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?

The author can see how you vote. Learn more

Most senior leaders in complex organizations are promoted for performance, but left to lead and influence without a playbook.

You’re suddenly:

→ navigating constant change and reorgs
→ influencing people who don’t report to you
→ managing complex team and stakeholder dynamics
→ expected to create clarity in a fog of ambiguity

realizing that what got you here… isn’t working anymore

The pressure is huge when you’re asked to lead through complexity, influence across functions, and still rise to a true executive level.

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

You don’t need another motivational pep talk.
You need a practical system to influence without authority and lead with impact, without losing yourself in the process.

I help high-potential senior leaders in complex organizations:

→ build trust and followership across teams and functions
→ feel fulfilled by how they lead, not just what they deliver
→ influence without authority in matrixed environments
→ simplify their message so decisions move faster
→ lead with more ease, calm, and authenticity

As an executive coach and former Google Global Director, I spent 15 years building and leading teams across Europe, the U.S., and Asia, inside one of the most complex organizations on the planet.

My approach is:

→  practical – grounded in real executive experience, not theory
→  precise – focused on the few moves that actually shift influence
→  people-first – you get to lead as yourself, not as a copy of someone else

I don’t hand out one-size-fits-all advice.

I ask better questions, challenge assumptions, and give you tools and structures that stick, so you can build trust, make decisions, and accelerate your growth.

The result is what I call your Executive Edge — The combination of clarity, relationships, momentum, and authenticity that makes people want to follow you.

If you (or leaders on your team) feel:

→ stuck in complexity
→ underpowered in a matrix
→ you’re just surviving change instead of leading through it…

Let’s talk.

Because influence without authority isn’t a “nice-to-have” anymore.
It’s the real skill of modern leadership.

—
Send me a DM or an email 
simo@simoschiassi.com

Simone Schiassi

I realized that my success as a coach
is entirely due to the tech equipment I use:

This week, after running a free training session
on How to Influence without Authority
(link in the comments, if interested)

I realized that my coaching business is thriving 
not because of my 25+ years in Fortune 500, 
or the 14+ years as Global Director at Google
or leading teams across cultures and around the world.

No, clients are only impressed by my tech gear:

1️⃣  8-year-old 4K camera stolen from the family - I need to connect it to a dongle that connects to the laptop to actually make it work like a webcam.

2️⃣  Selfie stick borrowed (permanently) from my daughter with RGB light that needs to be charged every 45 minutes.

3️⃣  IKEA lamp hidden behind my back to create "atmosphere", with a cable too short, so I can trip on it occasionally

4️⃣ Another background RGB light on a "snake" selfie arm that I used once to make  pizza remotely with my team during Covid

5️⃣ Laptop with 8GB of RAM, because memory upgrades are a way to make you sound more, but don't really need it (now cursing every time I open Canva)

6️⃣ A gigantic front light that shows all my wrinkles, hem, and wisdom. 

7️⃣ A second monitor next to my laptop, with seashells glued to its border, thanks to Matilda's art class

So here it is, my secret "tech stack".

For all leaders out there, working hard to show up at your best, all the time:

Remember that no one expects perfect, but everyone wants human at work. If people see a human, and not a corporate robot, they'll be happier to work with you and follow you (and even like you!)

Now gotta go, I need to recharge all the lights for my next client's session.

Built Google teams. Now I coach senior leaders who’ve mastered Excellence to build real Influence | ex-Google Global Director

You have been lied to about promotions
and here's what I've learned at Google

Companies don't promote

the best
the excellent
the hardest working
those who beat targets
those who overachieve quotas
those who "hit all the attribtues"
those who do what they are told

they promote those who

are coherent in who they are in every situation
can handle hard conversations with grace
did something unexpected and impactful
are coachable and have humility
who are liked by their manager
are consistent in their behavior
who are liked by their peers
create a following
build trust

If you have been working hard for your promotion and didn't get it
it's not because you are not excellent at your job

It's because the system rewards differently now.

----
Do you know if you are influential enough to get promoted?
Take my free test here
https://lnkd.in/dJHGjMHZ

I have been in the most hated org at Google
(and how I built trust while bringing bad news)

For a couple of years, I have been in the organization managing the strategy and operations of Alphabet's 200k+ temps, vendors, and contracts.

We were in charge of managing the strategy and the risk of having such a large external workforce. 

As you can imagine, it was more saying "No" than "Yes", 
when we'd show up, it would be to ask the business things they didn't want to do

In 2019, I was heading an initiative on behalf of Alphabet's CFO Ruth Porath to "move" more than 100k of our vendors in different locations, to both reduce co-employment risk and costs.

I was the bearer of bad news for every business unit globally, asking to disrupt the way they conducted business, in favor of a "higher need", which was intangible. 

There's a way to deliver uncomfortable news and build your stakeholders' trust at the same time. Here's how you can do it:

1. Lead with the facts and context - show up prepared, with as much reliable data and context as possible. We tend to underestimate how much others may not know about a topic we are deeply immersed in
   
2. Show genuine curiosity for their challenges - Don't assume you know enough about the effects of your "bad news" on their business. Being trusted starts with listening to others with an unbiased attitude
   
3. Propose options, but remain flexible - you may have a "standard" solution for the problem, but there's no one-size-fits-all, and certainly everyone feels they are different. Treat them and such, and learn as much as possible. 
    
4. Ask how you can help - underrated question, but trust is built upon offering to bring value, remove a pain, or simply working side by side on a problem. You don't know what others may need until you ask.
   
5. Follow-up and follow-through with reliability - keep them informed, over-communicate, and do what you said you would do.

The recipe is simple, but I've seen way too often leading with solutions, unintentionally disregarding our stakeholders' need to feel heard and seen.

--
📌 If you want to be a trusted leader, even when bringing bad news
Try my Daily Edge newseltter and become the undeniable choice for your next role. 
https://lnkd.in/dFYww-b7

Make performance reviews a non-event. 
Or lose your best people.

I hated performance review cycles at Google
I was always nervous and was dreading those reviews
even if 80%+ of the ones I had were more than positive
(of course, I had the crappy ones too)

Nothing has changed 
of anything, leaders have gotten worse
in delivering these reviews

And that's exactly the problem
It's not about the "moment" of the delivery

→ It's about the continuous "motion."
→ of setting expectations
→ providing regular feedback
→ (without shying away from the tough ones, uh)
→ and course correcting together

leaders are too busy, too comfortable, to afraid
to have regular conversations about the performance 
of their team members

and when it happens, they are awful
and make people upset (even if it's a good one!)
because they were left in the dark for the longest time

→ Do yourself and your team a favor:
→ bake the topic of performance management
→ into your regular conversation
→ so it's not a big deal 

Make perf review a non-event.
You'll thank me for that.

Do you want to enjoy leadership again?
Sign up for my mildly unhinged and fun newsletter
https://lnkd.in/dFYww-b7

how to deliver performance reviews that work

Miss Ninja came at dawn with a message
fear not, your identity is safe with me

In the Dojo Simo you may enter with hopes and fears

You are home here. You just need to trust the process.

Miss Ninja has been working hard for her Black Belt
She's humble and fierce because she knows 
This is the only way to make progress 

This is the special thing about the Dojo
You enter thinking you need to solve for work
and you discover new, powerful parts of yourself
that you once experienced, and you suppressed over time

Now the pain is gone, Miss Ninja.
I'll see you tomorrow at dusk, 
with the favor of the darkness
We will train again.

I'll leave your Black Belt on the door handle
You made it.

Do you want to discover what your influence is like today?
Take the Simo Dojo test (it's free) - you'll get your personalized report.
https://lnkd.in/dPeTXu8a

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