It Wasn’t the Strategy That Changed Everything. It Was Her State.
I’ve supported a lot of leaders through high-stakes transitions. The ones that stay with me aren’t always the most dramatic. They’re the ones where something real shifted inside the leader before anything changed on the surface.
This is one of those stories.
The Situation
She stepped into a senior role with a wide scope and a clear vision: restructure the organization for more cohesion, less duplication, better outcomes.
Her plan made sense. The logic was solid. But the team wasn’t aligning.
They didn’t push back outright. They just… stalled.
Clarifying didn’t help. Explaining more didn’t help.
The more she tried to get them on board, the more resistant they became.
The Shift
Instead of pressing harder, we turned inward.
Using the SHIFT Framework, we focused on:
Noticing how pressure and urgency were showing up in her leadership
Practicing regulation before high-stakes conversations
Grounding her communication in conviction—not just clarity
As she settled herself, her team started showing up differently.
They asked better questions.
They listened more openly.
Over time, they aligned—not just with the strategy, but with her.
The Outcome
This wasn’t a clean Hollywood ending. The work involved difficult decisions.
But because she led from regulation instead of reactivity, the process stayed grounded. The conversations were clearer. The relationships stayed intact. And the team kept moving.
This wasn’t about softening her leadership—it was about strengthening her presence so she could lead hard change without losing herself or her people.
Why I’m Sharing This
Because so many leaders try to out-strategize dysregulation.
But strategy doesn’t move people if your presence feels off.
Your state is the container for your strategy.
If you’re not regulated, it’s harder to align. If you can’t align, your strategy won’t land.
That’s why I built the SHIFT Framework—to help leaders regulate, realign, and lead from a place of grounded clarity. Especially when the pressure is high.
If you’re in the middle of a complex change—or preparing for one—this is the place to start.
Take the SHIFT snapshot: A quick quiz to help you identify your leadership strengths and challenges.
Or reach out if you want to talk through your own leadership shift.