
I built a free, short quiz to make that visible.

You can take it here: bit.ly/ExecutiveQuiz

What's one sentence you're trying to remove from your leadership vocab?

--------------------------

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The best leaders match the mode to the moment.

Most leaders don’t fail from lack of effort or intent.
They fail because they misread the situation.

They default to one mode; one "hat" they wear everywhere.

They coach when the room needs clarity.
They cast vision when the room needs trust.
They solve problems when the room needs ownership.

Leadership effectiveness doesn't depend on style.
It’s about context, timing, and selection.

Modern leadership environments are dynamic, cross-functional, and distributed.
You’re leading across teams, disciplines, and time horizons — often simultaneously.

One mode isn’t enough anymore.

In practice, effective leaders switch between nine — each suited for a different situation:

(Thanks to Clif Mathews for his great illustration.)

1️⃣ The Visionary
• Sets the direction and defines what winning looks like.

2️⃣ The Coach
• Develops people through questions and tasks that stretch their skills.

3️⃣ The Teacher
• Creates a shared baseline for key skills.

4️⃣ The Translator
• Turns complexity into priorities and next steps.

5️⃣ The Problem Solver
• Handles what’s urgent and prevents recurrence.

6️⃣ The Connector
• Builds trust and real cohesion across the team.

7️⃣ The Advocate
• Protects people’s time, energy, and attention.

8️⃣ The Role Model
• Sets the tone through habits and behavior.

9️⃣ The Service Leader
• Removes blockers so execution can happen.

The mistake isn’t effort or intent.
It’s assuming the same mode works in every room.

Great leaders understand context.
When the situation changes, they change their mode to meet it.

____

On Jan 29 (Thu) at 12:30pm ET, I’m running a live workshop to help senior leaders upgrade their personal operating system and habits.

We’ll cover:
→ The one skill that separates high-performing leaders from everyone else
→ My favorite execution best practices to help you create leverage and hit your goals
→ How to level up Q1 and set the pace for a massive 2026

Click here to sign up:
https://lnkd.in/eY7Tm6hQ

Which hat do you find yourself wearing most often?
--------------------------

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Most companies invest in the business.
High-growth ones invest in the people running it.

The best organizations do both.

They develop leaders across three domains:
1️⃣ Self
2️⃣ Team
3️⃣ Enterprise

If one area is lacking, progress slows.
When all three are strong, performance scales without heroics.

If you’re not sure where to start, focus on these five skills in each domain:

💪 Self-Leadership
How you manage yourself.

1.	Self-Awareness
↳ Know your values, patterns, and blind spots.
→ Lead intentionally, not reactively.

2.	Prioritization & Focus
↳ Know what matters most now.
→ Allocate attention to high-impact work.

3.	Time & Energy Management
↳ Manage capacity, not just hours.
→ Plan your days around energy, not urgency.

4.	Emotional Intelligence
↳ Stay composed under pressure.
→ Create space before reacting.

5.	Building Trust
↳ Do what you say you’ll do.
→ Align commitments with your actions. 

👥 Team Leadership
How you scale yourself through others.

6. Clear Communication
↳ Build shared understanding across the team.
→ Define “winning” and clarify how work connects.

7. Leading Great Meetings
↳ Turn meetings into execution engines.
→ Drive decisions and clear next steps.

8. Delegation
↳ Use projects as development opportunities.
→ Empower the team with clarity and context.

9. Delivering Feedback
↳ Clear, timely input accelerates performance.
→ Address issues early. Focus on behavior and impact.

10. Accountability
↳ Ownership without blame.
→ Make commitments visible and learn from misses.

📈 Enterprise Leadership
How to build a system that produces results without heroics.

11. Setting Strategy
↳ A few priorities guide decision-making.
→ Align teams around one meaningful goal.

12. Operational Excellence
↳ Reduce friction in how work flows.
→ Improve systems, handoffs, and accountability.

13.	Building Culture
↳ Culture is what the system rewards.
→ Reinforce standards in how work gets done.

14.	Finding & Developing Talent
↳ The right people in the right seats.
→ Hire, develop, and retain for long-term results.

15.	Delivering Predictable Performance
↳ Results shouldn't rely on heroics.
→ Install planning, execution, and review rhythms.

With this, development stops being theoretical
and produces results you can count on.

If you want help doing this — without building from scratch —
I’ve made a plug-and-play coaching program around these exact skills.

👉 DM me for details.

I'm breaking down how top leaders scale teams in a live session:

Thursday, January 29, 12:30PM EST.
Sign up below 👇

https://lnkd.in/eY7Tm6hQ

------------

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Most senior leaders miss this:

You learn to lead when the pressure's on.

Not in classrooms.
Not in workshops.
Not in books.

No, you learn when things don't go to plan.

A decision you got wrong.
A hire that didn't work out.
A crisis you didn't anticipate.

That's the test. 

And unlike school, leadership flips the order.

You don't get the lesson first.
You get the exam.

Great leaders know this.

That's how they extract learning from every outcome.

The way to do it is by asking one question:
"What must I learn from this?"

Instead of wondering,

➡️ "Who messed this up?"
➡️ "Why is this so frustrating?"
➡️ "How do we get past this quickly?"

You start to look deeper and ask:

➡️ What capability is missing?
➡️ What flawed assumption did I make?
➡️ What does this tell me about the future?

That's how you turn experience into leverage.

On Thursday, January 29th at 12:30 PM EST, I’m hosting a live session for senior leaders.

6 Steps to Leading a Healthy, High-Performing Team

I’ll break down:
→ A 6-step roadmap from transforming a team from good to great
→ Why strong leaders still end up with inconsistent results
→ The individual skills that actually drive team performance
→ How to create real accountability—without pressure or micromanagement

If results feel harder than they should…
If effort is high but momentum isn’t…
If execution is your focus this quarter—

This session is for you.

Sign up here: 
https://lnkd.in/eY7Tm6hQ
--------------------------

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➕ Follow Ben Sands for daily advice on business and leadership.
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High-performance teams speak a shared language.
New leaders have to learn it fast.

When you step into a new role, you don’t just inherit goals and people —
you inherit a vocabulary.

Most of it was never written down or defined during onboarding.
So people talk confidently… but mean different things.

Alignment breaks not because people disagree,
but because they think they’re agreeing when they’re not.

That’s why one of the most overlooked levers new leaders have
is not adding more jargon — it’s creating shared meaning.

Here are 10 useful terms and what they mean:

	1.	Whirlwind
↳ The urgent noise that distracts from what matters most.

	2.	Mind Trash
↳ The unspoken stories that quietly sabotage performance.

	3.	Deep Work
↳ Focused time for the hard, strategic work that drives outcomes.

	4.	Vision
↳ A description of the impact and outcomes we will create in 3 years.

	5.	Strategy
↳ The assumptions we’re making about how we win.

	6.	OKRs
↳ The strategic bets we are making to get where we want to go, faster.

	7.	KPIs
↳ The small set of metrics that best describe current performance.

	8.	Goals
↳ Specific targets, linked to KPIs, that tell us we are on track.

	9.	Values
↳ The non-negotiables. Standards that guide decisions under pressure.

	10.	Accountability
↳ Clarity on who will do what, by when.

Once teams aligns on language, pace increases.
Problems surface. Priorities align. Decisions sharpen.
Debate stops feeling ambiguous and starts feeling like progress.

Question for you:
Which of these terms causes the most confusion on your team?

___

One more thing:
You can’t create clarity for your team if you don’t have it yourself.

That’s why I built the Executive Health Quiz.
It reveals where your clarity is strong — and where it’s slowing execution down.

It’s free and takes 3 minutes: ➡️ bit.ly/ExecutiveQuiz

___

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Even hard-working teams can stall.
The effort is there.
What's missing is intentional growth.

When development isn’t built into how a team operates, the pattern is predictable. 

Skills plateau, responsibility drifts back to the top, and performance levels off even though people are still working hard.

Not because the team lacks talent or commitment.
Because growth has become reactive instead of expected.

On strong teams, growth is part of the operating system. 

People are stretched appropriately, coached consistently, 
and trusted with increasing responsibility as their judgment improves.

Yes, sometimes that means someone outgrows the role they're in.

But more often, it produces teams that operate with greater confidence,
higher standards, and better decision-making.

People know the organization is invested in their development, not just their output.

That’s when ownership increases. 

Leaders stop carrying everything themselves. 

Performance improves without adding pressure.

You don’t build a great team by forcing people to stay.
You build a great team by encouraging them to grow.

When people are learning, trusted, and challenged in the right ways, staying makes sense.

👉 If you want to build strong leadership that creates stronger teams,
I've built a quiz that'll help you know where to focus.

It takes just 3 minutes to see where your team is strong, and where they are struggling. 

Take it free here: bit.ly/ExecutiveQuiz

Where might growth be getting crowded out on your team right now?

-------
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The top 1% of CEOs aren't more talented than you.

They've mastered boring habits you avoid.

It's easy to believe the narrative that some people are just more talented or luckier than the rest.

That success comes from a flashy routine, or superhuman discipline.

But success is actually much more boring than that.

After working with hundreds of senior leaders,
I've seen what actually drives consistent performance:

The best leaders don't rely on motivation.

They build habits that reduce friction, protect energy, and force clarity.

That's how they consistently perform at a high level without burning out.

If you're building something big this year,
here's what you should focus on:

1️⃣ Name the three outcomes that matter this week. Say no to the rest.
2️⃣ Review the same key metrics each morning. Act on what they tell you.
3️⃣ Ship one meaningful deliverable before you open messages.
4️⃣ Put strategy time on the calendar weekly. Protect it at all costs.
5️⃣ Write down big decisions the day they are made. Share them with the team.
6️⃣ End meetings with clear commitments and dates. Hold the line on follow through.
7️⃣ Have the hard conversation immediately. Don't let tension build up.
8️⃣ Develop future leaders weekly so ownership doesn't drift back to you.

None of this is complicated. 

You just have to be intentional with your energy.

When these habits are in place, execution gets clearer.
Decisions are made faster.
And energy lasts longer.

Performance becomes something you can predict, 
not something you make vague predictions about.

One important thing to remember though...

Building up these habits only works when you're physically and mentally ready to adopt them.

If you're depleted or stretched too thin, even the "right" habits won't stick.

That's why I built the Executive Health Quiz. 

It gives you a clear snapshot of what’s supporting your performance — 
and what’s quietly working against it — so you know exactly where to focus.

You can take it here (free): 👉 bit.ly/ExecutiveQuiz

Which one of these habits do you think is most important?

--------------------------

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Success without alignment feels empty.

Most leaders learn this too late.

I've coached many CEOs who've felt off.

They're at the top of their game at work,
but still, something was missing for them.

They're checking the boxes but are disconnected.
Goals are hit, but they don't feel like wins.
The life they thought they wanted doesn't fit.

I've been there.

In my early career, I travelled the world
consulting for global companies.

On paper, it looked like success.

But something felt misaligned.

I was great at the work, but it wasn't what I was meant to do.

Knowing about Ikigai would have been really helpful for me back then.

It's a Japanese concept that reflects your reason for being.

At the center point between:

→ What you love
→ What you're good at
→ What the world needs
→ And what you can get paid for

Is what you're meant to do.

And when your life starts aligning around it,
things begin to shift. 

→ You move with purpose, not pressure.
→ Work feels energizing, not draining.
→ You start leading with what you value. 

Your values become your direction.
And predictable performance quickly follows.

If you want a clearer picture of how to maximize your strengths,
I built a quiz that'll help.

My Executive Health Quiz will give you a snapshot of where you're thriving...and where things may be slipping.

You can take it for free here: bit.ly/ExecutiveQuiz

What does alignment look like to you day-to-day?

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Fix the execution drift now…
or spend Q2 untangling chaos.

By mid-January, the New Year energy fades and the old operating system returns.

“Inbox fires.”
“Quick fixes.”
Calendar Tetris.

End result?
Your day is full… but none of the work that actually moves the business forward gets done.

This is how execution slows — not from lack of effort, but from a few key levers slipping out of place.

1. Clarity
↳ The team is busy, but progress is inconsistent.
→ Write goals like this: “From X to Y by Z.”

2. Mindset
↳ You hesitate on a tough call or avoid necessary conversations.
→ Name the thing you’ve been postponing. Put it on the calendar. Do it.

3. Alignment
↳ Everyone “agrees” in meetings. No one follows through.
→ End every meeting with: decision, owner, deadline, success criteria.

4. Personal Operating Habits
↳ Your day becomes reactive and your top priorities get displaced by your inbox.
→ Block deep work and defend it.

Even one of these can cause drift.
All four together can make a company feel stuck.
Stalled projects, frustrated teams, exhausted operators.

If you had to fix just one lever this quarter, which would move the needle the most?

⸻

I’m breaking this down live:

Jan 29 (Thu) · 12:30pm ET · Live for senior leaders

We’ll cover:

✅ The 5 core skills that underpin world-class performance
✅ The difference between A-Players vs. an A-Team
✅ The “EASI” system top operators use to scale fast (without burnout)
✅ A 90-Day Breakthrough Plan you can deploy immediately with your team

Save your seat:

https://lnkd.in/eY7Tm6hQ

Which of these four levers do you think is most important?
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There’s a guaranteed way to feel overwhelmed by 9AM.

Most leaders do it every morning.

They start the day without a plan.

I’ve worked with hundreds of CEOs and senior leaders.
Different industries. Different personalities.
Same frustration.

Busy all day.
Constantly “on.”
And by nightfall, it feels like nothing that actually mattered moved.

So I ask one question:

“Walk me through the first 90 minutes of your day.”

Almost always, the answer sounds like:
Wake up. Coffee. News. Email. Slack.

That’s the moment the day is lost.

❌ Your inbox decides priorities
❌ Your newsfeed spikes stress
❌ Your attention fractures before the first meeting

Before you reach for your phone, reach for a pen.

Here’s the reset I give CEOs:

1️⃣ Write your core values
→ Decide what matters before urgency decides for you.

2️⃣ Review yesterday
→ What worked. What didn’t. What changes today.

3️⃣ Choose ONE meaningful priority
→ Time-block it. Protect it. Earn the win.

4️⃣ List 3 supporting tasks + 1 boundary
→ Momentum without chaos.

Do this consistently and a few things shift fast:

• Less reacting
• Better decisions
• More progress before noon
• A calendar that reflects intention, not pressure

That’s execution.

How you plan your day is how you manage energy, focus, and pressure as a leader.

That's why I put together a daily planning worksheet my C-suite clients can use.

If you'd like to grab a free copy, simply head here to download it: bit.ly/leadersplan

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📬 5,000+ CEOs get my Saturday newsletter: https://lnkd.in/eXiRx-HZ

No one hands you your dream life.

You build it one decision at a time.

Most leaders I work with are already “successful” by external standards.
Great careers. Strong reputations. Full calendars.

And yet, many feel a quiet gap.

They’re winning at work…
but tired at home.
Present everywhere—except where it matters most.

That gap doesn’t close on its own.
It closes with intention.

Here’s the framework I use with leaders to design a life they actually want to live:

1️⃣ Align Before You Optimize
If your values and your calendar don’t match, fulfillment won’t either.

→ Name your 5 core values
→ Scan your calendar
→ Identify one commitment that’s out of alignment
→ Decide: change it, delegate it, or delete it

2️⃣ Lead Yourself First
You can’t outsource self-leadership.

a/ Start your day with 10 minutes of planning
b/ Reflect on the week each Friday
c/ Set aside non-negotiable time for rest

3️⃣ Design for Freedom, Not Appearance
A dream life feels calm on the inside, no matter how it looks to anyone else.

Ask yourself:
• What kind of days do I want more of?
• What expectations am I carrying that no longer serve me?
• What would change if I acted with intention instead of momentum?

4️⃣ Invest Where it Matters Most
How you lead at work always spills into the home.

→ Create a shared calendar with your spouse
→ Schedule a weekly family check-in
→ Intentionally protect one family tradition

5️⃣ Progress Beats Perfection
You don’t redesign your life once.
You refine it—year by year.

→ Review your personal strategy every 120 days
→ Schedule an intentional “reset week” every 6 months
→ Adjust based on the season you’re in

That’s how leaders stop drifting—and start designing.

Same discipline.
Better direction.

What’s one small commitment you could change this week to bring your life back into alignment?

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5 Steps For Building A Dream Life

Most leaders aren’t failing.

They’re stuck in motion.

Everyone’s busy. Meetings are full. Initiatives are active.
And yet results feel inconsistent, execution slips, and momentum quietly leaks out of the system.

This isn’t a motivation problem.
It’s not a talent problem.

It’s an operating system problem.

Tomorrow (Thursday, January 29th at 12:30 PM EST), I’m hosting a live session for senior leaders:

6 Steps to Leading a Healthy, High-Performing Team

I’ll break down:
→ A 6-step roadmap for transforming a team from good to great
→ Why strong leaders still end up with inconsistent results
→ The individual skills that actually drive team performance
→ How to create real accountability without friction, fear, or micromanagement

No theory. No shiny new tools.
Just a practical framework you can apply immediately.

Last chance to join. We go live tomorrow.

If you know a CEO, operator, or team leader who is carrying results and people right now, please share this with them.

Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/eY7Tm6hQ

See you there!

Execution slows when we promote people faster than we develop them.

In PE-backed firms, most execution issues aren’t effort problems.
They’re enterprise leadership capability problems.

It usually happens with good intentions.

Organizations promote strong operators into management roles and expect execution to scale naturally.

But being a great individual contributor
is not the same thing as being a leader who creates great operators at scale.

At the individual contributor level, success is straightforward:
deliver high-quality work.

At the manager level, the definition of success changes.
Your job is no longer to do the work.
It’s to build the systems, coaching, and talent that allow others to perform at the same high level you once did.

At the executive level, success shifts again.
Now the work is setting direction, removing institutional friction, and aligning resources around the outcomes that matter most.

Execution stalls when leaders are promoted—but not prepared—to make these transitions.

They stay too close to the work.
They keep helping.
They keep tweaking.

Progress quietly becomes dependent on them.

That works for a while.
Then it becomes the constraint.

As organizations get leaner and expectations rise, leadership roles are evaluated more simply.

The leaders who succeed can clearly answer one question:
How do I create value at the enterprise level now?

And that value isn’t always a visible deliverable.

Sometimes it’s clarity.
Sometimes it’s decision velocity.
Sometimes it’s stability when pressure is high.

But if leaders can’t name how they create value at this level, execution will always feel heavier than it should.

I break this down in more detail in tomorrow’s High Growth Leadership newsletter, including how execution must evolve from individual operator → manager → enterprise leader.

👉 Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/eXiRx-HZ

Question:
Where have you seen strong operators struggle most after a promotion?

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