Getting Senior Leaders to Optimal Performance and Sustainable Growth Without Burnout

You’re capable, experienced, and used to handling pressure. Yet certain moments quietly destabilise even strong leaders.
► When you step into a new role and realise the rules have changed
► When a restructuring, missed promotion, or sudden shift knocks confidence more than you admit
► When performance still looks “fine”, but decision-making feels heavier and slower than it should

These moments don’t look dramatic from the outside. 
They look like coping.

And this is where many leaders hesitate —
waiting for clarity to return on its own,
until the cost shows up as loss of judgment, credibility, or energy.

👉 This is where my work begins.
I partner with senior leaders and leadership teams during high-stakes transitions — where clarity, authority, and direction matter more than speed.

My clients typically come to this point when they need to:

✔️ Make clear, grounded decisions under pressure 
✔️ Re-establish authority and presence in a new or changing role 
✔️ Navigate career transitions or restructuring without loss of momentum 
✔️ Lead teams through complexity, transformation, or sustained change 
✔️ Perform at a high level without sacrificing health, focus, or integrity

I bring 17+ years of experience from Fortune 500 organisations (P&G, General Mills, GSK, Syngenta), combined with professional executive coaching and mentoring (ICF PCC, EMCC SP). 

I understand the realities of senior leadership — competing priorities, political complexity, and the expectation to “hold it together” while everything shifts.

My clients often describe the biggest shift not as improved performance alone — but as clearer thinking, steadier confidence, and the ability to lead without constantly operating in reactive mode.

If you’re navigating a meaningful transition — whether you’re still in role or between chapters — and sense that waiting is no longer the right strategy, you’re welcome to message me here on LinkedIn to explore whether working together makes sense.

— 
🌐 tatianarueff.com 
📩 tatiana@tatianarueff.com 

For organisations, I also design and deliver senior leadership workshops and keynotes on leading through high-stakes transitions — enabling sustainable performance, clarity, and resilience under pressure.

Tatiana Rueff

𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞
𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐜𝐭.

Most of the leaders I work with aren’t stuck 
because they are not thinking enough.

They see what’s no longer working.
They understand the implications.
They have ideas to test.
They’ve thought it through - repeatedly.

What’s missing isn’t insight.

It’s a space where clarity turns into decisions,
and decisions turn into movement -
without rushing, proving, or forcing outcomes.

Some moments don’t need more effort.
They need the right kind of containment.

P.S. If something you’ve been circling feels ready to be addressed, this is the kind of transition that benefits from the right container.

Partnering with Leaders through High-Stakes Transitions | Clear Decisions & Sustainable Growth under Pressure | Executive & Leadership Transition Coach (ICF PCC) | Ex-Fortune 500

Tatiana Rueff, Executive and Leadership Transition Coach, standing in a snowy mountain village, looking calmly at the camera, with alpine houses and snow-covered peaks (Mont Blanc) behind her on a clear winter day.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧
𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞.

Between roles many leaders feel an invisible clock ticking.

They don’t want to rush.
They don’t want to repeat old patterns.
But they also don’t want to get stuck.

So they stay busy instead.

Networking.
Thinking.
Sending applications daily.
Scrolling LinkedIn.

Yet the discomfort isn’t really about time.
It’s about not having enough structure for the transition.

Without that, even thoughtful leaders start doubting themselves.

This is where transitions quietly stretch longer than necessary -
not because skills are missing,
but because support is.

P.S. Being between chapters isn’t a gap to fill. 
It’s a phase to take seriously.

A quiet home office with a wooden desk by a window, a beige leather chair slightly pulled back, an open laptop displaying emails, a notebook and pen, a coffee mug, and a digital clock showing 13:30, suggesting a paused workday and time passing.

𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐢𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐚 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐞𝐭 𝐥𝐚𝐤𝐞.
𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐚𝐧.

And waiting won’t make it calmer.

Many people are waiting.

Waiting for the market to improve.
Waiting for work to slow down.
Waiting for life to feel easier before they finally breathe again.

They hope the waters will calm.

But life is rarely a quiet lake.
Most of the time, it’s a wavy ocean - 
unpredictable, demanding, alive.

And while you’re waiting for perfect conditions,
your life is still passing by.

Sustainable growth doesn’t come from hoping the waves disappear.
It comes from learning how to surf.

From building balance, clarity, and resilience 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 you -
so you can navigate change without burning out
and even enjoy the ride.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦.
𝐖𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐢𝐬.

P.S. Where in your life are you still waiting for “better times”?

Guiding Senior Leaders & Teams Through Transitions | From Pressure to Clarity, Confidence & Sustainable Growth | Executive & Leadership Transition Coach (ICF PCC) | Ex-Fortune 500

A split image contrasting two approaches to challenge: on the left, a person stands at the edge of a turbulent ocean, watching the waves; on the right, a surfer actively rides a large wave, moving with strength and balance.

𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐞𝐱𝐡𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. 
𝐈𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭.

Many senior leaders don’t collapse.
They continue performing.

What changes first is something quieter.

Decisions take longer.
Recovery takes more effort.
Quality thinking time disappears.
Weekends bring more screen time than joy.

They tell themselves it’s temporary.
That pressure comes with the role.

Sometimes that’s true.
Often it’s a signal.

Sustainable growth isn’t about pushing less.
It’s about noticing when the cost is no longer worth the output.

That moment is easy to rationalise away -
until it forces a decision later, 
under worse conditions.

P.S. If the price of “doing well” has been rising for a while, it might be asking for your attention now.

Tatiana Rueff, executive and leadership transition coaching, seated on a wooden balcony overlooking snow-covered mountains and alpine houses, appearing thoughtful and composed in a calm winter setting.

𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚
𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐞 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞.

Scroll through LinkedIn on any given day and you’ll see it.

New role announcements.
Promotions.
Bigger titles.
Public celebrations of progress.

Most people could make these updates invisible - 
but they don’t.

Because being seen, acknowledged, and validated matters.
That’s human.

What we don’t talk about enough is the other side of those posts.

The quiet comparison they trigger in leaders who are already carrying a lot.

𝘈𝘮 𝘐 𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘦𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘥?
𝘞𝘩𝘺 𝘢𝘮 𝘐 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘦𝘵?
𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘐 𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘶𝘱 l𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘺 𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘦?
𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘮𝘺 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘦?

These questions don’t stop early in a career.

I hear them from VPs, CEOs, and founders -
especially in moments of transition.

The problem isn’t ambition.

The problem is the false idea that there’s a universal success ladder we’re supposed to follow.

There isn’t.

Careers are not straight lines.
They pause, accelerate, reset, and sometimes fall apart - 
often for reasons far beyond effort or talent.

When you measure yourself against someone else’s highlight reel, you risk seeing personal failure where there is none.

You’re not late.
You’re not early.

You are where your life has brought you - 
and you still get to decide what comes next.

𝐏.𝐒.  Which “should” have you been carrying that no longer serves you?

Man lying in bed at night looking at his phone, reflecting on social media comparison and career self-doubt.

𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 
𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧.

It’s not because you’re unprepared.
Or lacking confidence.
Or suddenly less capable.

It’s because you’re stepping into a system that already exists -
with unspoken expectations, inherited dynamics, 
and histories you didn’t create.

You’re being read before you fully understand the context.
Your decisions matter before you’ve had time to see the full picture.

And the pressure to “add value quickly” is constant, 
even when no one says it out loud.

Most leaders respond by accelerating.

They work harder.
They say yes more often.
They try to prove themselves early.

But early overcompensation is how misalignment starts.

The leaders who land well do something different.

They slow their thinking before they speed up their actions.
They take time to understand what’s really being asked of them, 
not just what’s written.

They decide what not to change yet.

This isn’t about confidence.
It’s about orientation.

The first moves you make set patterns that last far longer than people expect.

P.S. If you’re stepping into something new and feel the pressure to get it “right” quickly, that’s not a flaw. It’s the moment.

A professional woman stands by a large window overlooking a lake and mountains, reflecting quietly before stepping into a new role.

𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬.
Very few talked about what that reaction reveals about leadership.

When Emmanuel Macron wore sunglasses indoors at Davos, 
the world listened - and still speculated.

And this is the interesting part:
an explanation had already been given.

It was presented as a benign eye issue -
nothing strategic, nothing symbolic.

Still -

Memes spread.
Commentary escalated.
The company behind the sunglasses saw its share price jump 28%.

Not because eyewear matters -
but because when a leader breaks an unspoken norm, 
explanation alone doesn’t stop interpretation.

This happens inside organisations every day.

A leader goes quiet.
Delays a decision.
Shows up differently than expected.

Even when there is a rational reason,
the system keeps reading signals.

Stories fill the gap:

– “Something’s off.”
– “A restructuring is coming.”
– “There must be more going on.”

The real risk for leaders isn’t deviation.
It’s assuming clarity has been received just because it was provided.

Strong leadership isn’t about over-explaining.

It’s about recognising when perception has momentum -
and choosing whether to actively frame it, hold it, or redirect it.

Because whether you intend it or not,
people are always reading the signals.

PS: Where have you seen a small, unintended leadership signal take on disproportionate meaning?

A pair of blue-tinted aviator sunglasses on a light background.

𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐬.

Many leaders value reflection.

They think deeply.
They notice patterns.
They see what’s no longer working.

And then… they wait.

They tell themselves they’re “not ready yet”.
That they need a bit more time.
That there’s something urgent to take care of first.
That they’ll figure it out.

But insight has a shelf life.

What starts as awareness slowly turns into friction.
The same questions resurface.
The same tension returns, just louder.

At some point, not acting costs more than acting.

The tricky part is that nothing breaks immediately.

You keep functioning.
You keep thinking about it.
You keep living your life.

But over time, the cost shows up elsewhere -
in energy, focus, and the quality of decisions.

That’s when waiting stops being a pause
and starts shaping the outcome.

P.S. If something has been unaddressed for a while, this might be the moment it’s asking for a different response from you.

A man at a home office desk looks at an hourglass as time passes, reflecting on decisions and waiting.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 90 𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐝𝐥𝐲.
𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐭.

Most leaders prepare hard for interviews.
Very few prepare for what comes after.

They step into a role already moving.
With inherited dynamics they didn’t design.
And expectations that aren’t fully spoken.

So they compensate early.

They try to add value fast.
They change things quickly.

And sometimes… 
they lock in patterns they later have to undo.

The leaders who land well don’t rush alignment.
They create space to think before they accelerate action.

That window is brief.
And often underestimated.

P.S. If you’ve recently stepped into a new role and feel the pressure to move fast, this is the moment I help leaders slow their thinking before their actions lock in.
You don’t need to navigate it alone.

A silhouetted man standing indoors by a window, looking out at blurred car lights moving quickly through the night, suggesting contrast between stillness and speed.

𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐫
𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐞.

Many senior leaders look like they’re doing fine.

They deliver.
They show up.
They keep things moving.

But privately, the cost is rising.

More effort to stay focused.
More recovery time after non-stop meetings.
Less space to think clearly.

They tell themselves:

“𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢 𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘩𝘢𝘴𝘦.”
“𝘐 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴.”
“𝘖𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘮 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦.”

High performance can mask misalignment for a long time.

Until one day, the question shifts from

“𝘊𝘢𝘯 𝘐 𝘥𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴?”
to
“𝘋𝘰 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘥𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘺?”

That’s not weakness.
That’s information.

P.S. Where has “pushing through” quietly become your default?

𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐬. 
Poor positioning is.

Most senior leaders don’t struggle because transitions take too long.
They struggle because they stay too broad for too long.

Time itself isn’t the problem.
Ambiguity is.

When your message sounds like:

“𝘐’𝘮 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘯.”
“𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘥𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴.”
“𝘐’𝘮 𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘹𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦.”

You make it harder for others to place you -
and easier for the wrong opportunities to absorb your energy.

At senior level, clarity isn’t a constraint.
It’s a service.

The leaders who land well don’t rush.
They narrow deliberately - often with support - 
long before urgency starts making decisions for them.

The right support doesn’t just protect the outcome.

It sharpens positioning 
and that’s what changes the timeline.

If this resonates, you’re already thinking at the right level.

A narrow mountain path running along a green ridge under a clear blue sky, with steep slopes on both sides, symbolising focus and deliberate career progress.

𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐬. 
𝐈𝐭 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐝𝐲𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐜𝐬. 

When an organisation goes through transition - 
a leadership change, restructuring, strategy shift - 
the impact isn’t limited to roles or org charts. 

Team dynamics change first. 

What I often observe is not open resistance, but subtle shifts: 

– Decision-making slows 
– Ownership becomes blurred 
– Informal leaders go quiet 
– High performers start self-protecting 

On the surface, work continues. 
Underneath, alignment erodes. 

This isn’t a people problem. 
It’s a leadership transition problem. 

Teams need clarity on: 

– what still matters 
– what has changed 
– where decisions now sit 
– and what “good performance” looks like in the new context 

Without that, leaders spend months compensating with more meetings, more pressure, and more effort - 
often burning out their best people in the process. 

Sustainable leadership in transition isn’t about pushing harder. 
It’s about stabilising the system so people can perform again. 

That’s the work I do with leaders and organisations navigating change.

An empty leadership meeting room in a modern office with panoramic views over Zurich, representing organisational transition, decision-making, and the need for leadership clarity.

𝐌𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐥𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭.

They notice when something starts to feel off.
When the role demands more than it gives back.
When effort increases but clarity doesn’t.

What’s harder is knowing how to respond in that moment.

Do you pause and think it through alone?
Do you give it time, hoping the pressure will ease?
Do you reach for an external perspective or structured support early enough?

I see very capable leaders make very different choices at this point.

And those choices quietly shape how long transitions last and how costly they become.

I’m curious what tends to be true for you in practice, not in theory.

When you realise something in your career is no longer sustainable, what do you tend to do first?

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Pivot with intention — from inner rewiring to outer results | Business & Leadership Coach | Product Advisor | Speaker | Helping leaders & companies win their biggest pivots

Hi, I’m Clara.

From navigating communist Romania to building a life and career across countries, building a family while leading multimillion-dollar product teams, and then reinventing myself as an entrepreneur, my journey has been full of bold pivots.

Now, I help leaders, founders, and companies navigate their own high-stakes transitions—without the fluff, the overwhelm, or the endless struggle.

FROM STUCK TO STRATEGY, FAST.

I don’t do endless sessions. I get leaders and companies unstuck, clear, and moving forward—fast.

As an ex-tech product leader turned business & leadership coach, I bring real-world product thinking, business strategy, and mindset transformation to help senior executives and teams navigate high-stakes transitions—whether that’s scaling leadership, shifting to a product-led model, or making bold business moves.

YOU'VE CLIMBED THE MOUNTAIN...NOW YOU'RE QUESTIONING IF IT'S THE RIGHT ONE.

That moment in between—the crossroads, the career shift, the leadership challenge—awakens an inner warrior. Now you need to channel that energy in the right direction by identifying the internal barriers that are keeping you stuck.

Because what got you here won't get you where you want to go.

My counterintuitive approach gets you unstuck without adding more to your plate.

You don’t need more information.

You need better questions, sharper decisions, and the right mindset shifts to move forward.

This is not about working harder.

This is about leading, living, and working with clarity, confidence, and alignment.

WHO I WORK WITH

☑️ High-Achievers in Transition – Whether stepping up or stepping out, you need clarity on what’s next.

☑️ Founders & Entrepreneurs – Navigating the rollercoaster of building something new, scaling leadership, and making bold moves.

☑️ Leaders at Crossroads – Making decisions from deep knowing, not just data or pressure.

☑️ Companies Shifting to a Product-Led Model – Aligning leadership, strategy, and execution for long-term impact.

If you trust me to help you—I’ll honor that and bring what I believe will serve you best.

Are you ready?

Let’s get to work.

Clara Vincenc-Cismaru

Most people don’t fail at their goals.
They fail at updating who they are.

At the start of the year, most people plan what to do next.
- They review achievements.
- They define a vision.
- They set new goals.
- They optimise habits.

Very few pause to look at something else.

The role they are stepping out of.
And the role they are stepping into.

Because when a role changes,
old ways of thinking stop working.
Not because something is wrong.
But because the inner language, beliefs, and self-expectations haven’t caught up yet.

We don’t drift because we lack discipline.
We drift because we’re still acting from yesterday’s role.

If this year feels uncertain, tense, or heavier than expected,
don’t rush to fix it.

Pause for a moment and ask:
👉 Which role am I releasing and which one am I being asked to inhabit now?

This month, I’ll explore a different way of planning.
One that starts with roles and self-leadership.
Not resolutions.

I help senior leaders and founders cut through uncertainty and lead decisively in fast-changing environments, without second-guessing themselves | Executive Coach & Strategic Advisor | Speaker

The most expensive "yes" isn't the one you regret.
It's the one you don't own.

A HIPPO says: "We need this." Everyone nods. And you say yes.

Not because it's clear. Not because it's realistic. But because pushing back feels risky.

Then you walk back to your team… and turn it into urgency.

That's when the real damage starts:
⚠️ Your team pays the interest 
⚠️ Expectations inflate
⚠️ Trust erodes (even if the team performs) 
⚠️ Your reputation gets hit from both sides

Upwards: "They didn't deliver." 
Downwards: "Why would I follow you into the next fire?"

Most leaders think the problem is communication.
It's not.

It's what happens in the 8 seconds when your nervous system hijacks the decision.

The leaders who avoid this trap don't have better scripts.
They've built the capacity to stay present in those 8 seconds - long enough to choose instead of react.

That capacity can be built. And it starts with seeing your specific pressure signature.

I wrote about how this actually works (and why information alone won't fix it) 👇

View newsletter: Lead with Love and Service

Why smart leaders lose their teams in the 8 seconds before they say yes - and how to build the capacity to choose differently Most leadership damage d

Open article: The Most Expensive "Yes" Isn't the One You Regret. It's the One You Don't Own. by Clara Vincenc-Cismaru • 7 min read

The Most Expensive "Yes" Isn't the One You Regret. It's the One You Don't Own.

Most professional losses don’t come from bad decisions.

They come from something important staying unclear for too long.
Especially in moments that affect roles, money, or authority.

If you’re a kind, competent leader, you notice this early.

- A rule isn’t fully explained.
- A process is shown quickly, without context.
- A decision is moving forward, but the criteria aren’t fully clear.

Nothing is openly wrong.
So you move on.

Then your mind does what intelligent minds do.
It fills the gaps.

"Maybe I didn’t communicate clearly enough."
"Maybe I should explain more."
"Maybe I’m missing something."

Anxiety grows.
Energy shifts from decisions to interpretation.
You start preparing arguments-
BEFORE you fully understand the game you’re in.

This is where many leaders move too fast.
They jump straight to proving or negotiating,
when what’s actually missing is clarity of process.

👉The order matters.

1. First clarity.
2. Then understanding.
3. Only then explanation, proof, or negotiation.

Unanswered questions don’t stay neutral.
They multiply
especially when you carry responsibility.

And once that happens,
you’re no longer responding to reality.

You’re responding to a story created under pressure.

For leaders navigating uncertainty,
this isn’t a communication technique.

It’s how decisions stay clean under pressure.

#TrustedAdvisor
#ExecutiveCoaching
#LeadingInUncertainty
#StrategicClarity
#ClarityBeforeAction

You know those moments when you’re trying to help and somehow everything just gets worse?

Last night was one of those.

My daughter was in pain.
I was tired.

I had already given her the treatment that helps.
She didn’t like how it felt.

She kept asking me to fix it, while blaming me for the very thing that could help.

So we got stuck.

Frustration.
Blame.
Stories.

We went in circles for over an hour until it felt heavy.

At some point I remembered something simple.

The strongest nervous system wins.

And as the adult, it was on me to take that role.

So I slowed down.
Lowered my voice.
Showed love.
Stopped explaining everything that came after.

Once she felt safe enough, she was ready to listen.

I went back to the beginning.

This is what’s happening.
These are the two options.
None of them perfect.
I don’t see a third one.

No pressure.
No blame.
Just facts.

That’s when she started to calm down.

The pain didn’t disappear.
But the situation finally made sense to her.

I see the same thing happen at work.

Conversations that get tense.
Decisions that start to feel personal.
People argue about solutions.

And often, it’s because something small at the start stayed unclear.

Instead of naming it, we add meaning.
We charge it emotionally.
We build stories.
Until the story feels bigger than the situation itself.

Some things can’t be controlled.
But some things need a clear choice.

And when we don’t slow down enough to see which is which,
the situation ends up deciding for us.

#strategicclarity  
#decisionhygiene  
#leadershippresence  
#trustedadvisor
#mybestcoach

Most leadership losses don’t come from incompetence.
They come from letting an organization define you as less than you are - and discovering that perception doesn’t care how well you perform.

The smaller title.
The interim scope.
The compensation you told yourself you’d “fix later” once you proved your value.

You took it because you wanted in.
Because pushing back felt risky.
Because you assumed performance would speak for itself.

I’ve made that trade. Here’s what I didn’t understand then:

Organizations don’t just evaluate what you do.
They evaluate you through the role they’ve learned to associate you with.

Your title becomes your perceived authority.
Your scope becomes your assumed capacity.
Your level becomes the story - and that story travels faster than any result you’ll deliver.

Correcting it later won’t be a simple conversation.
It becomes political work.

And here’s the uncomfortable truth:
Even if you get promises about the path forward… even if there’s a plan on paper…

If the organization doesn’t see you at the next level from the start, you’re not climbing a ladder.
You’re running a campaign to change their mind about who you are.

A senior move is to protect the entry point:

“If I start here, what’s the explicit path to where this role actually needs to be - timeline, criteria, sponsor, and how it gets communicated?”

Then ask yourself:
Do they already see me there?
Or am I signing up to convince them?

Because one of those is a job.
The other is a fight you might not win.

Your team is navigating constant change. And you just made the rules more vague.

Let's take unlimited holiday as an example.
When a client met this policy, their first reaction wasn't "great, more freedom." It was: "This means less than the standard holiday here."

And they were right to be suspicious.
Flexible policies sound generous. Until nobody knows what's actually allowed.

When you make something unlimited, you don't make it generous. You make it undefined. And undefined means someone else defines it for you.

That someone is the culture. The unwritten rules. The people who are most visible - working late, answering emails at all hours, the colleagues without kids or other responsibilities pulling them away.

The "norm" becomes whatever they do. And if you're different - if you need more time off, or need it at different times - you're the outlier.

I have direct experience with this in my corporate days. For family reasons, my long holiday is in autumn, not summer. Right when companies are restructuring, evaluating, planning next year. Even without an unlimited policy, it was never the right time. No one could legally stop me. But the perception hurt me eventually.

You thought "unlimited" meant freedom. Your team heard "figure it out yourself."

But this isn't about holiday policies.
The business is unpredictable enough. Your culture shouldn't be too.

Leaders are already operating in constant external uncertainty. Market shifts, technology disruption, geopolitical instability. And then, without realizing it, they add another layer inside their organizations.
Not through the work itself. Through how undefined the work is.

Flexible hours with no boundaries. "Use your judgment" with no examples. Open-ended policies that sound progressive but leave people guessing.

When things aren't clear, people fill in the gaps. They make assumptions. And those assumptions differ, which means conflict. Misunderstandings. People wondering if they're doing something wrong when they're just trying to navigate what nobody spelled out.

Flexibility needs structure. Not "unlimited holiday" but "here's the range, here's how we cover for each other, here's what taking time off actually looks like."

Vagueness doesn't create freedom. It creates anxiety.
The ambiguous spots in your organization - the policies that seem fine, the flexibility that feels progressive, the "trust-based" approaches that don't define what trust looks like - these are often invisible. Until someone gets hurt by them, burned out trying to guess the rules, or leaves because they couldn't figure out how to fit.

Leading through uncertainty is hard enough. Stop adding more by leaving things undefined.

Your best people are already reading between the lines. They're already filling in the gaps you didn't mean to leave.

The question is: what story are they telling themselves about what's allowed here?

#leadershipinuncertainty 
#organizationalculture 
#executivecoaching
#strategicadvisor

Your body decided what day it is before you did.

Last week my daughter had Friday off for midterm break. The entire day felt like Saturday.

Why? Because I didn't wake up early to take her to school. My husband took her to the mountains instead. So instead of my usual weekday morning routine, I had my ideal weekend-type start. Same early wake-up. Completely different rhythm.

It wasn't logical. It was automatic. Small changes in routine signaled "weekend" and my body responded accordingly.

Later, when I spoke to friends in other countries, I realized for them it was a normal working Friday. Same calendar day. Completely different internal state.

This happens automatically. Your body reads patterns - what you do first thing, who you talk to, what conversations happen, what rhythm the day has - and it prepares you for the kind of day it recognizes.

And it does this every day. Not only on holidays, but on board meeting days, decision days, difficult conversation days.

Think about it: on a board meeting day, you're likely having different conversations before you walk in. Meeting different people. Following a different rhythm than your typical Tuesday. All these small details are signaling to your body what kind of day this is. And your body is already putting you in the state it associates with "board meeting day", whether that's the state you actually need or not.

The question isn't whether this happens. It does.
The question is: are you aware of what state you're in when you walk into the room?

Because that state determines your presence. Your tone. How you read the room. The decisions you make in that room.

Most leaders don't lack skill. They walk into high-stakes moments in the wrong state and call it "a bad meeting" or "poor timing" later.

But what if it wasn't the meeting? What if it was the gap between what the moment required and what state you brought to it?

The leaders who consistently perform well in these moments have learned to read their own state first. And when there's a misalignment between where they are and where they need to be, they know how to shift it.

Not by force. By awareness first, then intention.

That's not a skill most people develop alone. It's difficult to see your own patterns when you're inside them.

#executivepresence
#leadershipdevelopment
#strategicadvisor

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