Hey Leader,
When I was a Managing Director, we went through an acquisition.
Our founder was leaving, a new CEO was coming in, and no one knew what was about to happen.
The incoming CEO had huge goals:
Triple the org size in a year
Overhaul programming
Bring in new leadership
But he wasn’t in charge yet. The founder still was.
So there I was, straddling the line between two leaders with opposite directions, trying to deliver for both without burning out my team (or myself).
It taught me something I’ve carried ever since: You can’t lead well when you’re pretending everything’s fine.
You have to name what’s real, call out the elephant in the room, be honest about what you know (and what you don’t), and stay human while everyone else is panicking.
Steadiness isn’t about holding it all together. It’s remembering who you are when everything else feels like it’s coming apart.
Lead boldly, live fully, & don’t forget to breathe.
In your corner,
Scroll-Stoppers
This week’s most valuable scroll-worthy stuff, from tools to truth bombs!
Amy Poehler says she’s never taken a sick day. 😬 We’ve been sold a productivity myth, and a lot of us bought it. This one’s a wake-up call.
Daryl, a Director at Microsoft, used to do yoga in secret. Because rest didn’t look like leadership in her workplace. This is a reminder that high performance doesn’t have to mean burnout.
When your layoff anxiety won’t go away, even if your job is safe, the fear sticks around. This HBR piece helps you name it, normalize it, and find your footing again.
Try This Today
When things feel unstable and everyone’s looking at you for calm:
Call out the elephant.
Say what you can, when you can. Even if it’s “I don’t have an update yet, but you’ll hear from me next week.” Humans are wired to make up stories in the absence of information, get ahead of those stories by naming what’s real and what’s still in motion.Step away to reset.
Chaos feels louder when you’re running on fumes. During our acquisition, I’d step away for a walk, a workout, or even a few minutes outside with a fantasy book to read in hand. Needing a break doesn’t make you weak, it makes you human. And modeling that behavior is exactly what your team needs.Roll change out in stages.
Big shifts don’t have to happen all at once. Small steps let your team (and your nervous system) adapt faster.
Your Power Reframe
I’ve always been drawn to chaos, the kind where things are moving fast and everyone’s looking for the calm person in the room.
But I’ve learned that 90% of workplace “chaos” isn’t real.
It’s manufactured by unclear priorities, poor communication, and the stories we tell ourselves when things feel uncertain.
And that’s actually good news. Because if it’s manufactured, it can be managed.
When you slow down, name what’s true, and focus on what’s within your control, the noise quiets. You start leading from calm rather than reacting in panic.
The real power is staying steady when everyone else spins.
This Sparked Something
Little joys, leadership sparks, & random things we’re loving this week!
Dinner that hit the spot: Went to a Longer Tables event at CultureCon, around 200 people, farmhouse tables, and one rule: no work talk. We shared stories, swapped laughs. Very cool people! ~Alli
Reframe we’re leaning on: This week was wild, security resets, hacking alerts, and total panic because I couldn’t access anything. But turns out, the world doesn’t fall apart when you pause for a day (even if it feels like it will). ~Pau
Little win that felt like a big one: I’m great at working out when I’m home, but usually drop the ball when I travel. But on this trip, I hit the gym every day. Proud, tired, and feeling good. ☺️ ~Alli