Dave Kline

Become the Leader You’d Follow | Founder @ MGMT | Coach | Advisor | Speaker | Trusted by 250K+ leaders.

Hey, I’m Dave Kline.

I teach leaders how to build All-Star teams and level up their careers.

After decades of leading in pretty intense environments, from Bridgewater Associates to Moody’s Analytics, I know what it takes to be the manager your team remembers (for the right reasons).

Why I can help you is simple:

I’ve been through it.

And to prove it, here’s my background (by the numbers) ⤵️

2: Decades leading high-impact teams in asset management (Bridgewater), consulting (PwC), & financial services (Moody’s Analytics).

4: Years as an entrepreneur. My portfolio includes Skillscouter (an online course & career site), and MGMT Accelerator (a cohort-based management training course).

14: Cohorts of early-career leaders that I’ve taught at multiple companies.

100: Managers I recruited, onboarded & mentored at Bridgewater Associates.

1,000: Performance evaluations with grace and respect for stars and terminations alike.

205,000+: My community across LinkedIn & Twitter interested in management tactics & leadership lessons

385,000,000: My team’s top revenue year at Moody’s.

Now that we’ve covered the why, here’s the how:

- The MGMT Accelerator – an intensive management training course for both new and senior leaders
- MGMT Fundamentals – a course that covers all the need-to-know management basics for rookie leaders
- The MGMT Playbook – a weekly newsletter that gives practical management insights

Through our MGMT courses, my wife Marsden and I have played the assist with over 1,100 leaders so far, who’ve now learned how to:

- Practically tackle the most common leadership challenges
- Build their Management OS’s CODE (Coach, Operate, Delegate, Engage)
- Refine their individual leadership Decision-Making System

With our 30+ years of combined experience, you won’t just get our knowledge.

You’ll get to ask us questions directly and get access to coaching that’s more tailored to your own experience.

We always say – if we could do it like a dinner party, we would.

If you’re interested in leadership advice (that doesn’t just sound nice but actually works), drop me a follow – I post daily.

And if you like what you see, our MGMT courses could be just what you need to level up.

DM me if you’re interested.

Co-Founder

We created the MGMT Accelerator to help managers rapidly develop into trusted leaders by combining the art & science of management. 

This 4-week program consistents of eight 90-minute modules where I share the tactics I learned leading high-performing teams for 25 years. During each session, we tailor those insights together to build your personalized management system together. 

You'll learn alongside ~50 peers and become part of an expert community of more than 300 alums.

9 Signs Your Team Might Be Toxic

(And it's costing you more than you think)

No team is perfect.

But there's a critical difference between:
Temporary Discomfort and Permanent Dysfunction.

The ❌'s reveal the hidden damage.
The ✅'s show you what excellence looks like.

The more signs you recognize,
The faster you need to move.

Good People Leave
❌ Your best talent quits, replaced by whoever applies
✅ A-players recruit and develop other A-players

Mediocre People Stay
❌ Average becomes the accepted norm
✅ Excellence is supplied, recognized, and multiplied

Conflict Never Gets Fully Resolved
❌ Tension builds privately until it erupts publicly
✅ Problems are surfaced, discussed, and solved

The War Inside Our Walls
❌ Departments compete instead of collaborating
✅ Everyone focuses on beating external competition

Decisions Get Made and Unmade
❌ Choices get revisited endlessly, killing momentum
✅ Decisions are made, with clear owners and follow-through

Questions Are Met With Silence
❌ Information is hoarded for leverage and protection
✅ Knowledge is shared openly to strengthen everyone

Feedback is Nonexistent
❌ People guess at their performance without clarity
✅ Consistent, direct feedback accelerates growth

Tomorrow Never Comes
❌ Promises are made but never kept
✅ Commitments today become results tomorrow

Success Is Accidental
❌ Wins are downplayed, high standards feel threatening
✅ Success is analyzed, replicated, and built into systems

The opposite of a toxic environment is a high-performing one. 

Building one requires:  
✅ the right people, 
✅ the right systems, 
✅ and the right leader. 

Our MGMT Accelerator will help you become one faster. 

Learn more: https://lnkd.in/eFwuqzh3

See why 1,400+ leaders said it was worth 25x what they paid.

Remember:
If you're quietly tolerating a toxic team,
You're slowly becoming part of the problem.

You either shape your environment or it shapes you.
Choose to be the catalyst, not the casualty.

♻️ Please repost to help others.
✅ And follow Dave Kline for more.

9 Signs You Might Have a Toxic Team

One choice hurts more managers than any other:

The 'More People' Paradox.

Here's what it is and how to avoid it...

Most teams fall into this pattern:

❌ Problem →
❌ Add People →
❌ More Complexity →
❌ Bigger Problems →
❌ Add Even More People

In an effort to add capacity,
They drown themselves in complexity.

Here's the trap: 

Capacity grows linearly. 
Complexity grows exponentially. 

High-performing teams know this. 
They choose a different path: 

❌ Problem →
✅ Diagnose →
✅ Delete, Simplify, or Automate →
✅ Refocus & Execute →
✅ Scale

Why does this order change things? 
Pruning is required for healthy growth.

They fix the model to scale. 
They don't hope scale fixes the model. 

Ask these 3 questions before you hire:

1️⃣ What could we stop doing?
• Nice-to-have projects
• Low-impact meetings
• Redundant reports

2️⃣ What are we overcomplicating?
• Communication channels
• Project workflows
• Decision making

3️⃣ What are we avoiding?
• Technology improvements
• Difficult conversations
• Priority decisions

BONUS: What could AI handle?
• Document processing
• Standard responses
• Data aggregation
• Routine analysis

✅ Remember:
Our optimal path to greater success...
Doing half as much, twice as well.

If this post resonated with you...
🔔 Follow Dave Kline for more
♻️ Share to help others go big by thinking small

PS - We have another free AI-Enhanced Leader workshop coming up. 
"Build Your AI-Powered Leadership Coach in 30 Minutes"
Join 352 leaders already signed up: https://lnkd.in/guyyAMdN

Managing up doesn't require sucking up.

If you know how to do it right.

Managing up isn't about:
• Power
• Politics
• Persuasion

It's about building a relationship with your boss.
And making them successful while you do it.

And that starts by knowing who your manager is.

Here are 3 common manager archetypes
(and how to speak their language):

The Relentless Micromanager
• Needs to control every detail
• Constantly checks in for updates
• Language: High-velocity details before they ask

The Volatile Visionary
• Focuses on big ideas and long-term goals
• Everything is extreme: failure or excellence
• Language: Contrarian insights tied to their vision

The Disconnected Diva
• Out of touch with day-to-day operations
• Doesn't understand frontline challenges
• Language: Repeatable stories that connect dots

Once you know who you're talking to,
You can apply a range of practical tactics. 

The carousel below has one proven tactic
To overcome 10 common objections to managing up.

Swipe through and give one a try.

Make your boss's goals your goals, and three things happen:
• You get more support for your team
• You get more opportunities for growth
• You get more autonomy in your decisions

This isn't politics. 
This is partnership.

Want help applying this skill?

Join MGMT Fundamentals starting next Tuesday.

"Managing Up" is one of the 6 core skills we teach.

• One hour a day over two weeks.
• Critical Skills + Proven Systems. 
• Group coaching to unlock your challenge.

Enrollment closes in 3 days: https://lnkd.in/ewTRApB5

Join 33 leaders looking to level up.

♻️ Share this to help a new manager.

🔔 Follow Dave Kline for more leadership insights.

How to Manage Up (and get what you deserve)

Most new managers fail (nearly 60%). 

Not because they aren't capable. 

It's because they focus on the wrong things. 

Here's what I wish someone had told me:

1. Define a Clear Mission

Average teams execute tasks.
High-performing teams drive outcomes.

Your team needs to know:
• Why their work matters
• How it impacts the company
• What winning looks like

Test: Can each person explain the mission in one sentence?

2. Hire Slowly, Fire Fast

High performers want to work with high performers.

Never compromise on:
• Proven ability to deliver
• Self-direction and ownership
• Character over credentials

One A-player is worth three B-players.
One C-player destroys team standards.

3. Give Earned Autonomy

Top talent doesn't need micromanagement.

Define the outcome, not the process.

Let them:
• Set their schedule
• Choose their methods
• Make meaningful decisions

Your job: Remove obstacles, not create them.

4. Protect Their Time

Meetings are overhead, not output.

Only meet to:
• Align on priorities
• Solve blocking problems
• Make decisions

Default to async communication.
Protect their time to create value.

5. Kill Bureaucracy

High performers hate administrative waste.

Cut ruthlessly:
• Unnecessary approvals
• Redundant reporting
• Meeting theater

Ask: "Does this help us win or just look busy?"

6. Guard Their Focus

Concentration beats distraction.

Say no to:
• Random committees
• Shiny object syndrome
• Everything that's not the main thing

The best teams do half as much twice as well.

7. Track Outcomes, Not Activities

Set clear expectations.
Measure results, not hours.

Focus on:
• Results delivered
• Quality standards met
• Timeline commitments kept

Outputs matter more than inputs.

8. Remove Friction Daily

High performers solve problems relentlessly.

Will it be customer problems?
Or the ones you create?

Daily question: "What's slowing my team down?"

Then fix it immediately.

New managers succeed when talented people have:
• Clear direction
• High autonomy
• Zero friction

Want to start strong as a manager?

Get the training 85% of managers never receive.

MGMT Fundamentals starts January 27th.
10 hours over two weeks. The 80/20 skills and systems to lead effectively.

Learn more: https://lnkd.in/ewTRApB5

85% of managers get reimbursed by their company. Just ask.
Bonus: Bring a colleague and you both save 20%.

Come learn how to become a leader you'd follow.

♻️ Share this to help a new manager.

🔔 Follow Dave Kline for more practical management insights.

 Quick Tips for New Managers

Success isn't determined by what you know.

It's determined by how fast you move.

And how quickly you adjust based on what you learn.

But before every action, there's a decision.
And before every decision, there's indecision. 

Those who win work from data: 
• Data from experience. 
• Data from customers. 
• Data from doing.

And they know: 

The faster you decide, the faster you learn.

Here are 7 simple tips to make better decisions:

Empty Your Mind
• Write down every swirling thought
• Focus only on your top 3 factors

Flip a Coin
• Not for the result, but for your reaction
• Your gut reveals the right answer

Find a Partner
• Direct partner shares the journey with you
• Trusted advisor shows the path ahead of you

Sell Then Build
• Get one real customer to pay first
• Let revenue validate your next step

Price Your Indecision
• Calculate what waiting costs you
• Compare it to the cost of choosing wrong

Only Commit to Today
• Skip the 10-year questions
• Answer one question today

Burn the Ships
• Make a call you can't reverse
• This meeting ends with a decision

Remember:

The faster you decide, the sooner you learn.

Indecision only creates one thing: anxiety.

Stop waiting for clarity.
Start creating it.

You can almost always go back.
But not without moving forward first.

Helpful?

✅ Follow Dave Kline for more.

♻️ Share to help others get unstuck.

7 Simple Ways to Make Better Decisions 

Everyone wants accountability.

No one wants to be held accountable.

This guide makes accountability the default mode.

Accountability is not something you do.
It's the outcome of doing things the right way.

Most leaders think accountability is about confrontation:
• Creating consequences for failure
• Calling people out in meetings
• Tracking every detail

That's not accountability.
That's micromanagement.

Real accountability happens when your people want to win. 
And your systems make it hard to fail.

Here are the 5 systems that make accountability automatic:

1. Crystal Clear Outcomes
Define success before you start. Vague goals create average results. Specific targets create clear accountability.

2. Visible Progress Tracking
Make progress public. When everyone can see the scoreboard, people naturally step up their game.

3. Regular Check-In Rhythms
Weekly reviews, not quarterly surprises. Frequent small course corrections beat big dramatic overhauls.

4. Ownership Assignment
One person owns each outcome. Shared ownership means no one is responsible.

5. Outcome Clarity
Know what happens when you hit the target and what happens when you miss. No surprises, no excuses.

The result?

Teams that hold themselves accountable.
Leaders who coach instead of complain.
Results that speak for themselves.

What's your biggest accountability challenge?

Getting people to own their results?
Having the hard conversations?
Making progress visible?

Steal my step-by-step playbook from the carousel below 👇

And make Mutual Accountability your team's default mode.

And if you found this playbook helpful: 

♻️ Share to help others build success through accountability
🔔 Follow Dave Kline & Marsden Kline for more leadership systems

PS - We've got our first free Lightning Lesson for 2026 on Thursday. 
"AI-Powered Planning: Get Buy-In, Stay Agile, and Win 2026"
Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/gGGcRKMp

 Build a Culture of Accountability

Maya Grossman 💪 Career Success Coach

I will make you VP | Executive Coach and Corporate Rebel | 2x VP Marketing | Ex Google, Microsoft | Best-Selling Author

Hey, I'm Maya 👋
At the age of 27 I hit rock bottom - I completely burnt out trying to overwork my way into a promotion. 
Fast forward 15 years and I gained 10 promotions, worked for companies like Microsoft and Google, landed two VP roles at hyper growth startups, earned high six figures and actually enjoyed my 9-5.

What changed?
I stopped letting my career happen to me, and instead started managing it like a business.
I learned what it really takes to break through to executive roles, stopped making the mistakes that were holding me back, and developed the executive skills that got me noticed.

Today I am an executive career coach and my goal is to help you demystify what it takes to break through to executive roles, and build the bridge between where you are today, and where you want to be in your wildest dreams.

I want to save you the time, effort, and headache of figuring it out on your own and give you the playbook for achieving anything you want in your career.

My mission? To empower 1,000,000 high achievers to build the career of their dreams.


My brag list:

→ International best-selling author. Ranked  #1 new release for career books on Amazon.

→ 150,000+ followers across platforms, 70M views for my daily career advice
 
→ LinkedIn instructor (34,000 + learners, 4.7/5)

→ Named top 50 rising experts (US) and top 12 in Austin in 2023

→ Coached hundreds of high achievers to success on their terms​


If you are ready to level up in your career:

JOIN MY WEEKLY NEWSLETTER: Become VP Ready in 10 Minutes Per Week

Win the corporate game in 2025. Join 50,000+ high achievers receiving weekly actionable guides and proven strategies to level up into executive roles in months not years. 

www.mayagrossman.com/email


SUCCESS BUILDERS: BECOME THE OBVIOUS VP - 3-MONTHS GROUP COACHING PROGRAM

The exact steps to level up from Director to VP in months not years, without an MBA or working 80/h weeks

www.mayagrossman.com/SB


PRIVATE 1:1 COACHING

For senior executives who want to become first time VPs, or crush their first VP role.
I only offer 5 spots quarterly, and they require a 6-months commitment.

DM me for details.

Founder, Maya Grossman Consulting

Maya Grossman

Being a high performer doesn’t get you promoted.

In fact, it might be the reason you are not even being considered.

This is where most high performers get stuck:
→ Heads down
→ Quietly crushing it
→ Waiting to be “noticed”

But promotions aren’t rewards.
They’re investments.
And no one invests in potential they can’t see.

Here’s how to fix that in 8 steps:

1/ Audit the next level
➝ What does a VP actually do day-to-day?
➝ Look at job postings, internal docs, and talk to current VPs.
➝ Make a list of gaps between your current role and that one.

2/ Start operating above your title
➝ Volunteer for cross-functional projects.
➝ Solve problems outside your job description.
➝ Speak in terms of business outcomes, not just task completion.

3/ Build your strategic voice
➝ In meetings, stop reporting what you did.
➝ Start sharing why it matters and what’s next.
➝ Use the 3-I Formula: Impact, Insight, Intent.

4/ Make your work visible
➝ Send monthly “impact recaps” to your manager.
➝ Tie your results to broader business goals.
➝ Show how you’re solving problems that scale.

5/ Get a sponsor, not just a mentor
➝ Find someone who has a seat at the table.
➝ Ask for feedback—and tell them your career goal.
➝ Make it easy for them to advocate for you.

6/ Stop waiting to be chosen
➝ Book a conversation with your manager.
➝ Say: “Here’s what I’m doing to operate at the next level. I’d like your support in getting there.”
➝ Ask: “What would you need to see for that to happen?”

7/ Keep receipts
➝ Track every measurable win.
➝ Include cross-team wins, cost savings, and leadership moments.
➝ Make your case undeniable.

8/ Play the long game
➝ Promotions take time and alignment.
➝ But if you’re doing the job already—it’s easier to make it official.
➝ Stay consistent. Stay visible. Stay strategic.

💡 Reminder:
You don’t “earn” a promotion by waiting quietly.
You earn it by making your next-level potential obvious.

♻️ Repost to help someone stop being overlooked and start getting seen.

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Here is the link to the episode:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/6ebCBzi8Hi0uem5UHtzfcZ

This conversation is what happens when two former executives spill the best kept secrets about what it really takes to level up. 

8 Things High Performers Do To Land Promotions

Here’s the real difference between Directors and VPs:
Directors think in tasks.
VPs think in tradeoffs.

It took me years (and more missed opportunities than I care to admit) to understand that.

When I was a Director, I treated my workload like a badge of honor.

If I could juggle ten initiatives at once, I thought it meant I was operating at the next level.

But inside executive meetings, I kept noticing something.

VPs were not asking, “How do we get all of this done?”
They were asking, “Why are we doing this at all?”

Meanwhile, I was losing sleep over projects that didn’t move the business forward.

That’s when it clicked.
Strategy isn’t about volume.
It’s about judgment.

What matters. What doesn’t.
What gets resources and what gets cut.
What gets attention and what gets parked.

If you want to be seen as VP-ready, stop proving how much you can carry.

Start proving you know what’s actually worth carrying.

Here’s a simple test I give my clients:
If you were already in the VP seat,
What’s one initiative you would stop tomorrow?

The answer tells me whether you’re thinking at the level you want to lead.

So here’s the real homework:
Act on that answer.
Cut something. Stop something. Push something down.

Because VP-level leadership isn’t about handling more.
It’s about making the judgment calls that move the business forward.

For years, I did exactly what high performers are told will get them promoted.

I worked longer hours.
I took on more scope.
I said yes when others hesitated.
I carried work no one else wanted.

And I kept getting passed over.

What finally changed my career wasn’t a new skill or a bigger win.
It was realizing that promotions aren’t rewards for effort.

At senior levels, performance is table stakes.

What leaders are actually evaluating is judgment.
How you think in ambiguous situations.
How you frame tradeoffs.
Whether they trust you to represent the business when they’re not in the room.

I was optimizing for execution in a system that promotes perception.

Once I saw that, I stopped trying to impress with how much I could do
and started being intentional about how I showed up in high-stakes moments.

The shift was subtle, but the impact was profound.

If you’ve ever felt overlooked despite doing everything right,
it might not be your work.

It might be a mismatch between what you’re optimizing for
and what leaders are actually rewarding.

And that is something you can easily change.
Let me show you how: https://lnkd.in/gG8GnY4Y

The shift that finally made me VP

“We’re hiring someone above you to lead the function.”

I’ve watched this sentence land like a punch to the gut for some of the most capable leaders I know.
Heck, I’ve lived it.

They’ve been delivering.
Owning the work.
Holding the team together.

And then they realize the decision was already made.

Without them in the room.
Without a conversation.
Without even being asked if they wanted the role.

That’s when the questions start:

What did I miss?
Did I do something wrong?
Why wasn’t I even considered?

Here’s the lesson most high performers learn too late:
Doing the job doesn’t automatically make you the successor

Strong performance alone doesn’t create leverage

And when leadership shifts, everything resets unless you control the narrative

This is why so many Directors get blindsided when someone is hired above them.

Not because they aren’t capable.
But because they were never positioned as the obvious choice.

If you’ve ever felt that quiet moment where your future was decided without you, you’re not alone.

And you’re not powerless.

I break down how to prevent this — before it happens — inside my free masterclass.

If you want the strategy that puts you back in the driver’s seat watch it here: https://lnkd.in/gG8GnY4Y

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I didn't get to VP by playing it safe.
I got there by screwing up, course-correcting fast, and refusing to stay stuck.

Here are 5 mistakes I made on the way up -
and I'd make every single one again:

(1) Waiting to feel 100% ready
If you're waiting for certainty, you'll miss every opportunity that matters.
Readiness isn't a milestone - it's hindsight.

Start before you feel qualified.
You'll grow into the role faster than you think.

(2) Trying to do everything myself
Being the go-to "doer" didn't make me a leader.
It made me a bottleneck.

The day I started delegating, my influence grew.
Leaders don't hold the work - they create capacity.

(3) Staying too long in the same role
I thought loyalty would get rewarded.
It didn't.

Staying put stalled my growth.
Moving on expanded it.

Sometimes the biggest promotion is the one you give yourself.

(4) Believing I was underqualified
I let self-doubt shrink my ambition.
I thought confidence came from having all the answers.

Turns out confidence comes from trusting you'll figure it out.

That shift changed everything.

(5) Waiting for permission
No one was going to tap me on the shoulder.
No one was going to say, "Now you're ready."

I had to make the case.
Ask for the seat.
And show them why I belonged in it.

The truth?

Your mistakes won't stop you.
Avoiding them will.

Success is built on messy action -
not perfect timing, perfect skills, or perfect confidence.

Learn fast.
Move forward.
Repeat.

👉 Want the full strategy behind how I actually got to VP?
Grab it here: https://lnkd.in/gG8GnY4Y

I didnt get to VP by playing it safe

When people ask how I became a VP at 35, they expect me to say:

→ I went back for an MBA
→ I worked harder than everyone
→ I waited for someone to tap me

And honestly?
None of that explains it.

The real reason I moved up had nothing to do with credentials or grind.

It came from skills no one ever put on a job description:

Staying grounded when priorities blew up overnight
That's emotional resilience.

Speaking up for the value I brought - not apologizing for it
That's self-advocacy.

Building relationships with people who actually made decisions
That's strategic visibility.

Reading the room, navigating egos, and keeping people aligned
That's emotional intelligence.

Trusting my judgment when there was no clear right answer
That's leadership.

These weren't "extra" skills.
They were the difference-makers.
They're why I stood out early - and kept rising.

And here's the part most people miss:

Your resume won't tell you whether you're ready for the next level.
Your job title won't tell you either.

But your soft skills?
They will.

If you've been managing chaos, influencing without authority, smoothing conflict, making judgment calls, and keeping everyone sane...

You're already doing executive work.

You don't need permission to see that.
You just need to recognize it.

Because the soft skills aren't "nice to have."
They're the engine behind executive promotions.

And they're 100% learnable! In fact, I teach some of them here: https://lnkd.in/gG8GnY4Y

I did everything “right.”
Crushed deadlines. Took initiative.
Said yes to the extra work.

But I still wasn’t being seen as “ready.”

Meanwhile, people with less experience were getting promoted faster.

Not because they were better
but because they knew how to get noticed by the right people.

That’s when I realized:
The habits that get you promoted aren’t flashy.

They’re boring.

But they’re powerful.

→ Prepping for meetings like they’re interviews
→ Repeating your value until it sticks
→ Speaking in outcomes, not effort
→ Asking for the role before you feel ready

No hacks. Just quiet signals that make you undeniable.
Are you practicing these every day?

DM me VP and I’ll send you the 3 biggest shifts that change how decision-makers see you — fast.

10 boring things that actually get you promoted faster

I did it! VP title, two offers, under 6 months.
And none of it happened by accident.

I wasn't tapped on the shoulder.
I wasn't on an exec track.
I got rejected 17 times trying to move past Director.

What changed was the strategy behind how I was showing up.

I made one decision that shifted everything:
I stopped waiting for someone to "pick" me.

Inside a company the size of Microsoft, I knew the promotion wasn't coming anytime soon. 
So I made a strategic exit - not impulsive, not emotional. 

I built relationships first, 
created opportunities before I needed them, 
and left with leverage instead of hope.

The next shift was learning to promote myself out loud.

Not bragging - clarity.

I wanted to work with startup CEOs, so I went where they were. 
I introduced myself. 
I asked bold questions. 
I followed up with why I'd be great at the VP level. 

One conversation turned into an offer months later.

The last piece was developing real executive skills.

Not buzzwords. Not "acting confident."
Actual VP-level leadership.

Executive presence.
Strategic communication.
Influence without overwork.

So when the opportunity showed up, I didn't have to get ready.

I was already operating at that level.

If you're waiting to get picked, stop.
If you're hoping your work speaks for itself, it won't.

Here's the only roadmap you need:

- Build leverage early
- Promote yourself with clarity
- Grow the executive skills *before* the title

This is the strategy most high performers are missing.

Want to learn it? Start here: https://lnkd.in/gG8GnY4Y

The hardest lesson about leadership I’ve ever learned:


When I first stepped into senior leadership, I thought being a strong leader meant being hands-on.

I was in every meeting.
Answered every message.
Reviewed every document.

If something went wrong, I fixed it.
If something needed to get done, I took it on myself.

And for a while, it helped me stand out.
Until it didn’t.

Because eventually I realized something that changed everything:

I wasn’t leading.
I was over-functioning.
I wasn’t a VP.
I was a glorified (overpaid) IC.

The team couldn’t move unless I weighed in.
Projects were stuck because I was stretched too thin.
And I was so deep in the weeds I had no space to think like an executive.

That’s when life taught me a hard lesson:
One that almost cost me my job.

Leadership isn’t about doing everything.
It’s about creating the space to lead.

You cannot step into VP roles if you’re still proving your value through effort.
In fact, you’re proving they made the wrong choice.

I was lucky.
My manager took me a side and said: “stop being a superhero”.
And as painful as it was to hear...
It was the wake up call I needed.

So I swallowed my pride and started doing less.
Yes. Less.

Less solving - more guiding.
Instead of giving my team answers, I started asking questions.
They learned how to find the answers.

Less doing - more driving.
No more “5 minute” email rewrites or stepping in on my team’s work.
They got tons of feedback and chance to improve.

Less “How” - more “Why”.
Instead of my way of the highway... give direction.
My team got to be creative and even get better results.

The more ownership my team had, the more room I had to think strategically, influence decisions, and operate at the right level.

If you’re a Director doing it all, hear this:

You don’t need to do everything.
You need to get out of the weeds and start leading. 
You need space to think, not more tasks to juggle.

The role you want requires the leadership you’ve been avoiding.

And the moment you stop being the fixer and start being the one who sets direction?

You finally look like an executive.

I was the doer for YEARS. It’s a hard habit to break.
You can start here: https://lnkd.in/gG8GnY4Y

Most career advice is designed to help you fit in.

Be likable.
Be helpful.
Keep your head down.

That advice works if your goal is to be solid.
It fails if your goal is VP.

Here’s the real problem.

Most high achievers don’t realize they’re using the wrong strategy.

Everyone around them keeps saying:

“Just keep doing what you’re doing.”
“You’re doing great.”
“Your time will come.”

But look closely.

Very few of those people actually made it to VP.
They’re repeating advice they inherited, not advice they tested.

Alex Hormozi calls this the ignorance tax.

If you don’t know how to build a $1M business, every year you miss it costs you $1M.

Careers work the same way.

Every year you don’t know how promotions actually work,
you pay in time, money, energy, and stalled momentum.

That’s the real cost.

Not effort.
Not talent.

Ignorance.

My work exists for one reason:
to help people stop blending in and start being obvious.

Obvious choice.
Obvious leader.
Obvious bet.

You can keep paying the ignorance tax.

Or you can learn the strategy that changes the trajectory.

I break it down here: https://lnkd.in/gG8GnY4Y

The first time someone told me I wasn't "VP material," I believed them.
The second time, I applied anyway.

When that VP role opened up, I knew I wasn't the safe pick.
I didn't have the title.
I hadn't done the role before.
And on paper, I looked like a stretch.

But I was done letting other people write the ending of my career story.

So I took the shot.

I walked into that interview fully aware of everything I wasn't...
and focused on everything I actually was.

I wasn't trying to deliver a flawless performance.
I wasn't pretending to be perfect.
I wasn't checking boxes I didn't have.

I did something more useful:
I showed them exactly how I would solve their problems.

Real plans.
Real insights.
Real leadership.

I stumbled once or twice - of course I did.
But confidence isn't about being polished.
It's about being clear.

And clarity is what landed.

A few hours later, the CEO texted me:

"You're not the cookie-cutter VP.
We want you."

That message changed how I thought about every future opportunity.

"VP material" was never about credentials.
It was conviction.
It was the ability to walk into a room and show them who you already are - before the title reflects it.

So the next time you're about to talk yourself out of an opportunity...
pause.
Ask yourself a better question: Why not me?

And go for it.

♻️ Share this with someone who keeps doubting themselves.

My client was promoted into a skip level role. She jumped two levels up. 
And the reason she was able to do this might surprise you. 
 
She didn’t get an MBA. 
She didn’t apply to a million jobs. 
She didn’t spend too much time on her resume. 
 
She just did one thing: 
 
She spoke with professionals who had the job she wanted to have and realized... she was ready. 
 
She didn’t need to wait 5 years to get the promotion, she had the skills and the experience now. 
 
So she went for it with absolute confidence, and nailed it. 
 
The bottom line here is simple, so much of our success is impacted by what we think. 
 
I would say 80% of your success in mindset, and only 20% is the execution. 
 
At the beginning my clients didn’t believe in herself. 
 
But once she realized people who had her dream role at the next (next) level were pretty much doing what she was already doing - bam! 
 
Confidence boost, and a few month later a skip level promotion.

She didn’t wait for permission to lead. She started acting like she already belonged. Learn how: https://lnkd.in/gG8GnY4Y

Every year, I choose one word to guide me.
For 2026, the word came fast (while I was at the gym):
Expansion.

I started this practice years ago after reading a book that asked a simple question:
What would change if your year had a theme instead of a checklist?
It stuck with me.

2025 became the year of systems.
I redesigned how I work.
I built foundations that let me breathe.
I created structure where there used to be pressure.

But 2026 feels different.
It feels like the year where something inside me is ready for more - not in a "hustle harder" way, but in an identity way.

I can feel myself stretching.
Growing past the edges of who I've been.
Reaching for goals that once felt too bold to say out loud.

It's not just the business that's expanding.
It's me.

My capacity.
My vision.
My drive.
My sense of what's possible.

There’s something building under the surface and I’m trying to give myself room to explore it instead of forcing it into a plan too soon.

What I've learned is that choosing a word isn't about the word.
It’s stepping into a version of yourself you’ve been preparing for quietly.

And I know many of you are stepping into bigger versions of yourselves too.

So if you chose one word to guide the leader you're becoming in 2026, what would it be?

12 career lessons I learned from my husband the entrepreneur, that landed me my VP role:

1. Clarity comes from doing. 
You don’t think your way into growth, you act into it.

2. It’s okay to not fit the mold. 
When you do what everyone does, you get what everyone gets. Average.

3. You’re not “not ready.” You’re just under-practiced. 
Put in more reps.

4. Mistakes aren’t failures. They’re data. 
Use them to iterate, not to shrink.

5. No one owes you a shot. 
You build leverage by creating undeniable value.

6. Pressure is a privilege. 
When it shows up, lean in, not out.

7. If feedback stings, ask why. 
If it’s true, grow. If it’s not, let go.

8. You’re the product. 
Improve it, market it, invest in it.

9. There are no rules for how fast you rise. 
But you get to own your pace.

10. Make the bet on yourself first. 
No one invests if you’re not already in.

11. A no doesn’t mean stop. 
It means find another way in.

12. You only lose when you stop trying. 
Keep moving, keep learning, keep shipping.

While most people around me didn't understand why I was so ambitious
And told me to "dream smaller" and be realistic...

My husband encouraged me to keep going
To believe in myself and chase my dreams

And become the next version of myself

Sometimes that meant giving me a hug, sometimes a kick in the butt.

These lessons were priceless.
So much so that they became the foundation of my coaching.

I call it: 
Thinking and acting like an entrepreneur, to win the corporate game.

Want to see it in action? Start here: https://lnkd.in/gG8GnY4Y

Here’s the fastest way to tell if you’re actually on the VP track:
If your company had to promote someone to VP in the next 6–12 months, would your name come up in the first 30 seconds?

Most high performers say yes.
Reality usually says no.

Not because they’re underperforming.
Because they’ve mistaken execution for readiness.

The people who get promoted to VP aren’t the hardest workers.
They’re the easiest to justify.

When I got promoted to VP, nothing magical happened at review time.

The decision was already made because:

- Senior leaders saw me as capable of owning more than my current scope.
- My work told a clear story, not a long one.
- And I had sponsors who could advocate without hesitation.

That’s the difference between being a reliable doer and executive material.
That is what “VP ready” actually looks like

Before you sprint into another year of “heads down, get it done,” do a 3 minute audit:

1. Do you know who actually influences VP promotions in your org?
2. Have you made your ambition and value explicit to them?
3. Could they sell your case in one clean sentence?

If the answer is ‘no’, you might be on the “reliable doer” track, not the VP track.

It doesn’t mean you’re behind. 

You’re just playing the wrong game.

I break down exactly how VP promotions actually work and how to position yourself for them in my free masterclass.

If you’re serious about making the leap, that’s your next move.
https://lnkd.in/gG8GnY4Y

Here's what happens when you stop fighting self-promotion:

Your boss starts repeating your ideas in meetings.
Your skip-level VP suddenly knows your name.
You're no longer the "best kept secret" on the team.

Because here's the truth no one wants to say out loud:
"Let the work speak for itself" does not work.

No one hears it.
No one sees it.
No one rewards it.

Staying quiet isn't humility.

It's self-sabotage.

And it makes it way too easy for people to overlook you.

If you want traction, you have to flip the script:
Speak value, not volume.
Speak impact, not activity.
Speak out loud, not "when someone asks."

If you're not sure where to start, here's your first move: https://lnkd.in/gG8GnY4Y

Heres what happens when you stop fighting self

They just hired a VP above you.

Your stomach drops.
You replay the last 6 months in your head.
You wonder if you misread your own readiness.

Because it is one thing to not get promoted.

It is another thing entirely to watch the company fill the role you thought you were growing into.

Here is what no one talks about:
If your manager leaves, or there is a reorg, or a leadership gap opens...
and no one even considers you as a contender...
that is data.

Painful data, yes.
But data you can use.

Being layered is not always about your capability.

Sometimes it is politics.
Sometimes timing.
Sometimes you were simply not visible to the people making the decision.

But most often, it is this:
They do not see you operating at the next level yet.

So here is what you do next, at a high level:

1. Do not take it personally.
Treat it as a business signal, not a character judgment.
 
2. Get clarity from leadership.
Ask: "If I want to be considered for this role in the future, what would you need to see from me?"
 
3. Build visibility on purpose.
If your promotion rests on the perception of one manager, you’re vulnerable. Get more sponsors.

4. Make a choice. 
Stay or go, but not emotionally, strategically. 
Getting layered hurts.
But it is also a turning point if you let it be.

If you want to become the person who gets considered next time, keep following me.

And if you want a faster path, watch my free masterclass on becoming visibly VP ready: https://lnkd.in/gG8GnY4Y

They hired a VP above you and didnt even consider you

Someone less qualified than you is getting promoted right now.

Not because they're better.
But because they're visible.
While you're still waiting to be noticed.

Let's fix that.

No more hoping.
No more watching peers leapfrog you while you "keep your head down."

In today's workplace, performance isn't the differentiator.
Perception is.
The people who rise aren't just capable -
they're seen as leaders.

Do you look like a decision-maker?
A strategic thinker?
Someone who owns outcomes, not tasks?

Because when performance is assumed,
positioning is what gets you picked.

And if you're already operating at a senior level...

Stop waiting for someone to tap you.
Start making yourself impossible to ignore.

Promotions aren't earned in silence.
They're earned in visibility.

I learned that the hard way.

Ten years ago, I was overdelivering, overworking, and still overlooked.
My growth had completely stalled.

I was exhausted - but the exhaustion wasn't the worst part.
It was the invisibility.
Watching others move forward while I stayed stuck.

So I stopped waiting.
I started advocating for myself.
And everything changed.

Visibility isn't bragging.
It's strategy.

Build it on purpose.
Every week.
Every room.

If you're ready to stop blending in...
Steal my strategy: https://lnkd.in/gG8GnY4Y

Your career is not what you do.
It’s who you become in the process.

Most people describe their careers by titles and tasks.

What they worked on.
What they delivered.
What they achieved.

But when I look back at my own career,
that’s not what actually changed me.

What changed me was who I had to become along the way.

I became someone who could make decisions without perfect information.

Someone who could sit in uncomfortable rooms and stay grounded.
Someone who could take up space without apologizing for it.
Someone who speaks their mind with confidence.

Those changes didn’t happen all at once.

They happened slowly. Repeatedly. On purpose.

And that’s the part people underestimate.

The real transformation isn’t the title you earn.

It’s the confidence you keep.
The judgment you trust.
The way you carry yourself into every room after.

Titles come and go.
That version of you doesn’t.

And once you’ve become her (or him)
no one can take that away.

And that right there?
That’s how you create lasting change.

The title is temporary. Who you become is permanent.
In my free 25-minute masterclass, I’ll show you how to build the kind of confidence and executive presence that makes promotions a byproduct: https://lnkd.in/gG8GnY4Y

Most Directors are only doing one of the three.
And that’s why promotions feel slow or completely out of reach.

01 Value
This isn’t your job description.
It’s the business outcomes you create this quarter.

If you can’t clearly link your work to the company’s biggest priorities, leaders won’t see you as strategic—no matter how strong your execution is.

02 Audience
Your manager is not your only audience.
Promotions are decided by a group of leaders, many of whom you may never formally meet.

If skip-levels, cross-functional leaders, and sponsors don’t know your impact, you’re not even in the consideration set.

03 Packaging
This is where most Directors get stuck.
If you communicate in tasks, details, and timelines, leaders won’t see you as VP-ready.
VPs communicate in outcomes, risks, patterns, and decisions.

When you get all three right, 
promotions start happening faster.
When you only get one right, you stay busy, but stuck.

This is the difference between being seen as reliable...
and being trusted with what’s next.

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The Battle

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