After three decades in global executive roles—CFO, CEO, Board Member—my leadership journey has taken me across more than 100 countries and every imaginable business challenge. Today, as an executive coach, I partner with senior leaders to help them unlock their full potential, navigate complexity, and create lasting impact. The following insights are distilled from over 3,000 hours of coaching conversations with more than 500 executives—shared in the spirit of continuous learning and practical value.
From Boardrooms to Coaching: My Leadership Evolution
My path has always been defined by curiosity and a drive for growth. Leading teams across continents, shaping strategy, and striving for sustainable results taught me that leadership is never static—it’s a practice, not a position.
A pivotal moment came while moving from Switzerland to the United States. Watching senior colleagues retire to Portugal and other “greener pastures,” I realized I wasn’t ready for a traditional retirement. I thrive on learning, challenge, and purposeful contribution. This led me to work with a coach—who had studied at the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD). That experience inspired me to pursue formal education in executive coaching at UTD, followed by earning my Professional Certified Coach (PCC) credential from the International Coaching Federation.
Completing this postgraduate program while managing business across the Americas fundamentally reshaped my leadership—from an authoritative style to one grounded in partnership and inquiry. Today, I remain a lifelong learner, always seeking new perspectives through education, reading, and learning from the world’s best coaches. This commitment keeps my approach relevant and allows me to share actionable insights with leaders navigating today’s complexity.
What Senior Leaders Are Facing Today
Through thousands of hours of coaching, several core challenges consistently surface for executives at the top:
- Competing Stakeholder Demands: Balancing the needs of shareholders, employees, customers, and regulators—often with conflicting priorities.
- Leading Through Change and Uncertainty: Adapting to digital transformation, restructuring, and global crises requires agility and a growth mindset.
- Personal Resistance to Change: Many leaders have succeeded by relying on strengths that, over time, can become blind spots. The willingness to question one’s own habits is critical for ongoing growth.
- Sustaining Well-being and Resilience: Burnout is real. Sustaining high performance without sacrificing personal health or relationships is a challenge in nearly every coaching engagement.
- Developing Future Leaders: Building robust pipelines and preparing successors is both a strategic imperative and a personal legacy issue.
- Enhancing Communication and Team Effectiveness: Uniting teams around shared goals and fostering collaboration are essential for organizational success.
- Navigating Organizational Politics: Managing complex relationships and building alliances require political acumen and emotional intelligence.
- Managing Employee Morale and Retention: Maintaining high morale and retaining top talent in a competitive market is a persistent challenge.
- Addressing Imposter Syndrome and Self-Doubt: Even at the highest levels, leaders may struggle with self-doubt and imposter syndrome.
- Adapting to Financial Constraints: Economic uncertainty and resource pressures demand tough decisions and strategic trade-offs13.
The Leadership Paradox: Strengths and Blind Spots
A recurring theme in my coaching practice is that the strengths that propel leaders forward can, if overused, become derailers. Perfectionism, boldness, and diligence are assets—until they morph into micromanagement, risk aversion, or burnout. The leaders who thrive are those who regularly step back, seek feedback, and ask:
Which of my greatest strengths might be holding me back right now?
This is not a sign of weakness, but of wisdom.
Actionable Insights for Senior Leaders
Drawing from both research and lived experience, here are practices I’ve seen make a tangible difference:
- Embrace Self-Awareness: Use structured reflection—journaling, feedback, or assessments—to uncover patterns in your decision-making and leadership style. Self-awareness is the foundation for all growth.
- Cultivate Emotional Intelligence: Recognize and regulate your own emotions, and empathize with others. Practice pausing before reacting—especially under stress.
- Reframe Resistance: When you notice yourself resisting a new approach or feedback, pause and ask: “What am I protecting?” Resistance often signals an opportunity for growth.
- Prioritize Well-being: High performance is unsustainable without rest and renewal. Schedule non-negotiable time for exercise, family, and reflection. Model this for your teams.
- Invest in Succession and Talent Development: Make leadership development a standing agenda item. Identify high-potential talent, delegate stretch assignments, and provide candid feedback.
- Lean Into Vulnerability: Share your own challenges and learning moments with your team. This creates psychological safety and fosters a culture of continuous improvement.
- Navigate Stakeholder Complexity with Curiosity: When faced with competing demands, seek to understand the underlying interests and values of each stakeholder. Ask open-ended questions and look for common ground before moving to solutions.
Questions for Reflection
- Which leadership challenge resonates most with you right now?
- How are you investing in your own growth and resilience?
- What feedback have you received lately that surprised you?
- Who are you developing to take your place?
The Ongoing Journey
My own path—from boardrooms in over 100 countries to coaching conversations with leaders at every stage—has taught me that leadership is never static. It is a practice, not a position. My passion for learning (supported by formal coaching credentials from the University of Texas at Dallas, ICF, and ongoing study with world-class coaches) keeps me searching for new perspectives to share.
If there’s one enduring lesson, it’s this: leadership is about growth—of yourself, your people, and your impact. The most effective executives are those who remain curious, humble, and committed to learning, no matter how senior their title.
I invite you to reflect on your own journey. What’s the next step you’re ready to take?