Bahar Selman, PCC

Uphuman

Our mission is to inspire professionals to become agents of positive change in their workplaces and communities.

Become Uphuman: Unlock Your Human Capital!

We create energising coaching and training programs that move organisations and professionals forward so they become truly Uphuman.

We offer world-class corporate training and coaching programs that focus on Learning and Development, Professional Coaching, and Personal Coaching Programs. Our Corporate Training Programs help close the skills gap between your workforce and drive innovation, productivity, and efficiency. Our coaching services are evidence-based and tailored to your needs and goals, providing you with the results you need to see in your people and organization.

Our Personal Coaching Programs are designed to empower individuals to become Uphuman in their life and careers. Whether you need to recharge your career, boost your energy, or improve your communication skills, we offer coaching programs to help you achieve your goals.

If you want to maximize your human capital, foster collaboration and create a sense of unity within your team, or become better leaders and innovators, Uphuman is here to help. We understand that finding the right training and coaching program for your organization's needs can be difficult. That's why we offer customized solutions that will help you achieve your goals. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you achieve success.

Executive Coach, Team Coach and Trainer  - Founding Partner 

Confidential Government or Semi-government Entity

Trusted coach to top-tier UAE executives through the prestigious Mohammed bin Rashid Center for Leadership Development (MBRCLD), guiding the nation’s future leaders toward impactful transformation

Executive Leadership Coach

Consultant 

Hayat Kimya

• Spearheaded the global diaper category (+1,2billion USD sales revenue) as the #1 priority within the organization, reporting to the Global Marketing Director.
• Directed 5 Local Marketing Teams comprising marketing managers, brand managers, and assistant brand managers (9 people).
• Executed global brand strategies and integrated commercial plans for subsidiaries (Turkey, Iran, Algeria, Nigeria, and Pakistan) for the Global Diapers Category.
• Formulated a global growth strategy for Molfix and Bebem brands, boosting consumer acquisition and retention across new and existing markets.
• Devised a global digital growth strategy for Molfix and Bebem brands in all social media channels.
• Developed E-commerce strategy for new and existing markets, with end-to-end responsibility.
• Led the global marketing research budget to unearth customer insights and trends, crafting a strategy to shape Molfix and Bebem as a brand.

Global Marketing Manager

Danone Dairy

Senior Brand Manager

Diageo

Brand Manager

Red Bull

Brand Specialist

Evyap

Brands: Arko Skin Care & Duru (all categories)

Assistant Brand Manager

Mondelēz International

Trade Marketing Assistant

Radyo ODTÜ 103.1

Broadcaster

⏩ Struggling to Get Recognized & Influence as a Leader?

Many highly skilled professionals especially in technical fields are overlooked in leadership discussions despite their expertise.

They bring results but struggle to:
-Command attention in high-stakes meetings
-Gain visibility and recognition for contributions
-Position themselves as influential leaders

Technical skills alone don’t guarantee career growth. To step into senior leadership, you need executive presence, charisma, and strategic influence—skills rarely taught in traditional education.

⏩ Why Influence & Charisma Matter

As AI reshapes industries, your ability to communicate, lead, and influence is your greatest asset.
✔ Hard skills open doors—your impactful presence keeps you in the room.
✔ Technical expertise makes you valuable—charisma makes you indispensable.

That’s where I come in…👇

I help ambitious professionals & corporate teams develop leadership charisma, personal brand, and influence so they can be recognized, promoted, and well-compensated for their value.

⏩ Who I Work With
✅ Mid-to-Senior Level Professionals & Technical Leaders Who Want To:
✔ Be seen, heard & respected in high-stakes meetings
✔ Develop leadership charisma that captivates & inspires
✔ Fast-track career growth & earning potential

✅ Organizations & Teams Seeking To:
✔ Develop high-impact leaders through coaching & training
✔ Enhance leadership charisma & executive presence
✔ Equip teams with skills for engagement, innovation & influence

⏩ Work With Me & The Outcomes You Can Expect

For Individuals:
✔ Speak with confidence, charisma & authority and  gain recognitio
✔ Influence decision-making & boardroom discussions
✔ Build a personal brand that commands attention

For Organizations:
✔ Stronger executive presence & leadership pipelines
✔ More confident, high-performing teams
✔ Improved collaboration & strategic influence

⏩ How We Can Work Together
1:1 High-Impact Coaching – Master influence, charisma & leadership presence.
Corporate Workshops & Training – Customized programs on executive presence & communication.
Team Coaching – Build high-impact leadership teams.
Keynotes – Executive presence, communication & branding.

⏩ Snapshot of My Impact
-500+ professionals coached, 2,500+ coaching hours, 10+ years leading Fortune 500 global marketing
-Trained 10,000+ professionals across 30+ countries
-Coaching and training professionals from companies including: NEOM, MoTF, HSBC, Google, Allianz, GSK, Pirelli, Unilever, Nestlé, L’Oréal & more

Corporate Inquiries: bahar@uphuman.co
For 1:1 coaching: DM me

Consultant

Bahar Selman

Just joined the Wirtschaftsjunioren – Young Leaders UAE Kick-Off Event tonight at SLS Dubai.

Dubai is full of ambitious minds, but it’s rare to find a space where business leaders, entrepreneurs and young professionals come together not to talk titles but to talk growth, collaboration and real impact.

That’s exactly what this community stands for.

Grateful to be part of a network that believes in building the future of leadership not individually, but collectively.

P.S: If we met yesterday, drop me a message and I’d love to stay connected beyond the room

Noelia Weber  Dr. Kim Dede  German Emirati Joint Council for Industry & Commerce (AHK) 
Kunyishu Lyu Khusshboo Mehta

Bahar Selman,PCC

The Personal Brand Architect for Corporate Leaders │ I Help You Build an AI-Proof Personal Brand That Turns Corporate Expertise Into Freedom │ Corporate Workshops & Keynotes @ Uphuman

No alternative text description for this image

Hard work is not a career strategy.
It’s a personality trait.
And confusing the two is why so many high-achievers burn out before they break through.

A strategy is a plan to get from A to B.

“Working hard” is not a plan. 

It’s just pedaling faster on a stationary bike.

You feel the burn, but you’re not going anywhere.

Strategy is what turns effort into recognition. 
Strategy is what turns your technical expertise into executive presence. Strategy is what turns your silent execution into visible value.

Here’s the brutal truth:
No one is going to give you a medal for your exhaustion.

Your overflowing inbox and back-to-back meetings are not a proxy for your value.

They are a sign of a broken system.
Your system.

Stop wearing burnout as a badge of honor.
Start treating your career with the same strategic intent you give your most important projects.

What if the one thing holding you back isn’t your ability, but your addiction to being busy?

The Personal Brand Architect │ I Help You Build AI-Proof Personal Brands That Turn Corporate Expertise Into Freedom │ Design Your Corporate Exit │ Ex-Fortune 500 │ 500+ Leaders Coached and 10K+ Trained globally│ Dubai

How to Speak Up in Meetings Without Hesitation: 

1.     Stop self-censorship

Don’t miss the opportunity to share your views by over thinking, jump in there and share your thoughts and ideas. You see that you‘ll soon automatically speak up more often. 

2.     Don’t forget to prepare

Review the agenda before, collect your thoughts in advance, think about the possible questions you will be asked.

3.     Ask Questions (But Clever Questions!)

Be an active participant by simply asking questions. “Where is that coming from?”
Don’t be afraid to leverage your knowledge.

4.     Use the Language of Declaration

Instead of opening up with “I think”, instead say “Here’s what I know…” or “My experience tells me…”

5.     Say the first thing that comes to mind. (Sometimes!)

Along with preparing to discuss a specific topic, commit to expressing one thought that comes to mind during the meeting. Do this at least once per meeting so that speaking without censorship becomes a habit.

Use these points in every meeting and observe the impact you create.

Summary 

1.No Self-Censorship
2.Be prepared
3.Leverage the Power of Questions
4.Use the Language of Declaration
5.Practise saying the first thing that comes to mind at least one time.

Hello, confidence.

Goodbye, hesitation.


#baharselman 
#speakup 
#confidencebuilding

I thought visibility meant louder.
Turns out, it meant smarter.
Here are the lessons that changed everything.

When I wanted that Marketing Leadership role: 
↳ I didn't just work harder and hope for the best 
↳ I mapped out the key stakeholders who mattered 
↳ I started communicating my strategic thinking, not just my results

When I left my corporate career to start coaching: 
↳ I didn't try to help "everyone with everything" 
↳ I focused on the specific problem I knew best: invisible expertise 
↳ And built my entire methodology around that one challenge

When I started building my presence on LinkedIn: 
↳ I didn't chase viral content or generic motivation 
↳ I shared real insights from my coaching sessions 
↳ And ignored the "post daily at all costs" advice


When I developed my coaching programs: 
↳ I didn't copy what other coaches were doing 
↳ I spent months understanding my clients' real struggles 
↳ And created frameworks that solved their actual problems

It's tempting to spray and pray rather than focus. 

It's easier to choose visibility over strategy.

But when you choose strategic precision 
Because you're willing to do the deep work, You create real impact.

And while that may feel slower, It's actually far more effective, long term.

Focused is fast. 
So go use strategic thinking. 

It's harder. It'll feel deliberate. 
But it gets the recognition you've been working for.

If you had to pick one thing to focus on right now for visibility and what would it be?

#executivecoaching #visibility  #becomeuphuman

P.S. Trust me, I've messed up plenty along the way. But when it mattered most, I finally got strategic about my visibility. Ready to do the same?
Check the comments below for more.

“Hard work pays off.”
It’s a half-truth. 
And half-truths are more dangerous than lies.

Hard work pays off… but only if people see the impact.

Otherwise, it’s just burnout with a different name.

For years, you’ve been running on an outdated operating system:
Effort → Results → ??? → Reward

That question mark is where careers go to die.

Here’s the new operating system. It’s not about working more; it’s about being strategic with your impact.

There are only 3 levers that matter:

1. Strategic Priorities: Are you working on the things that the business actually values, or are you just busy?

2. Strategic Visibility: Do the people who make decisions know what you’re working on and the impact it’s having?

3. Strategic Advocacy: Is there someone in a position of power who is telling your story when you’re not in the room?

Stop measuring your worth by the hours you put in.
Start measuring it by the strategic impact you create.

Which of these three levers have you been neglecting the most?
#ExecutivePresence #CareerGrowth #Mindset #Strategy

Imagine leveraging "Tell me about yourself" to land leadership roles at top companies. 
It's not a dream....
It's a strategy. 

Discover the elements that interviewers crave and learn how to make every introduction a showcase of your potential. 
How do you make your first impression count?

Kendini geliştirmek istiyorsun ama nereden başlayacağını bilmiyor musun?
Yılların deneyimine rağmen hâlâ “Acaba yeterli miyim?” diye düşündüğün oluyor mu?
O zaman bu videoyu izle 👇 

Cantekin Ertekin Nil Buyuksahin, MS, MCC

People-pleasing is not a soft skill.
It’s a form of self-sabotage disguised as helpfulness.

In the corporate world, it’s an epidemic.
And it’s killing the careers of the most talented people.

Because the person who always says “yes”...
↳ Is the person whose own priorities are always last. 
↳ Is the person who gets saddled with non-promotable work. 
↳ Is the person who is seen as a reliable “doer,” not a strategic “leader.”

Saying “no” is a strategic skill.

Protecting your time is a leadership move.

Having boundaries is a sign of self-respect that signals to others how you expect to be treated.

When you say “no” to the wrong things, you create the space to say “yes” to the right things.

• The strategic project that will get you noticed.
• The networking opportunity that will open new doors.
• The deep work that will actually move the needle.

Your goal is not to be liked. Your goal is to be respected.
And respect is a consequence of valuing your own time and expertise.

Stop trying to please everyone. 
Start serving your own ambition.

What’s one “yes” you regret from this past month?

#LeadershipMindset #Productivity #CareerGrowth #Boundaries

You're answering their questions perfectly, and you're still not getting the job.
It's because you're being likable, not memorable.
You're delivering facts, not chemistry.

After coaching hundreds of leaders for high-stakes roles, I see the same mistake repeatedly.

High-achievers think the interview is a test of their memory.
So they give perfect, factual, and utterly forgettable answers.

"I managed a team and we hit our targets."

That's not a story. 
It's a status update.

And it makes you invisible.

Winning the role isn't about having the right answers. 
It's about creating a connection that makes you the only choice.

Here's how you shift from being a candidate to being a strategic partner in the room:

1. Stop asking subordinate questions. Start asking strategic ones.
↳ Instead of: "What is the culture like?"
↳ Ask: "What are the biggest opportunities you see for this role in the next 12 months?"

One makes you a job seeker. The other makes you a leader.

2. Stop recalling facts. Start telling stories.
People don't remember data. They remember stories.

Your "greatest hits"...
Those 4-5 powerful stories of challenge, leadership, and results...
They are your most valuable currency.

They are data with a soul.

Your resume gets you in the room.
Your stories are what make them remember you when you leave.

So, let me ask you this:

Is your interview strategy designed to be forgotten, or designed to be remembered?

P.S. Watch the full breakdown in the video above. 
I show you exactly how to craft stories that make you unforgettable. 👆


#InterviewSkills

The Personal Brand Architect for Corporate Leaders │ I Help You Build an AI-Proof Personal Brand That Turns Corporate Expertise Into Freedom │ Design Your Corporate Exit │ Ex-Fortune 500 Marketing Leader

“Become more like that leader.”
“Adopt a new persona.”
“Change who you are if you want to get promoted.”

We’ve been told for years that to reach the next level we need to reinvent ourselves.
Become more like “that leader.”
Switch personalities.
Fit into a mold.

🚨 New Career Upgrade Newsletter just dropped.
If you’re tired of working hard in silence while others get ahead, you need to read this.

#CareerUpgrade #Uphuman

Welcome back to Career Upgrade — the place where we stop pretending, stop playing small, and finally talk about the real mechanics of career advanceme

Open article: Episode #18 — You Don’t Need to Reinvent Yourself to Advance by Bahar Selman,PCC • 3 min read

Episode #18 — You Don’t Need to Reinvent Yourself to Advance

"Tell me about yourself." 
A common interview question, but are you using it strategically?

Open article: Episode #19 — The IMPACT Framework: How to Master "Tell Me About Yourself" by Bahar Selman,PCC • 2 min read

Episode #19 — The IMPACT Framework: How to Master "Tell Me About Yourself"

Global Tech-Leadership Academy’nin tamamını 1 tam günde alacağınız yoğunlaştırılmış bir masterclass formatına dönüştürdük.

“Program harika ama 4 gün boyunca tam zaman ayırmak zor olabiliyor.”
“İçerik çok değerli ama bütçe olarak daha kompakt bir seçenek olsa keşke.” dediniz, biz de sizi dinledik.

Global Teknoloji Liderliği ihtiyaçlarına cevap verebileceğiniz aynı içerik → Daha odaklı, daha erişilebilir, daha hızlı tamamlanabilir.

📅 13 Aralık Cumartesi
⏰ 09:00 – 16:30 (Online)

Bu masterclass’ta:
🔥 Teknik uzmanlıktan stratejik liderliğe geçiş
🔥 İnsan odaklı iletişim, empati ve ekip yönetimi
🔥 Kişisel marka + sunum + storytelling 
🔥 Global kariyer stratejileri & headhunter görünürlüğü

4 modül → tek günde hap bilgiler + direkt uygulanabilir teknikler.

Eğitmenler:
Nil Buyuksahin, MS, MCC  
Cantekin Ertekin Elliott Cherneski  

📌 Detaylar ve ücret bilgisi için görseldeki QR kodu okutabilirsiniz.

Most senior leaders in tech companies are promoted for performance, but left to lead without a playbook.

You're suddenly: 

- navigating change
- managing complex team dynamics
- expected to lead with clarity in a fog of uncertainty
- find that what worked until now doesn't work anymore 

This pressure can feel overwhelming, especially when the stakes are high, and you are expected to lead an organization through change and still rise to true executive level.

That’s not your fault. But it is your edge, if you build it.

You deserve real leadership growth, not another vague pep talk, but a roadmap to break through the noise and lead with impact.

I help high-potential senior leaders in tech companies make sense of their chaos, simplify their strategy, confidently lead with ease and fulfillment, by building and owning their Executive Edge.

As an executive coach and former Google global director, I’ve worked across Europe, the U.S., and Asia, partnering with leaders at every stage of the growth curve. My coaching approach is practical, precise, and people-focused. I draw from real-world executive experience, systems thinking, and deep cross-cultural insight to empower senior leaders to lead with clarity, courage, and measurable impact.

I don’t hand out one-size-fits-all advice. I ask better questions, challenge assumptions, and equip leaders with tools that stick, so they can build trust, drive results, and accelerate their growth.

I have crafted the Executive Edge framework to bring you from where you are to where you deserve to be.

If you or the leaders in your team are feeling stuck, underprepared, or just surviving change instead of leading through it, let’s talk.

Because confidence isn’t a soft skill. It’s a leadership advantage.

----
Get in touch at simo@simoschiassi.com

Simone Schiassi

This is me, at 28 years old
First time on a business trip abroad:

Google sent me to visit HQ as part of new hire training

• I didn't know anyone
• My English wasn't that good
• I didn't have an Ivy League degree
• I never experienced "Big corporate America"
• My parents doubted me taking a "call center job"
• I doubted whether I even belonged in the first place
• My starter salary was on the bottom end (coming from Italy)
• I was figuring out the job at the same time I was figuring out myself

You'd say I didn't have the best odds 
at succeeding in a big company like Google
let alone becoming a Global Director

a reminder to myself, 17 years later
and to those who feel a bit lost in their journey 

• Don't take anything for granted (free food, OMG! every. single. day.)
• Don't assume anything and be curious about everything
• Show up like you need to prove yourself every day
• You need to work freakin' hard, no matter what
• Don't get distracted by shiny new things
• Obsess about mastering your craft
• Shut up and listen more
• Risk more

Remembering where you came from, 
makes you appreciate what you have today
and maybe see the challenges you are facing
under a different perspective.

If a simple Italian guy like me did it, you can too.

-------
P.S. What would you tell your younger self?

Built Google Teams. Now I Build Confident Leaders in Tech Companies with my Executive Edge™ System | Ex-Google Global Director

October '25: biggest layoffs in more than 20 years.
But the real shock isn’t who got laid off.

It’s who 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘺𝘦𝘥.

→ 71% of layoff survivors start job hunting, 
→ 62% lost trust in their company.

I am a big advocate of having a corporate job
But this makes it really hard to be

A former client dodged a tech layoff wave
to get his new offer rescinded by another company
before even starting

When I started at Google I was a lifer,
I didn't see myself working for any other company
ever. I was a Believer. I knew Google would take care of me 
no matter what

→ 15 years later, things are not the same:

The "steady paycheck" is not as steady as it used to be
The loyalty towards most employers is gone
"Believing in a company mission" is utopia

Leaving isn’t the only path. 

→ The real challenge now is learning to lead 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘴.  

You can’t control the market, 
but you can control the story people remember about you.  

→ So start by creating your own unique perspective:

1. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲 -  Write 3 beliefs about [leadership or industry topic you care about] that guide you.
2. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗠𝘆 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄𝘀 - Write 3 repeated lessons from your 15–20 year career.
3. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗡𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗢𝗻 - Define 3 standards you hold as a leader of your domain.
4. 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗠𝘆 𝗪𝗮𝘆 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀 - For each belief, complete: “When I…, then… happens.”

Do this, and you’ll turn your ideas into something 
people instantly understand, and want to follow.

P.S. Which of these 4 steps feels hardest for you right now: belief, experience, standards, or proof?

Built Google teams. Now I build senior leaders who influence without relying on authority with my Executive Influence™ System | ex-Google Global Director

You don’t just choose a job.  
You choose a life around it.

I left Italy single 16 years ago with one suitcase
and came back with a full family

Location has been an increasingly important
decision factor in my career move decisions

➤ From Italy to Ireland
↳ I wanted to experience an international context
↳ and have great fun

➤  from Ireland to the U.S.A.
↳ I wanted to live the American Dream
↳ and live in the heart of tech, Silicon Valley

➤ from the U.S.A. back to Ireland
↳ I wanted a more balanced family life
↳ and have my kids grow up in a European country

➤ from Ireland to Italy
↳ I wanted a better quality of life
↳ According to us as a family 

Whatever your decision criteria are
Location and quality of life are key dimensions
to have in mind when choosing your next work adventure

P.S. What’s the biggest factor guiding your next move?

Being an expat humbles you fast.
Google taught me what real confidence is:

→ When I moved to Google HQ in 2013
→ I was a young Italian manager
→ willing to learn and do whatever it takes
→ to build a career in the "American Dream"

I was humbled pretty quickly, I must say!

• Very senior executives
• Unbelievable tech experience
• Resumes, I couldn't even dream of

→ I was the simple guy (and still am in a way)
→ who got in without an Ivy League degree
→ With no recommendations
→ and without a stellar startup-building background

But there I was, trying to figure out how I could show up more confident

so I tried 

• Speaking faster
• Speaking slower
• Speaking assertively
• Speaking up more often
• Trying to remove my accent (go figure!)
• Not move my hands too much (so hard for an Italian)

The years there taught me that confidence is something different
And I learned and tested for more than a decade
that it's a system:


1️⃣ Create your own perspective: ideas rooted in research, experience, and values.  

2️⃣ Communicate them clearly: adapt to your audience, seek feedback, and refine. 
 
3️⃣ Lead from them: make decisions, manage up, excite people, and bring ideas to life.


That's how you become a leader that others choose to follow. 

Confidence isn't any of those superficial things they teach you, about how you appear and how you should feel. That's the final polish, the delivery aspect of it. 

Confidence comes from having a system that makes others see you as a leader that they want to follow.

---------
P.S. What’s one experience that taught you real confidence?

P.P.S. This is what Gemini thinks an "Italian superhero" should be... I highly doubt any italian would dress like that even as a superhero. 

Anyways, it's besides the point: you don't need to be a superhero to be a confident leader!

DEI has left the building.
Data says women followed it:

Women get laid off 4% more than men.
and have a lower re-employment rate after a layoff.

Data doesn’t lie 
unless you torture it into compliance.
And that’s what happens when we analyze it 
only in calm times, not during a crisis.

→ If all DEI efforts actually changed a culture
→ They'd show results under stress 
→ which means during layoffs 
→ and post-layoff employment

Women get hit twice:

→ Laid off more.
→ Re-hired less.

As a father of two daughters who’ll join the workforce in 10 years,
this is concerning, to put it mildly.

What we tolerate today shapes our tomorrow.

As you know, I am pro-corporate jobs and life
And as such, I keep highlighting where the system can do better

Here, we certainly can.

P.S. How would your culture hold up under pressure?

-------
♻️ Reshare for others to see this
🔔 Follow Simone Schiassi for more insights on work

credits: 365datascience(dot)com

I stole an office at Google  
and they never caught me.

True story. 
I just moved into an empty office
without asking anyone

(shhh, don't tell anyone!)

During a round of seat reshuffles, 
I spotted a free manager's office
right in front of my team

So I did the unthinkable: I walked in and made it ours

By the end of the week, 
my three managers had moved in too. 
Suddenly, we had a real home base!

That tiny stolen room 
became the heartbeat of our team.

For the following 3 years 
we had a place to

→ Meet in confidence
→ Do focused work
→Brainstorm
→ Celebrate
→ Vent
→ Cry

There's something about choosing the right "space" 
and effective communication.

→ Some conversations and moments will never happen 
→ unless you create the right space for them. 
→ Emotional space, physical space.

P.S. Are you creating the right space for the right conversations to happen?

-------
My daily newsletter is a 2-minute read, and a space for those conversations on how we can lead with ease and fulfillment
https://lnkd.in/dFYww-b7

Me: How do you feel?
Client: I f***ing hate you.

"Because you are pushing me to do the work
that I have been avoiding."

"I need this behind me, Simo"

I hear you, my friend, 
and you are not alone I'll tell you

→ After 20 years of corporate leadership
→ you have amassed hundreds of 
→ mismatched pieces that are 
→ stacked in a tower with an equilibrium
→ that defies the laws of physics.

And look, every piece is SO precious
and channeling your Marie Kondo
you still decide that "it sparks joy".

→ because everything is 
→ wealth and experience

…we collect so many things:  hopes, boundaries, lessons, regrets, relationships, what-ifs, the opportunities that "we could".  

Until one slight bump makes the whole tower wobble.

What usually helps:

→ Choose one thing
→ and one only 
→ (whatever is living rent-free in your head
→ and you know you should evict.)

Ask yourself: Does it still belong with me?

→ Leading with Fulfillment 
→ also means deciding to leave things in the past
→ and make peace with it

...Liberating...

Do you still hate me?
Nah... I know you love me J.

P.S. What's one thing that you can leave behind today?

----
If you want to know how to add unwanted things to the "leave behind pile."
Try my newseltter (free) with 2 minutes daily reads to help you with ease and fulfillment 
https://lnkd.in/dFYww-b7

I interviewed 843 people at Google.
Only 1 in 5 got in and here’s why

I hired more than 150 people at Google 
And I rarely hired for skills. 

If I were to build an organization again
Here's what I'd look for:


→ 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 
↳ Because brilliance alone doesn’t build teams, alignment does.
𝘌𝘹𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦: 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘴.

→ 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗮𝗻𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘀𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 
↳ Because trying to “sound right” hides real judgment and self-awareness. 
𝘌𝘹𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦: 𝘷𝘢𝘨𝘶𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘮𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 “𝘐’𝘮 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘥𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘯” 𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘨𝘢𝘱𝘴.

→ 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗲𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 
↳ Because emotions reveal decision patterns.
𝘌𝘹𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦: 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘵 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘯𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘵𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦.

→ 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 
↳ Because lived experiences predict leadership under pressure. 
𝘌𝘹𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦: 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥.

→ 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀 
↳ Because skills change, values don’t, and they guide culture. 
𝘌𝘹𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦: 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘸𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴.

→ 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 
↳ Because small signals predict how they’ll show up every day. 
𝘌𝘹𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦: 𝘱𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘳𝘮.


P.S. What’s one hiring signal you rely on but others overlook?

ChatGPT is down.
Today, LinkedIn feels like a normal place.

Coaches will say: "You feel empty inside."
I disagree, because I know one thing:

if anything, you've stacked up too many things
over one or two decades of corporate leadership

You’ve mentored five people, 
built side ventures, led teams
all while raising teenagers 
and showing up at every game.

→ You’re not empty, my friend 
→ you’re full of good things you’ve built with care.
→ because you deserve where you are, and it's fair 
→ to feel that you don't want to let go any of those
→ (or let anyone down, really, isn't it)

This is really good, let's celebrate
how much you have done and achieved!

→ It's A LOT to handle, and it may get out of hand
→ and when it becomes chronic overwhelm
→ that's when there is a problem

But you don't need too much introspection to understand that
and there's nothing you "miss" (as if we didn't know!)

You just need a system: one that helps you 
decide what to keep, what to pause, and what to evolve 
So you can find the ease and fulfillment
of the early days 

Remember that feeling?

→ My client K. never misses her kids' game anymore
→ R. got promoted to senior director in one year in a new company
→ V. has found fulfillment in a new job after years of frustration

Stories of senior leaders who have grown fast
and needed a system to manage it all.

If this sounds like you, I can share the exact system my clients use to get their ease back. Want it?

I learned one thing at Google that got me promoted fast(
And most people still miss it)
 
You’ve almost hit your goals for the quarter.  If it wasn’t for that one last client who didn’t come through — or that final milestone still unfinished — you’d be there.
 
Aside from that, you crushed two side projects.  You organized a team event that got rave feedback.  You even joined the charity outing.  You 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵... right?
 
Then it’s performance review time.
 
“You didn’t hit your quota.”  “Yes, but I did all these other things!”  “Still, you missed.”
 
None of it mattered if I missed my core goal.
 
I’ve been asked countless times during my 15 years at Google:
 
“What advice would you give to someone starting out or trying to grow?”
 
It’s the same advice I’d give to anyone:  

→ In a new job  
→ After a reorg  
→ With a new boss  
→ Or when you feel lost
 
Focus on your core role, the one you were hired for.
 
🔥 Smash the target  
🔥 Destroy the goals  
🔥 Exceed the expectations
 
Of 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘦.
 
Because if you don’t hit those goals, nothing else matters.  

Hard truth, I know. 
But it’s the reason so many high performers plateau.  
They try to make up for missed core results with “extra credit.” 
It doesn’t work.
 
At Google, every single person who focused 90% on their 𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤
not side projects, was promoted fastest.  Every. Single. Time.
 
So how do you do that?
 
→ Say “no” to anything outside your core metrics  
→ Skip meetings that don’t move the needle  
→ Break targets into daily, trackable actions  
→ Do them 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 distractions  
→ When others are playing table tennis, do a little more
 
There’s no secret, just a relentless, obsessive focus on your core role.  

That’s what earns you the 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘺 with everything else that gets you promoted.
 
P.S. What’s your “core role” right now, and are you truly mastering it, or spreading too thin?

I thought I was the cool kid at Google.  
One sentence humbled me instantly:
 
I was a young, ambitious, and confident manager 
At Google HQ, and everything was lined up.
End of quarter was coming up... 
 
I walked into a meeting with the Director of Marketing
and asked what I 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 was a simple question:
 
“So how are you pacing toward the trial-signup target?”
 
Their answer?  “We don’t have that target.”

As every good Italian, I wear my emotions on my sleeves
and I lost my cool (because I thought we were aligned, silly me!)

Still cringe this day about my unjustified reaction
more than 10 years ago!

Seems obvious to agree on targets, 
but it turns out it's not.
(especially with Marketing, 
sorry folks, I still love you)

When working cross-functionally
always assume good intent
and that you are NOT on the same page
 
Assumptions feel efficient.  But I've learned over and over that people likely aren't on the same page, and it's your fault (sorry to break it to you).
 
P.S. What moment reminded you to slow down and ask instead of assuming?

There is only one reason why leaders give the middle finger to a company.

The more I speak with senior leaders, the clearer it becomes.

They don't decide to leave their leadership positions in a company because they don't have

• Enough Money
• Enough Flexibility
• Challenging work
• Career opportunities
• Better work-life balance

Those are just excuses they are telling themselves
But deep down, they know they are suffering

Lack of respect.

And it usually comes from the top. 
Because lack of respect from peers is bullying, 
But that can be solved for

Lack of respect from the CEO or direct manager is something that can't be dealt with. It touches one of our key human values, 
the fundamental right to be seen 
for who you are and the value you bring.

Unfortunately, I hear about this more often than I'd like to. 

The good news is that everything else can be solved for easily

But if you are being disrespected systematically.

Run away. They don't deserve you.

P.S. What do you think — can respect ever be rebuilt once it’s broken?

------.
♻️ Reshare for others who need to hear this today
🔔 Follow Simone to grow as a respectful leader

Forget hooks.
You don't create followers with those.

When we begin working on 
executive communication with a client, 
the most significant reframe is that
 effective communication 

is composed of a series of separate moments, 
all linked together by a cohesive strategy.

Think of your last all-hands: 
one meeting doesn’t build alignment

But a series of consistent updates across Slack, meetings, and decks does

------

Executive Communication that creates followership 
in a corporate environment
has three main dimensions:

𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹 - What means are you going to use for this specific message? 

That can be in person 1:1, small group, wide audience, Slack message, email, document, presentation, with all the variations on the theme

𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 - How often should I target a specific audience with my message across different channels?

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 - What is the right level of detail and the right angle for this specific message and for the audience that is going to be receiving it?

Don't expect your idea or message to "land" on the first message. It takes consistency over a period of time, mixing and matching these three dimensions.

Which of these three do you find hardest to balance right now?

-------
P.S. Do you want to be a more confident communicator and finally make your ideas land? 

Check my newsletter in bio and become the executive people choose to follow.

Most senior leaders only want two things. 
Right now, you probably have neither.

It is very simple, or rather
It was very simple

1. You want to feel that your job is fulfilling
2. You want to lead with ease

That's it.
Everything you can name
falls into those two categories
(I know you are trying now!)

You moved from project to project, landed new roles, built teams, and it was fun. 
It made you feel whole.

and it was fun, and that made you also feel whole,
that you were doing something great.

Now, after 15 and so years, things have gotten harder

→ You don’t go through reorgs like a tourist on vacation
→ You don't find that excitement of Monday morning 
→ to go back to build something meaningful
→ (have you ever had that? I have!)

"But now I am [insert your cool senior leader role], Simo,
Things are supposed to be harder!"

And that's where you are wrong, respectfully, my friend.

Sure, companies of 10 years ago were better
Sure, your role might have been easier
Sure, your family commitment has grown

But you don't need to struggle to lead through the chaos
You don't need to question on a daily basis
Why are you doing what you are doing
and dread your Mondays

You haven’t changed. Your edge has dulled by years of chaos, 
reorgs, and endless doing.

It’s time to sharpen it again.

P.S. Do you have one, both, or none of the things senior leaders want?

-------
I work privately with a few senior leaders each month to rebuild their executive edge, for them to lead with ease and fulfillment again

If you’re ready to regain the confidence you once had, DM me EDGE.

I used to write “when I had time.”  
(that's why you don't get to things)

I write daily on LinkedIn here, and I also write a daily newsletter, which is a quieter, more intimate space.

I started writing on the couch, at the dinner table, in random coffee shops, in spare moments during the day, when I "had time". The real challenge was maintaining focus and consistency, for one of the core activities that keeps my business alive.

Are you free to go to the shop? Sure, no problem. Do you have a second? Yep, I am just writing. Can you pick up the kids tonight? Absolutely, nothing scheduled.

All other activities that would be present in that moment were taking precedence over my writing. With that, missed posts, rushed content, frustration, and despair.

At some point, I realized that it wasn't other people's or external events' fault; it was my own if I wasn't able to write consistently.

If you "go to work", you have a name for it, you have an office to go to (or different places to take video calls, these days) and a rough start and end time. A name, a space, a time.

So everything changed for me, when I started giving "writing" the proper name, "sitting at my home desk", from 9 am to 12 pm every day.

𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗮 𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲, 𝗮 𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲.

If you don't set a boundary and define the scope of the activity you want to make sure you get done, you won't be able to protect it or focus on it properly.

Leading with ease and fulfillment, which is what senior leaders aspire to (as you know, it's my whole theory), starts with self-respect, as in respecting what's important to you, both at work and at home.

Today, I'd like you to reflect on the activities (professional and personal) that are important to you but that you haven't set clear boundaries for. Try to give them a name, a space, and a time. Then let me know how it goes.

P.S. If you feel inspired (or found this mildly helpful) read more on my Daily Edge
https://lnkd.in/dFYww-b7

Steve Jobs' most powerful keynote wasn’t on stage.
It was buried in Apple’s org chart.

→ When he came back to Apple in 1997,
→ he tore down the company’s independent business units
→ and rebuilt it around expertise instead of products.

Hardware. Software. Design. Marketing. Operations.
Each is led by functional experts.

→ Under this model, no one person (except the CEO) owned an entire product.
→ To build something like the iPhone, those teams had to collaborate
→ because they shared one single P&L.

Jobs replaced a structure that communicated silos
with one that enforced collaboration.

Your communication doesn’t start and end on stage.
It speaks through your structure every single day.

👉 If someone looked at your org chart today, what would it say?

--------
P.S. If you want to supercharge your communication 
and sharpen your executive edge
try my free  newsletter - link in the first comment

"What is your job, papà?"
I just make LOTS of money, love.

How weird would it be,
If that's what we said to our kids

I was tired of my kids not knowing 
what I actually do at work.

So the short version is:

"I help people solve their problems with work and live a better life."

That's it. Even an 8-year-old gets it (and likes it).

"Do they pay you for that?"
"Yep, and I am not cheap."
"Why?"

"Because having problems with work and not being happy will cost you way more."

Little girl walks away, satisfied with her answer.


P.S. How would 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 kids describe what you do?

----
🏆 Do you want to "feel like a Champion" like Rocky B.?
👀 Start here in 2 minutes per day
https://lnkd.in/dFYww-b7

You are giving "influencing" a bad rep
(and 7 steps to finally make it easier)

"Influencing" in a corporate environment 
has a bad reputation.

The term recalls a con artist
a deceitful move

forcing people to do what they don't want to

Here are 7 moves that make influencing far easier for senior leaders.

→ because I know from experience, 
→ that you don't know exactly 
→ What's top of mind for your stakeholders

1) List your key stakeholders (and I didn't say map, that's for later)
2) Schedule a 15m 1:1 with them
3) Show up relaxed, enjoy the relationship building
4) Share about yourself and ask about them with curiosity
5) Ask what's top of mind for them, declaring your intention to help
6) Listen, ask questions, and gather their top-of-mind
7) Go deeper, ask: "Tell me more."

→ That's it. Write their top of mind next to their name. 
→ Keep for later.

"Wait, what, Simo? That didn't accomplish anything."

→ You think, but you actually have made the most powerful move you could
→ When it comes to influencing, listening, and connecting deeply. 

The rest will come because you didn't rush this.

P.S. If you want the next steps after this first conversation, DM me which stakeholder you’re trying to influence the most and I'll send you a full guide

Whaaaatt?? Daily? You must be insane. 
Maybe, but hear me out first:

There's a reason why I am going to write my newsletter daily

→ 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗶𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹.
→ 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲.

That’s the kind of relationship I want to build
a space where people engage and share ideas.

Short, daily notes make those conversations easier.

→ 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀.
→ 𝗔𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟱 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗴𝗹𝗲, 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻.

Success comes from working on it every day
even for just 2 minutes (that's how long it is)

Small reflections shape great leaders.

→ 𝗜’𝗺 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁.
→ 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗼 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵.

Their success isn’t just about promotion or money.
It’s about connection, growth, and human values.

They believe there’s a better way,
where people and business grow together.

------

I don't have anything against weekly newsletters
It's just not me. And I want to be true to myself.

→  𝗜 𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝟯𝟬 𝗱𝗮𝘆𝘀
→  𝟰𝟬𝟬 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝟮 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱.

If you don't learn anything about leadership
and if you don't find yourself leading 
with more ease and fulfillment

You can block me, cancel me, or disown me.

Word.

Here is your challenge. Do it, or not. 
I am not your doctor. Can't tell you what to do.
https://lnkd.in/dFYww-b7

Built Google teams. Now I help leaders influence without authority | Executive Influence™ System | ex-Google Global Director

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