In my coaching practice, I work with capable, emotionally intelligent leaders who are often overlooked, not because they lack results, but because they don’t dominate meetings or make everything about themselves. Many of them work for narcissistic bosses, leaders who avoid responsibility, take credit for others’ work, and care more about optics than outcomes. 

I don’t know how this past year was for you, but for many of us, it was unsettling. Tumultuous in ways we didn’t expect. The kind of year that looks at your carefully constructed life and asks us questions on who we are, what we value, and what’s no longer working.  And while that kind of year can leave us feeling disoriented, it can also open up space to reflect, to learn, and to grow in ways we never would have chosen, but apparently have to deal with anyway. 

In midlife, many of us begin to feel a tension between seeking comfort and security—staying with what we know and what feels predictable in our work and lives. Another part of us desires growth and change, not just for novelty but to live and work more in line with who we truly want to be. What seems responsible is often simply what feels safe. The real challenge is recognizing when responsibility shifts from a genuine choice to a way of choosing security over alignment.

We’re living through a moment where the systems many of us relied on, work, institutions, routines, and expectations, feel less stable than they once did. The shift isn’t personal; it’s structural. Technology is accelerating everything, institutions are strained, and the traditional indicators of security no longer apply in the same way. People feel this in their careers, their identities, and the choices they’re being asked to make in midlife.

Gordon Gekko speech from Wall Street At some point in your career or your life, you start asking different questions. Not How do I get ahead? But What am I building? Not How do I lead others? But Am I leading in a way that actually feels like me? This shift rarely happens overnight. It develops gradually, often through fatigue or underlying restlessness: There’s got to be more than this. You might know the feeling. You’ve done the work, built the resume, and earned the respec

Leadership has always involved guiding teams through uncertainty, making tough decisions, choosing priorities, and building on years of experience. Artificial intelligence is transforming how we do this work by changing the pace and tools available. We will always need leaders, but the real question is: which leaders will develop the skills to select the right priorities, understand AI, and leverage it effectively in an AI-driven world?

A few years ago, everything looked right on the surface: a respected title, solid compensation, and a seat at the table where decisions were made. It’s the kind of position I once thought I’d wanted. But instead of feeling fulfilled, I've noticed a feeling of restlessness.. I question whether I’m growing, whether I’m aligned, and if this is it. I’ve started to see that some of my decisions haven’t been fueled by purpose, but by a fear of losing what I’ve worked so hard

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