Table of Contents

• The Strategic Power of a Pause

• Looking Ahead to 2026

• 1% Solutions

• Things I’m Reading/Listening To

The holidays are always emotionally complicated, and the last few days have made that weight even heavier. The news out of Bondi Beach and Brown University has brought a lot of grief to the surface, especially after a year—and really, a decade—that has already asked so much of so many of us. I don’t have advice or a tidy takeaway, but I do want to share this image.

In 2021, after I left my job and had to deal with my own burn out and wide variety of emotions, I went to Italy after Christmas. In Rome, I saw one of the buildings with these lights:

“E quindi uscimmo riveder stelle."

In English it means, “And then we emerged to see the stars again.” It’s a line from Dante’s Inferno. I haven’t read the book, but the line is a metaphor for overcoming great darkness to find light and beauty ahead. It moved me then, and still does today (so much that this is my Facebook banner).

I hope you can find some light in the next week, and I hope we can collectively do that as a country.

I’ll be taking the next two weeks off, so expect the next issue on January 6th.

The Strategic Power of a Pause

This week, I’m intentionally slowing down to reflect…not because things are quiet per se, but because they aren’t.

I know from experience that if I don’t make space to pause, I’ll move straight from one idea to the next without actually learning from what just happened. And because I know how my ADHD brain works, deep reflection doesn’t happen accidentally for me—it has to be designed.

So I scheduled three separate reflection and planning sessions this week, spaced out with a day in between each. Each session includes a body double or sounding board, because thinking out loud with someone else is often how clarity shows up for me.

This isn’t about productivity theater— it’s about creating the conditions where real insight can surface.

Here’s what I’m actually doing during those sessions:

Taking stock of what worked and naming the wins clearly.
I’m not just listing what went well; I’m looking closely at what contributed to those outcomes. I’m asking whether it was the timing, the clarity of the message, the audience, or the format that made the difference. Wins are only useful if you understand why they happened.

Looking honestly at what missed the mark, without adding shame.
When something didn’t land, I want to understand what kind of miss it was. In some cases the content was strong but the timing was off, and in others the message was right but not positioned clearly enough. Separating execution issues from strategy issues keeps reflection productive instead of personal.

Using data to ground the reflection in reality.
I’m reviewing LinkedIn and Beehiiv stats alongside my own intuition so I’m not relying on memory or emotion alone. The numbers don’t tell the whole story, but they do help surface patterns I might otherwise miss. Data gives me something solid to react to.

Painting a detailed picture of what I want to be true by the end of the year.
Vague goals don’t hold up when things get busy or complicated, so I push myself to be specific. I know I want increased media visibility, but I’m defining what kind, in which spaces, and at what level. I’m also pressure-testing a beta idea I’m excited about by naming what success would actually look like.

Working backward to understand what has to be true along the way.
Once the picture is clear, I ask what needs to be in place in Q3, then Q2, then Q1. I factor in what else is happening during those periods so the plan reflects real capacity. Monthly priorities give me structure without locking me in.

Clarifying the “why” so pivots don’t feel like starting over.
I know something will shift at some point. When it does, it’s much easier to adjust if I’m anchored in what I’m actually trying to build and why it matters. The pause makes change feel intentional rather than reactive.

Having a sounding board and partner
Besides the power of having a body double, it’s helpful to verbalize what’s in your head to someone to crystallize my thinking. They can offer advice, poke holes or ask clarifying questions. While I use chatGPT for this as well, having this an embodied state is valuable and moves my process along.

As part of this pause, I’m also returning to a small set of questions I use with clients to clarify goals and outcomes:

– If this works, what becomes easier—and what disappears (for me and my clients)?
– What problem are we actually solving, and what do people call it today?
– What would be clearer after 90 days of engaging with this work?
– What must be true six months from now for this to have been worth it?
– When this inevitably needs to change, what should remain non-negotiable?

This is where I see clear parallels for leaders:

• Leaders have to intentionally create the time and conditions for reflection.

• Leaders need community for thinking, not just execution.

• Leaders should use data as a learning tool, not a performance weapon.

• Leaders need a clear north star so pivots don’t feel chaotic.

A pause isn’t the absence of ambition. It’s often what makes ambition sustainable.

Looking Ahead to 2026

After revisiting my strategy this week, I’m doubling down on learning and leadership infrastructure as the real lever for performance. That looks like partnering with leaders to clarify roles and decision rights, design feedback and performance systems that actually get used, auditing your leadership development work, and build learning rhythms that support growth in the flow of work. More to come in 2026.

Also, I have limited availability in Q1 for change management & strategy sprints, with time for longer engagements, coaching and facilitations opening up in Q2. If you’re leading a team and want them performing at a high level without burning out — let’s find time to talk. You can reply to this email or find time on my calendar.

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1% Solutions

• Succession Planning/Prepping your next leaders- You likely have folks that you will be promoting- individual contributors to managers, managers to directors, etc. As capable as these folks are, they are entering a new role and will need onboarding to help them succeed. How to focus your energy? I’d have them self-evaluate (with your input) using the evaluation of their future role. Then think through with them 1-2 high-leverage adaptive or tactical leadership skills for them to start focusing on and ways to support them in that development.(Also? While I provide leadership coaching, I am also fortunate to know so many coaches and entrepreneurs focused on leadership development. If you need a rec on trainings or coaches, feel free to email me!)

• Audit your calendar- Two things tell us our priorities: our budgets and our calendars. As we enter a week that is a bit calmer, I encourage you to look at your calendar for the past few weeks. Look at whether the time yu spent aligned to your priorities and strategic goals. Treat it as data, not a judgment. Over time, patterns show you what to protect—and what to redesign.

• Name the One Constraint- You may be taking this time to reboot an old initiative, assess a current one or start a new one. Before you create your plan, ask what single constraint could quietly derail it if left unaddressed. Name it out loud and plan for it early, rather than assuming ideal conditions. This one step prevents a lot of “why didn’t this work?” later. Even better? Ask your entire team this question.

Things I’m Reading/Listening To

• The Key to High Performing Teams Isn’t More Talent or Perfect Leaders- This piece is a sharp reminder that team performance isn’t driven by star power or heroic leaders—it’s built by systems that create alignment, focus, and trust so people can actually work well together. And that means looking at the person who can create those conditions. It’s a great read for you or your leadership team as you think through hiring and promotions.

• Wharton Nano Practices: Onboarding- Nano Tools are simple 15 minute solutions put out by Wharton. In this article, they focus on what it takes to onboard external hires effectively. They also name some surprising statistics- like the fact that they are 61% more likely to be let go than an internal hire. But there are definite times when an external hire is needed, and this article preps you to do so well.