In this week’s blog, I’m exploring the connection between energy and leadership endurance. Inspired by Marcus Buckingham’s concept of “red threads,” I reflect on the tasks that fuel versus drain us—and why even 20% of energizing work can protect us from burnout. I’m also sharing real client examples that show how focusing on strengths builds resilience, clarity, and sustainable leadership.

When you're leading through nonstop demands, endurance isn't about pushing harder—it’s about choosing smarter. In this post, I’m diving into one of the most overlooked strategies for sustainable leadership: the power of no. If you’ve been saying yes out of guilt, habit, or pressure, you’re not alone—and you're likely paying for it with your energy, clarity, and peace. This week, I’m sharing why protecting your focus (the first pillar of my FIRE framework) matters more than ever, and how a few intentional “no’s” might be the reset you’ve been craving.

What if the key to career endurance isn’t about doing more—but about redefining what success looks like right now?

That’s exactly where we started in this week’s May Leadership Endurance Round Table. We kicked off talking about clarity—specifically, what truly matters in this season of life and work. The conversation quickly shifted from chasing the next promotion to being fully present with young children. From “what’s next” to “what’s enough.”

This week was full of meaningful moments that didn’t come from my usual routine, but they left a deep impact:

• I spent time at the WorkHuman conference.

• I watched my son graduate with his Associate’s degree in Automotive Technology.

• I attended my uncle’s burial at Arlington National Cemetery.

What tied these three very different experiences together was the reminder that it’s not just the events themselves—but the people we experience them with—that matter most.

I’m not a golfer, though I have golf clubs that I bought 20+ years ago, have played a few rounds of golf, and taken a few lessons.  I grew up in a family that golfs, and my husband and son golf, so I’ve considered whether I should start getting more comfortable with the sport so I can go out periodically and enjoy the experience.  

This winter, my husband shared a flyer for a 6-week women’s golf clinic at a course less than 10 minutes away from home. It felt like a sign that I should give it a try…

I like to say I prefer easy things. But if you looked at my choices from the outside, you might question that.

By many standards, those weren’t “easy” decisions.

But for me, I loved the challenge of seeing if I could do them. I always said I wasn’t a marathon person — not enough time, not enough capability. But then I saw people decades older than me running them. Cancer survivors. Parents with intense work schedules. And I asked: If they can do it, why can’t I?

Several years ago, many of my April posts celebrated it as the month of hope. I realized this week — I haven’t talked about it at all this month.

I’m not sure if it’s because things still feel heavy in the world around us — at the global and national levels — or if it’s just that I’ve been too busy to notice…

Today, I want to talk about a different kind of endurance—the one I’m building to become the healthiest physical version of myself.

When I talk about leadership endurance, I often come back to my I-CAN model: Intentions, Create the plan, Act on the plan, and Navigate when things need to shift.

This week was exciting because I was privileged to speak to over 450 people during EPAM’s Learning Week. What made it even better for me is that this initiative that I helped bring to life in North America in 2018 (or maybe 2019) is still going strong.

Probably not surprising to all of you as newsletter readers, but the topic was focused on endurance. Usually, I talk about leadership endurance, but this session was focused on career endurance…

Unfortunately, the short answer is that it depends.

Is your inner critic spotlighting factual errors you made or potential ones that you are ready to beat yourself up for?

I was thinking about this topic earlier this week, reflecting on several interactions…