Modern Leadership Meets Mindfulness | Coaching Ambitious Professionals to Lead with Clarity & Purpose | Ex-L’Oréal | Founder of ELEVATE Urban Retreats

Across nearly two decades at L’Oréal, I built a dynamic, international career, and a deep passion for helping people grow, lead, and thrive.

I started as a Marketing Intern in the Netherlands, moved to Asia, and by 30, became a General Manager, building teams, launching brands, and expanding distribution across diverse markets.

After stepping away for a personal time off, during which I trained as a yoga teacher and studied holistic health and mindfulness, I returned to L’Oréal in the U.S. I stepped into a strategic role, then transitioned into Human Resources, where I deepened my commitment to people-centric leadership and meaningful organizational change.

Each chapter sharpened my understanding of people, performance, and purpose.
And I realized: true success isn’t just about what you achieve: it’s about how you feel while you’re achieving it. Energized. Aligned. Connected to what matters.

That insight reshaped not only how I led teams, but how I wanted to live, and how I help others lead today.

I founded Flow Grounds to support professionals in finding clarity, mastering their mindset, and building positive, lasting habits.
Through 1:1 coaching, group programs, and company partnerships, I help individuals and organizations lead with greater presence, purpose, and sustainable performance; thriving not just at work, but across their whole lives.

🌿 I also created ELEVATE: The No-Escape Escape. A leadership urban retreat for those craving clarity, energy, and meaning, without needing to leave their real lives to find it.
The first edition took place this June in Singapore (link in featured section).

If you’re ready to lead, and live, with greater clarity, purpose, and sustainable growth, I’d love to connect.

We all make mistakes.
That’s how we learn.
Failing is human.
Messing things up is part of growth.

But making the same mistake again...
after you’ve seen the impact,
after you’ve felt the consequences,
after feedback was there,
that becomes a choice.

💡 But choice requires awareness in the moment.

Not just knowing better,
but being present enough to do better.

Because without awareness,
you don’t notice soon enough to shift.

_

Growth asks something different:
↳ Stay curious.
↳ Stay humble.
↳ Practice presence.
↳ Be a forever student.

Listen to your team, really listen.
Seek feedback, especially from those who’ve been in the game longer.
Take time to reflect after mistakes, instead of rushing past them.

Mistakes aren’t the problem.
Staying stuck in them is.

Learn. 
Adjust.
And then, do better.

♻️ Repost or save if this resonated with you.

Pauline Leung

High Performance Coach | Ex-L’Oréal GM & HR | Founder Flow Grounds | Mindful Leadership - Elevating Leadership Through Mindset, Energy & Presence

Leadership will ask more of you than skill ever will.

We often think it’s the big moments that define us.

The big presentations.
The annual results.
The spotlight.

But that’s not where leadership is built.

It’s built in the small, invisible choices.
The decisions that shape your team’s experience.
The choices your peers and partners feel, even if you don’t notice.

—

I learned this halfway through my career.

I had the GM title.
I built a full team.
I had the responsibilities.

But I didn’t yet understand what Leadership was truly asking of me.

And I failed.

Not dramatically.
But in the small ways that mattered.

- The standard I set, but didn’t yet know how to hold.
- The constant push to perform, prove, and look like I had it all under control.
- The emotional support I didn’t offer, because I thought leadership was about hard skills.

I wasn’t letting the team breathe.
And I didn’t realize how much trust I was eroding.

—

What I’m grateful for is that I was given two more years.

Two years to be more curious.
Two years to lead differently.
Two years to listen better.
Two years to build trust.

That’s when I started to learn what leadership really looks like:

- Staying calm when things are messy.
- Owning mistakes instead of hiding them.
- Saying “I don’t know”, and asking for help.
- Treating everyone with respect, regardless of title.
- Keeping your word, and doing everything you can to make it happen.
- Speaking up for the team when the pressure is unfair, or just plain wrong.
- Showing up at 3 am to stand beside the team prepping for a store opening.
- Giving up your business-class seat so your team could be in the room in Paris.

_

This all isn’t about being “nice.”
And it’s definitely not about being perfect.

It’s about being the kind of leader people can trust.
Someone who cares.

Who’s not above anyone.
Who believes in their team.
Who chooses the collective good over ego.
Who’s brave enough to do the hard things, even when it’s inconvenient.
Who makes mistakes (I did!), and humbly owns them, apologizes, and commits to doing better.

Because teams don’t need flawless leaders.
Or the most strategic.
Or the most polished.

They need real ones.
And kind ones.

♻️ Save or repost if this resonated with you.

Most leaders are hired for their IQ.
Sharp minds. Strategic plans. Quick decisions.

Some grow their EQ.
They learn to listen. Self-regulate. Create space for others.

But the rarest leaders…
Cultivate a third intelligence,
the one that gives leadership clarity, alignment, and purpose.

IQ. EQ. SQ.

Each one matters.
But only all three create leadership that lasts, and feels truly whole.

_

🧠 IQ - Intellectual Intelligence

Your ability to think, analyze, and strategize.

In leadership, it shows up as:
• Business acumen
• Data-driven decisions
• Clear plans, sharp execution

IQ helps you answer:
What needs to get done?

IQ can build a plan, but not a team that believes in it.
It gets executed, but not embraced.


❤️ EQ - Emotional Intelligence

Your ability to relate, empathize, and regulate.

It shows up as:
• Self-awareness under pressure
• Listening before reacting
• Trust and psychological safety

EQ answers:
How do I bring others with me?

EQ helps people buy in, not just go along.
They don’t just hear your words, they feel your presence.


🔶 SQ - Self (or Spiritual) Intelligence

Your ability to lead from alignment, not ego.

This is not about religion.
It’s about purpose, steadiness, and depth.

SQ shows up as:
• Leading others with honesty and kindness
• Staying true to your values under pressure
• Leading in service of something bigger than yourself

SQ answers:
Where am I leading from, and what truly matters here?

SQ keeps your leadership anchored when ambition, ego, or urgency take over.
Because success means nothing if you lose yourself delivering it.

_

The Integration

• IQ → drives results
• EQ → sustains results
• SQ → gives results meaning

Remove one, and lasting leadership breaks down.

This is the work of modern, mindful leadership ✨

It’s not about feeling fired up.

It’s about what you return to.

Because pressure builds.
Progress slows.
Energy dips.

And that’s where discipline shows up.

• It keeps you focused when you’d rather avoid.
• It brings you back after setbacks, without the guilt spiral.
• It removes the back-and-forth: you act because you said you would.

For me, that looked like waking up three hours early.
Not to get ahead,
but to create space.

Space to move, to feel steady, to find clarity.
To remind myself what I’m working toward...and why.

And on the days I missed it?

Discipline didn’t punish me.
It helped me return.
Again and again.

Motivation is a spark.
Discipline is what keeps the fire burning 🔥 

♻️ Repost or save if this resonated with you.
Follow me (Pauline Leung) for more on High Performance and Mindful Leadership.

At Davos, we talk about the systems we build.

Rarely about the ones we carry within.

Technology, growth, and global cooperation dominate the agenda,
and rightfully so.

But before strategies scale or systems transform,
something quieter is already at work.

The leader’s inner world:
attention, emotion, pressure, presence.
These shape what we build, and how it lasts.

I’m honored to be part of House of Consciousness,
a summit alongside the World Economic Forum.

A space where leaders explore not just what they lead,
but how they lead, from within ✨  

Grateful for Ash Moraca, Emily Bouchard, and Amber Mahood for producing this event and for including me.

📌 Come join us if you're here!

What if leadership is about service?

Then this is essential:

Don’t be a jerk.
And don’t tolerate jerks on your team.

Silence is not neutral.
What you excuse, you endorse.

Culture survives pressure and hard times,
especially with the right team spirit.

It does not survive tolerated disrespect,
or toxic behavior that’s excused... or rewarded.

♻️ Repost and pass it on if this resonated.

We think leadership is about having the answers.

The truth is, it’s about staying in the practice.

We often associate mastery and success with confidence.
With control. With certainty.

But the leaders who make the most impact,
and the experts who keep their work alive,
are the ones who stay in the practice of learning.

They stay curious.
They listen longer.
They notice sooner.
They adjust faster.

Not out of doubt,
but out of respect for what others bring.
They know better outcomes come from shared insight.

Not because they think they’re unworthy,
but because they know they’re not always the expert.
And they don’t need to be.

Growth isn’t about excellence or knowing everything.
It’s being willing to learn, not needing to control.


♻️ Repost or save if this resonated.
📌 Follow me (Pauline Leung) for more.

What if the difficult people in your career…
weren’t obstacles, but teachers?
 
We’ve all worked with someone who tested us:

Who questioned our potential.
The ones who dismissed our work.
Who added pressure when we needed support.
Who made things harder, sometimes on purpose.
Who didn’t just give feedback, they made it personal.

In the moment, we didn’t see the lesson.
We just felt the friction, the added stress, and even pain.
 
But looking back, those moments shaped us.
We didn’t just endure them.
We grew through them.
 
They taught us how not to lead.
They showed us what not to repeat.
And in that tension, we got clearer.
Stronger.
Wiser.
 
Growth doesn’t always look heroic.
Sometimes, it looks like:
- Staying calm 
- Choosing integrity 
- Holding your standard 
- Leading with empathy instead of ego
- Choosing yourself, and your team, consistently
- Staying grounded in your values, and choosing what is right
 
These aren’t just reactions.
They’re habits of leadership.
 
But this isn’t a free pass for toxic behavior.
It’s a reminder, especially for leaders:

You can be demanding.
And still lead with kindness.

And when you’re going through a hard time now…

Remember:
We don’t grow because the experience was easy.
We grow because we chose to be better than the challenge.

And, always choose to take good care of yourself, too.

♻️ Repost or save if this resonated with you.

We talk about changing the world.

And we should... urgently.

World leaders. Economists. Investors.
Entrepreneurs. Policymakers. Executives.

But what about you and me?

Without changing ourselves,
nothing we build will hold.
Not our systems. Not our solutions. Not our impact.

Changing ourselves means changing:
↳ our presence before our pace
↳ our perspective before our opinions
↳ our awareness before our assumptions
↳ our humility before our certainty, and our reactions

To ground ourselves.
To ask what is true, objectively, kindly, and honestly.

That kind of shift comes from internal choices.

And it’s the difference between leading and managing.
Between long-term impact and short-term reaction.
Between being wise and appearing clever.

The world needs change.
That starts within.
And it demands leadership from all of us,
just as much as it calls leaders to rise.

♻️ Repost if you agree. 

_

Inspired to share this after attending House of Consciousness in Davos last week. Ash Moraca shared this Rumi quote yesterday, and it couldn’t be more fitting ❤️

You’re trading world-class potential
for mediocrity in things you might not even enjoy.

Many people follow a path that looks good on the outside,
but doesn’t feel meaningful on the inside.

Over time, they let go of the path that leads to the extraordinary:
fulfillment, energy, and purposeful impact 💫 

Here’s the reality:

You have responsibilities. Security matters.
This isn’t about abandoning what sustains you.

But alongside what you have to do,
make space for what you’re meant to do.

➡️ Even 30 minutes a day can shift your trajectory.

Use it to strengthen what you’re naturally good at,
not just for performance,
but for meaning, growth, and joy.

_

And if you lead a team: pause and reflect.

Are people in roles that energize them?
Are they set up for growth?

At times, someone takes on a role that pushes them,
beyond their current experience, into unfamiliar territory.
That’s a stretch assignment.
It can build confidence, range, and leadership readiness.

But a stretch role isn’t meant to last forever.

Three years in a role that doesn’t play to someone’s strengths...
it drains them. And it can drain the team they’re leading too.

If we want people to evolve,
we need to be intentional:

about how far we stretch them,
how long we keep them there,
and how we support them along the way.

Leadership isn’t just about skill.
It’s about human touch.

Put people where they can thrive.
It’s better for them, and for the business.

♻️ Repost or save if this resonated.

📌 DM me if you’re curious about the 1:1 or corporate coaching I offer, happy to share more.

_

(Such a great quote from Shane Parrish, give him a follow!)

To hit the goal, you have to shoot above it.

Not higher in expectation.

Higher in how you lead.

Because leadership doesn’t fall short from lack of ambition.
It falls short when the human system breaks.

➡️ You want performance, and one that lasts:
Aim for trust, not pressure.

➡️ You want execution, and one that’s excellent:
Aim for clarity, not urgency.

➡️ You want accountability, so you can delegate:
Aim for ownership, not control.

➡️ You want resilience, the kind that holds under pressure:
Aim for psychological safety, not toughness.

Great leaders don’t overreach.

They aim higher ✨ in presence, energy, and care ✨ 

That’s how the goal gets hit.

♻️ If this resonates, pass it forward!

Talent doesn’t make you a leader.

Practice does.

Plenty of people have the skills.
The potential.
The degree.

But capability isn’t the differentiator.
It’s what you do with it ⬅️ 

Care.
Try.
Miss.
Try again.
Repeat.
Refine.
Care even more.

Real leadership isn’t defined by credentials or achieving Business KPIs.
It’s built in how you show up, consistently.

Over time, you stop relying on the “recipe.”
You lead with instinct.
With presence.
With purpose.

And it’s not just about getting results.
It’s about what you build around you:

✨ A space where others want to grow, contribute, and create alongside you ✨ 

Culture.
Connection.
Shared growth.

Because a cake isn’t just meant to be baked,
it’s meant to be shared, savoured, and celebrated together.

♻️ Save or Repost if this message resonated with you.
_

Image credit @WisdomMadeEasy on IG, give Michael a follow!

“It’s just work,” they say...

But work is where your life unfolds.

We spend 90,000 hours of our lives working.

It’s not just a paycheck.

It’s a place where we:
- Build relationships
- Express creativity
- Cultivate habits
- Keep learning
- Find meaning

Work isn’t separate from life.
It is life 💫 

Find growth in your current work.
Or choose work that grows you.

Do what you love —
or love what you do,
as the saying goes.

We might not be in our dream job.
But we can treat the job we’re in with care, gratitude, and craft.

There will be time to move on.
But maybe, for now, being here is what’s needed.

See it as your life’s work ❤️

_

As for me, 12-hour workdays weren’t unusual.
Add an hour of commuting, usually with my phone out, doing emails, and that was 54% of my day.

Looking back, I truly see my 19 years in corporate as part of my life’s work.

It shaped who I am now.

I’m forever grateful for the journey, 
the people I met and worked with, 
and everything I learned: about business, about myself, and about both hard and soft skills.

Now I support Professionals as a High Performance Coach, helping them get the most out of their careers and live their fullest lives.

➡️ If you’re in a season of growth, transition, or just asking “what’s next?” let’s talk. My DMs are open!

There is what we lead.

And there is how we carry ourselves while leading it.


In Davos, at the House of Consciousness,
we gathered high in the mountains,
grounded and elevated.

Because many of the systems around us are under strain.
And our instinct is often to adapt around that reality,
rather than pause and ask *what kind of way of being* is required.

The conversation kept returning to this quiet truth:

Lasting change doesn’t begin outside of us.
It begins with how we meet pressure, uncertainty, and responsibility
when there is no clear answer.

What we build is shaped not only by strategy or intention,
but by the inner conditions we bring into the room.

Calm.
Clarity.
Consciousness.

Not as personal states to manage,
but as shared responsibilities 
toward one another,
and toward the future we’re shaping.

When we’re grounded, pressure doesn’t disappear,
it’s held differently.

We create space.
We stay connected.
We respond, rather than react.

My contribution was to support calm, gratitude, and groundedness
so responsibility can come fully into view,
and be met with presence and humility.

Thank you so much Ash Moraca, Amber Mahood, and Emily Bouchard, for creating and hosting this summit and for gathering such a thoughtful group of leaders and experts into a shared space of consciousness, reflection, and responsibility 🙏

If your day feels out of control,
it started slipping before your workday began.

Most people think they’re busy.
But what they really are… is scattered.

We train our bodies for stress.
But we don’t train our minds for stillness.

To feel more energized isn't about doing more.
It’s about doing less, with more presence.

Because when you start from chaos,
you lead from reactivity.

And your team will feel it.
Your work will reflect it.
Your loved ones will carry it.

They all deserve better.

➡️ Swipe for 5 ways to take back your mornings
without adding anything to your plate.

The real drain isn’t your schedule.
It’s how your mind starts the day.

♻️ Repost or save if this resonated, and share what you will implement today 👇

Running a Mental Marathon

It’s the cracks that let light in.
Not perfection.

Cracks are openings.
Where light enters.
Where depth begins.

_

And if you’ve ever walked a rocky path,
stones underfoot, uneven edges.
You know:
If everything were smooth,
you’d slip.

Even the ground needs resistance
to hold you up.

_

And then, there’s rain.

Heavy skies.
Steady fall.
Soaking you. Soaking the earth.

It feels like interruption.
Like delay.
Like something you want to escape.

But it’s doing something.

Without it, nothing grows.


Hard things shape the good things.

So if something feels broken right now,
it doesn’t always need fixing.

Because maybe what’s broken isn’t the problem.

It’s showing you where the light can enter,
and where you’re ready to grow.

_

In your career, too.
The cracks will show.

Pay attention to what’s breaking.
That’s where you’re meant to grow.

It’s light, trying to get in.
Clarity, trying to surface.

♻️ Repost or save if this resonated.

Avoid the hard now,
and life gets harder later.

Not because the hard changes...
but because you never trained for it.

- When you skip the workout because you’re tired…
- Avoid the conversation because it’s uncomfortable…
- Let AI think for you because it’s easier…

You’re not just dodging discomfort.
You’re staying *untrained*.

And when life requires strength, clarity, or courage,
you won’t have the reps to rise to it.

💡 Hard gets easier when you lower the pressure and practice with intention.


Here’s how to stop avoiding the hard, 
and start building skill:

1️⃣ Working out
Don’t wait for motivation.
Do 20 minutes at the same time each day, gear ready.

2️⃣ Writing
Don’t force brilliance.
Capture rough ideas when they come, edit later.

3️⃣ Learning new skills
Don’t binge once a week.
Practice in short, focused sprints (30 min a day).

4️⃣ Posting online
Don’t overthink every word.
Batch your ideas. Reuse proven structures. Hit publish.

5️⃣ Tough conversations
Don’t wait until it explodes.
Say what happened, what they did, and why it mattered, without blame or judgment.

Remember:
You don’t need force.
You don’t need perfection.

You need presence, honesty, and progress.

Hard things will still be hard.
But they get easier,
when you choose practice over avoidance.


♻️ Repost or save if this resonated.

You don’t need impossible standards,

just your best today.

Most people think “doing their best” 
means doing everything.
Doing everything right.
Always brilliant. 
Always creative. 
Always on.

But real high performance isn’t 100% every day.
That’s perfection, and we don’t strive for that.

Some days you’ve got 40% in the tank.
If you give 100% of that, you gave your 100%.

That counts 💫 

—

Some days, your best is bold and focused.
Other days, it’s patient, quiet, kind.

Sometimes, you show up in pain or uncertainty,
leading with care, for others and yourself.

That counts too ❤️ 

—

Being at your best isn’t about doing more.
It’s about meeting each moment with intention, not intensity.

Presence.
Intention.
Integrity.

➡️  You won’t always perform at your highest level.
But you can always give your best, today. 

Over time, those daily standards build into real, sustainable high performance.

♻️ Repost if this message resonated.

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