Make your time work for you 

Free your team to do their best work

Grow into your best leadership self

Your next small step

Early in my career, I was fortunate to work for Procter & Gamble (P&G), a place where debate was encouraged, critical thinking was expected, and strategy was treated as a discipline, not a document.

It wasn’t until I left the mothership that I realized how rare that mindset actually is.

Many organizations say they have a strategy. They hold off-sites, generate PowerPoints, and publish glossy plans. But when it comes time to make the hard choices that real strategy demands, they hedge.

They keep every option open “just in case.” They try to stretch their people and resources across competing priorities. And then they wonder why nothing changes.

Real Strategy Means Choosing

A real strategy is defined not by what you want, but by what you’re willing to give up to get what you want.

When leadership teams try to preserve the status quo while simultaneously pursuing something new, they dilute both and exhaust their organizations in the process.

If everything is important, nothing is.

Too often, what gets labelled “strategy” is just last year’s operating plan with new headings.

Einstein famously warned that doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results is insanity. Yet many teams live that reality every year, mistaking motion for progress.

In the race for quarterly results, organizations slap band-aids on structural issues. The numbers may look good on paper, but the underlying problems compound.

Planning for What Could Go Wrong

Good strategy doesn’t ignore risk. It plans for it.

One former client of mine had the courage to enter a new product category. But they overlooked one crucial reality: the R&D for the new product depended on their existing product line generating strong margins.

When those margins slipped, instead of adjusting, they hoped. Within a year, the company collapsed. They hadn’t made a strategic choice. They’d made a strategic wish.

Keep It Simple

Strategy is simple to understand and incredibly difficult to practice because it requires discipline, sacrifice, and courage.

Until an organization chooses and funds the path it believes in, it doesn’t have a strategy. It has hope.

And hope is not a strategy!

Having a leadership title doesn’t guarantee influence. I’ve seen many leaders arrive at the executive table only to feel like outsiders. They’re responsible for their own area, but struggle to shape conversations or decisions beyond it.

The truth is, influence doesn’t come from authority alone. It comes from being seen as a strategic partner who understands the business as a whole. Leaders who can connect their function to the organization’s broader goals are the ones whose voices carry weight.

Beyond Your Own Department

It’s natural to focus on your own team’s results, but if you want a real seat at the table, you need to speak the language of the entire organization.

That means knowing more than your budget line. You need to understand finances, operations, stakeholders, and the environment you’re operating in.

Over the years, I’ve found a simple self-check to be useful. If I can answer these questions, I know I’m ready to contribute at the highest level.

• What’s our organization’s vision or mission?

• Where does most of our funding or revenue come from?

• Who are our three biggest competitors, or, if not competitors, what alternatives do our stakeholders or customers have?

• What’s our most successful program, product, or service and why?

• What are three priorities from our current strategic or operating plan?

• What headline or key takeaway came out of our most recent financial or performance report?

• How is our sector or industry performing right now?

• What measure best reflects whether we’re delivering value (e.g., member satisfaction, service levels, community impact)?

• What’s the biggest barrier to achieving our objectives this year?

• How do external trends -- economic, social, or regulatory -- affect us right now?

• Who are the stakeholders we can’t afford to disappoint, and why?

• How does my role and my team’s work directly support organizational goals?

Why It Matters

You may not have all the answers right now, and that’s okay. The point is to start building this knowledge. When you do, you stop being just “the head of X department” and start being recognized as a leader of the whole organization.

Because at the end of the day, leadership isn’t about defending your patch of turf. It’s about seeing the bigger picture, aligning with it, and using your voice to shape the direction of the organization.

That’s how you move from having a seat at the table to having a say in where the table goes.

Many believe the path to leadership is simply working harder and faster than everyone else, like running on a hamster wheel.  While dedication is important, this approach can quickly lead to burnout. Instead, consider a more strategic, sustainable path to leadership. One that allows you to grow, adapt, and seize opportunities as they arise.

In my Leap to Leadership program, we take this latter approach because it is sustainable, enlightening and enriching.

Here are five essential steps to guide your leadership journey:

1. Know Yourself

Start with honest self-reflection. What are your core values? What are your strengths and areas for growth? What excites you? Understanding yourself - both your capabilities and your aspirations - lays the foundation for authentic leadership. 

2. Pace Yourself

Leadership isn’t a sprint. Assess how you spend your time. Are you balancing work with a personal life? Are you focusing on tasks that truly move you forward? Protect your energy and make sure your actions align with your core values. This balance prevents burnout and keeps you motivated.

3. Focus

With clarity about yourself and your time, choose three to five key areas to prioritize, such as professional development, personal well-being, or building new skills. Create a tactical plan for each focus area to ensure steady progress.

4. Grow Your Network

Opportunities rarely come from staying in your comfort zone. Expand your network by seeking mentors, joining new teams, or participating in professional associations. The broader your connections, the more doors will open for you.

5. Be Present

How you show up matters. Approach meetings and events with clear objectives, and reflect afterwards on what went well and what could improve. Being intentional in your interactions builds credibility and influence.

Leadership is a journey, not a destination. By knowing yourself, managing your energy, focusing your efforts, expanding your network, and being present, you’ll find the path rewarding and impactful.