𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙩𝙪𝙘𝙠 𝙞𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙧? 𝙒𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙚𝙭𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙚 𝙘𝙡𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙤𝙣 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙛𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙞𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙣? 𝙄𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙧 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙝𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙗𝙚 𝙗𝙮 𝙣𝙤𝙬?

I have spoken with over 800 IT Leaders who have answered 𝙔𝙀𝙎 to these questions.

Also risking (or having experienced) burnout as a result.

But it doesn’t have to be this way.

By leading yourself to the best of your ability, you will find more clarity and fulfillment in your life and career, earn the $$$ you deserve, as well as increase your influence and leadership with others.

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗙𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗦

❌ 60% of people dislike their job according to Gallup
❌ 75% of people are not confident about their career path in their organization according to Gartner
❌ 63% of employees experienced burnout according to an Asana Study

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗡 𝗖𝗢𝗔𝗖𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗦𝗬𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗠

✅ Get Clarity on your career path for more money and fulfillment
✅ Perform at a higher level and get noticed for your results
✅ Increase your leadership skills and influence
✅ Build a personal brand to access the hidden job market
✅ Find a healthy balance to enjoy life with those that matter most

𝗛𝗢𝗪 𝗪𝗘 𝗚𝗘𝗧 𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗨𝗟𝗧𝗦

The VMAP framework, is proven to help IT Leaders get results in less than 90 days. 


𝗪𝗛𝗢 𝗪𝗘 𝗛𝗘𝗟𝗣 

If you are an IT professional looking for career clarity, more fulfillment, better pay and want to increase your leadership and influence, then this program is the right fit for you. 

𝗜𝗙 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗦𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗦 𝗟𝗜𝗞𝗘 𝗬𝗢𝗨, 𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝟮 𝐖𝐀𝐘𝐒 𝐖𝐄 𝐂𝐀𝐍 𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐏 𝐘𝐎𝐔:

1️⃣ - DM me personally. I'm happy to chat about what your best next steps should be.
2️⃣ - Book a free clarity call with Adam to learn about the program: https://calendly.com/adamscott-coaching/clarity-call

Adam Scott

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻.
𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁. 𝗜𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲. 𝗦𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗳𝘆. 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗮𝘁.

Most tech professionals are wired to get it right the first time. 
Precision. Perfection. Clean execution.

But growth is rarely clean at the start.

Whether you're leading teams or still on the tools, the path to progress is messy.

Mistakes happen. 
Adjustments are made. 
That’s how systems improve.

Build your career with intention and it gets: 
Sharper. Stronger. More efficient.

You don’t build momentum in 2026 by playing it safe. 
Not by adding more. 
Not by waiting for perfect. 

But by taking action, and cutting what’s slowing you down.

Because mature systems aren’t built by doing everything. 
They’re built by doing the right things - better.

Ready to simplify your next move? 
Send me a DM for a chat.

--------------------------------------------

#TechLeadership #SystemThinking #StrategicGrowth #ITCareers #EngineeringLeadership #RefactorYourCareer #SimplifyToScale #LeadershipInTech

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Helping IT LEADERS Get Promoted | Career Coach | Gain Career Clarity | Get Paid Your Worth | Increase Your Confidence | Questions? DM Anytime.

𝗕𝘂𝗿𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝘁. 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝘆. 𝗦𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘄𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿.

I talk to a lot of mid-career IT professionals who secretly think they’re falling behind.

Why?

Because they’re exhausted, but feel like they’ve “got nothing to show for it.”

But here’s what’s really happening:

→ You’re running full-speed on low-visibility tasks 
→ You’re maintaining systems that no one notices unless they break 
→ You’re stuck fixing things, not steering them

That’s not a motivation problem. 
That’s a misalignment problem.

You don’t need to hustle harder. 
You need to shift your energy toward the work that moves the needle.

Strategic visibility. 
Clear positioning. 

Owning your next step, before someone hands it to you.

You’re not falling behind. 
You’re just not playing the right game yet.

---------------------

#TechLeadership #ITCareers #EngineeringGrowth #BurnoutInTech

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Being good at your job can be a trap in disguise

If you’re in tech and feel like your work speaks for itself...

That may be your biggest career blind spot.

Here’s what I’ve seen over and over:

✅ You deliver. 
✅ You hit your deadlines. 
✅ You go above and beyond.

But...

You’re not recognised. 
You’re not considered for bigger roles. 
You’re not seen as a leader - just a solid doer.

Here’s why that happens:

· You don’t articulate your value

· You assume visibility equals politics

· You communicate progress, not impact

· You’re known for what you do, not what you can lead

And this is how smart IT pros get stuck.

How to fix it?

1. Track your wins -> quantify impact.

2. Tell better stories -> outcomes, not tasks.

3. Build your reputation -> decide what you want to be known for.

You can be exceptional at your craft and still be invisible.

The good news?

Visibility is a skill, and it can be learned.

If you want help building your positioning as an IT leader, send me a message,

I’ll send you my 2 minute assessment to showcase what’s needed.

---------------------

#TechLeadership #ITCareers #CareerGrowth #ExecutivePresence #ValueArticulation #CommunicationSkills #VisibilityMatters #LeadershipDevelopment #CareerVisibility #PersonalBranding

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𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿: 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁 

You’re the person who knows the system back to front. 
The one they call when it’s on fire. 
The one who can solve anything. 

Let me be real with you: 

That won’t get you the leadership role. 

Tech expertise gets you recognised. 
Leadership potential gets you promoted. 

If you’re aiming for that next-level title: Manager, Head of, Director - it’s not about how deep your knowledge is anymore. 

It’s about how well you: 

🔹 Influence without authority 
🔹 Communicate with stakeholders 
🔹 Elevate others, not just do it all yourself 
🔹 Align your work with business outcomes 
🔹 Show up with presence, not just solutions 

I’ve seen so many IT pros miss out on the next role not because they lacked skill... 

...but because they didn’t shift their positioning. 

You have to start leading before you get the title. 

And that starts with how you think, how you speak, and how you show up in the room. 

If you're in this space right now and stuck as a ;technical expert’ send me a DM – lets talk. 

---------------------------

#TechLeadership #ITCareers #CareerGrowth #LeadWithoutTitle #PositioningMatters #LeadershipDevelopment 

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𝗪𝗘'𝗥𝗘 𝗛𝗜𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚 - 𝗕𝗨𝗧 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗙𝗜𝗥𝗦𝗧 

Odds are this role isn’t for you.

But if you're a seasoned IT pro (with leadership or mentoring experience) with a fire to lead others,

read on - because this could be your dream job.

After 17+ years in IT and cybersecurity, I built a coaching business helping IT leaders get promoted, get paid what they’re worth, and lead with purpose.


Now?
We’re growing fast - and I’m looking for someone to grow with us.

 The Role: Part-Time Point Coach (with Full-Time Potential)

You’ll work directly with me and our ops lead to coach IT professionals through powerful career shifts.

This is high-impact work - not for the faint-hearted.

You’ll:
✔️ Lead 1:1 coaching calls
✔️ Attend group sessions & track client results
✔️ Adapt our systems to fit real people
✔️ Support our community via text/whatsapp/email
✔️ Help people overcome doubt, stagnation & burnout

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂’𝗹𝗹 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱:

• 7+ years in IT and leadership or mentoring experience
• Obsession with personal growth
• Elite communication & listening skills
• The ability to learn fast and stay grounded
• Coachability. Hunger. Resilience. And serious heart.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂’𝗹𝗹 𝗚𝗲𝘁:

• Mentorship directly from me (multi-6-figure coach, ex-Cyber Expert, NLP trained)
• Remote flexibility, 
• Flexible hours
•part-time work initially
•Performance-based pay
• A path to six figures and deep impact doing what you love

But be warned:

This isn’t a Mai Tai-on-the-beach gig.
We move fast. We show up without excuses.
We push for excellence - in ourselves and for our clients.

𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱?

Send your resume and a short cover letter with:
1. Why this role is interesting to you
2 Why you think you are a perfect fit.

𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁@𝗮𝗱𝗮𝗺𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗰𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴.𝗰𝗼𝗺 𝗯𝘆 𝟭𝟲𝘁𝗵 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆(𝗔𝗘𝗗𝗧).

And provide your phone contact details.

Tag someone if this calls their name.
DM me with questions.

Let’s build something game-changing.

- Adam 


#WereHiring #NowHiring #HiringAlert
#CoachingJobs #careercoaching #ITcareers #leadershipdevelopment

𝙎𝙖𝙮𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙞𝙨 “𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙦𝙪𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙞𝙚𝙙” 𝙞𝙨 𝙛𝙚𝙖𝙧 𝙞𝙣 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙜𝙪𝙞𝙨𝙚.

→ Fear they’ll leave
→ Fear they won’t be happy
→ Fear that training them will be a waste of time

But here’s the thing:
Great people are being overlooked because of lazy assumptions.

When did “overqualified” become shorthand for:
“They’ll bail when something better comes along”?

That logic is flawed.
You don’t know people’s circumstances.
You don’t know what matters to them right now.
You don’t know why they want to work for you.

Alignment matters,
But having more skill than required doesn’t mean they’re not aligned.

Let’s call a spade a spade:
Being overqualified isn’t the issue. The assumptions are.

Am I missing something here?
Let me know in the comments, open to the discussion.

#ITCareers #TechHiring #Overqualified #CareerAlignment #HiringMindset #LeadershipInTech

End of Jan, no new job?

It’s probably not your age, your certs, or “the market”.

It’s the playbook you’re using.

In this edition of The IT Leaders Edge, I walk through:

1. Why more applications won’t fix your job search
2. 3 blockers that quietly keep good IT pros stuck
3. What to do differently over the next 6–12 weeks

If you’re done guessing, this one is for you.

The month flipped. Your situation didn’t. Back in December or early January, you might have told yourself: “I’ll have real momentum by the end of Jan.

Open article: End Of Jan, No New Job?
Why More Applications Won’t Fix It by Adam Scott • 5 min read

End Of Jan, No New Job?
Why More Applications Won’t Fix It

𝗦𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘄𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻? 

→ To speak up 
→ To make your next move 
→ To step into leadership

You reset the calendar, but are you still stuck in the same pattern?

IT professionals don’t usually lack ambition. They lack permission.

So they wait.

→ Wait for the right title 
→ Wait to be “tapped” for a role 
→ Wait for a manager to notice their value

But here’s the thing:

No one can greenlight your growth but you.

The people who move fastest in their careers?
They don’t wait for signs. 
They position themselves clearly. 
They lead without being asked. 
They make strategic moves-before they feel fully ready.

Stop overthinking it. 
You can just do things.

The longer you wait, the harder it gets. 
Start small. But start.

---------------------------

#TechLeadership #ITCareers #PositioningMatters #LeadYourCareer #MidCareerMoves #StrategicThinking #EngineeringLeadership

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New year, same job?
The calendar changed - Your role didn’t.

If you’re an experienced IT professional looking at 2026 thinking:
“I’ve outgrown this.”
“I’m still not where I thought I’d be.”
“If nothing changes, I already know how this year will feel”
…you’re not alone.

In the latest edition of The IT Leaders Edge I break down the 3 real paths you’re choosing from (whether you realise it or not):

1. Stay as-is
2. Stay and reshape
3. Leave and reposition

And more importantly – how to avoid another “copy-paste” year by choosing on purpose, not drifting.

Read the full edition here and decide which path you’re really on.

#itleadership #itcareers #careerstrategy #careergrowth #jobsearchtips #leadershipdevelopment #australiatech

The calendar changes. Your role doesn’t. You log back into the same systems, open the same tools, jump into the same types of meetings… and there’s th

New Year, Same Job?
How To Decide: Stay, Reshape Or Leave.

𝗜𝗳 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗪𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝘁 𝗚𝗼 𝗧𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄, 𝗪𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗗𝗼 𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁?

Seriously - play it out:

· Laptop off.
· Access revoked.
· A polite goodbye.

Now what?

Would you:

- Know where to start? 
- Have relationships to lean on? 
- Know how to position yourself for the next opportunity?

Or would you scramble... update your resume... hope someone notices… and start the job board cycle all over again?

Here’s what I’ve noticed:

Most IT professionals are brilliant at delivery. But terrible at career strategy.

They coast until change is forced on them. Then they react, instead of respond.

Don’t wait until it’s urgent to get strategic.

The IT leaders I coach? They build a system before they need it:

✅ A strong personal brand 
✅ Clarity on their direction 
✅ A network they can activate 
✅ Messaging that makes them visible and valuable

If you don’t know your next move, now’s the time to figure it out — while you still have control.

DM me “STRATEGY” if this hit a nerve, and I’ll send you a free self-check-in I use with clients to assess how prepared you really are.

----------------------------

#ITLeadership #CareerStrategy #Layoffs #TechCareers #ExecutiveCoaching #BeReadyNotReactive #TechLeadership

No alternative text description for this image

𝗔 𝗹𝗼𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝗶𝗱-𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝗜𝗧 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆’𝘃𝗲 “𝗵𝗶𝘁 𝗮 𝗰𝗲𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴.” 

- No promotions 
- No callbacks 
- No growth 

But what if the problem isn’t your skills or the market... 

...what if it’s just lack of clarity? 

 Most people in tech don’t have a career strategy. 
They’re not clear on where they want to go. 
Or how to position themselves to get there. 

So they: 

• Apply for random roles 
• Add another cert 
• Hope something changes 

That’s not a plan. That’s wishful thinking. 

The IT leaders I work with make real moves when they: 

✔ Get clear on their next step 
✔ Know how to talk about their value 
✔ Stop operating like job seekers, and start acting like leaders 

You’re not stuck. You’re just overdue for a better strategy. 

DM me and I’ll send you the same check-in I use with clients to get back in the driver’s seat. 

-------------------------

#TechCareers #CareerClarity #ITLeadership #JobSearchStrategy #CareerGrowth #ITPros #LeadershipDevelopment 

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𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗹 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝘀𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀.

Everyone’s talking about 2026 goals. New certifications. New roles. New salary targets.

But before you stack more on your plate- You need to look at the system that got you here.

Ask yourself:

→ What actually worked last year? 
→ What drained me that I never want to repeat? 
→ What patterns kept showing up-despite good intentions?

Because clarity doesn’t come from wishlists. It comes from data.

Most IT professionals don’t need more ambition. They need a system that scales with them.

Before you charge ahead, take 20 minutes to look back. The insights are already there.

--------------------------------------

#ITCareers #TechLeadership #CareerClarity #EngineeringGrowth #IntentionalLeadership #MidCareerMoves #StrategicThinking

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It’s not the role holding you back.
It’s the story you’re telling yourself.

“I want to step up.”
Then the opportunity comes...

And you:
- Hesitate
- Overthink
- Tell yourself: “Maybe I’m not ready yet.”

That voice in your head?
It’s not keeping you safe.
It’s keeping you stuck.

Understand:
You don’t stay stuck because of your skills.
Or your experience.
Or the market.

You stay stuck because of your story.

The one that whispers:
→ “What if I fail?”
→ “What if I get exposed?”
→ “What if I’m not actually that good?”

This isn’t about capability.
It’s about identity.

When you’ve spent years working hard and staying behind the scenes, it’s easy to believe that’s where you belong.

But here's the reality:

You don’t move up when you 'feel ready.'
You move up by behaving like you belong.

That shift starts before the offer.

-->In how you speak.
-->How you show up.
-->And how you tell your story.

Feeling that gap between wanting more and holding back?

DM me and I’ll share the framework I use with clients to bridge it.

No pitch. Just perspective.

#ITCareers #LeadershipMindset #TechLeadership #CareerGrowth #ImposterSyndrome

𝙋𝙞𝙫𝙤𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙧 𝙙𝙤𝙚𝙨𝙣'𝙩 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧..

One of the biggest myths in IT careers?


If I shift direction, I’ll have to start from scratch.
Not true.

You’re not throwing away years of experience.

You’re reframing it, so the market sees you in a new light.

A senior engineer to presales isn't leaving tech - they’re translating their experience to a new value narrative.

A tech lead moving to leadership doesn't need more certs, they’re upgrading how they show up.

Repositioning is not about starting from the bottom.

It’s about showing up differently at the level you’ve earned.

What holds most people back isn’t a lack of experience.

it’s the belief that they have to “earn it all over again.”
You don’t.

You just need to know how to position your story, your results, and your potential in the language of the role you want.

IF you are curious, lets chat.

I'll show you how to move forward without taking a step back.


#ITCareers #TechLeadership #Repositioning #CareerPivot #ITProfessionals #CareerGrowth #MidCareerMoves #StrategicPositioning

𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙃𝙖𝙧𝙙 𝙄𝙨𝙣’𝙩 𝙀𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝘼𝙣𝙮𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚

You’ve done everything by the book.

- Worked late
- Took on more projects
- Solved problems no one else could

But despite all that... you're still stuck.

-->No raise.
-->No promotion.
-->No recognition.

Here’s the new reality:

Hard work alone doesn’t create career growth.

In the IT world, you can become invisible, even while you're operating at 110%.

Why?

Because visibility, positioning, and strategic communication matter just as much as technical skill.

If you’re at that point where:
•You’ve hit a plateau 
• You're running out of steam 
• And you’re wondering, “What more can I do?”

Then it’s not about doing more.
It’s about doing different.

What helped my clients move past this?
→ Getting clear on what they want
→ Learning to communicate their value
→ And building a plan to move with purpose, — not just grind harder

If you’re tired of working harder with nothing to show for it, send me a DM - lets chat.

#ITCareers #TechLeadership #CareerPlateau #MidCareerGrowth #WorkingHard #CareerStrategy #ITPros #CareerDevelopment

𝗬𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗰𝗸. 𝗬𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻. 
I learned that the hard way. 

I spent 4 years at a company working 70-hour weeks. 
Always “on.” 
Always fixing something. 
Always chasing my tail. 

I thought I was making progress. 

But when the reorg came? 
I didn’t get a promotion. 
I didn’t get a seat at the table. 
I got a redundancy. 

And that hit me. 

It wasn’t about how hard I worked. 
It was about how strategically I moved. 

No one knew the hours I put in. 
No one saw the impact. 
Because I didn’t make it visible. 

That experience taught me 3 things: 

→ Be clear on what you want. 
→ Think strategically, not reactively. 
→ Build visibility with the right people, not just the busy work. 

If you're feeling stuck right now... 
Maybe you're not stuck at all. 
Maybe you're just overdue for a better plan. 
 
Send me a message if you relate to this, 

happy to share how I changed my career around. 

---------------------
#ITCareers #TechLeadership #StrategicThinking #ITProfessional #EngineeringLeadership

♻️ Reshare this if it resonates with you 
🗞️ Sign up to my newsletter for IT career insights

𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱. 
Some start it still recovering from last year.

In tech, we tend to run hard - until something breaks. Deadlines, deliverables, 12-hour days... And then January arrives and we're expected to "reset."

But clarity doesn’t come from flipping a calendar. It comes from checking in - with yourself.

Where are you really at right now?

Vote below or drop a comment if none of these fit.

-------------------------------
#TechLeadership #ITCareers #CareerClarity #ResetAndRefocus #EngineeringLife #MindsetMatters #ITPros

𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗖𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗘𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 

It’s easy to gt caught up in the certification trap. 

Thinking more certs means you are moving ahead. 

But Certifications don’t guarantee career growth. 

I speak to IT professionals all the time who’ve got: 

✔ AWS 
✔ Azure 
✔ ITIL 
✔ PMP 
✔ Cyber, DevOps, Data... you name it. 

And still - they’re stuck. 
No callbacks. No leadership opportunities. 
No significant raise. 

Why? 

Because they focused only on stacking qualifications... 
But never clarified the strategy behind their career moves. 

What most IT pros don’t realise:

- Positioning > paper. 
- Strategy beats credentials , every time. 
- Who sees your value > how much you know. 

You can have 10+ certifications and still get overlooked. 

if you’re not visible. 

if you can’t clearly articulate your value. 
if your resume and interviews don’t tell the right story. 

Certs open doors but strategy gets you through them. 

If you're feeling stuck despite all the learning, it’s not a capability issue, it’s a clarity and positioning issue. 

DM me if you're tired of collecting certs with no results - and ready to get noticed for your value. 

-----------------------

#ITCareers #TechLeadership #Certifications #CareerGrowth #Positioning #ITStrategy #TechCareers #CareerCoaching 

♻️ Reshare this if it resonates with you 
🗞️ Sign up to my newsletter for IT career insights

Lead First. Title Follows.
Let's be honest:

You don’t get promoted and then start acting like a leader.

You act like a leader - and that’s what gets you promoted.

Most IT pros wait for recognition before they step up.

But the ones who accelerate their careers?

-->They take ownership before it's asked.
-->They drive impact beyond their job description.
-->They build trust without needing the title.

 Leaders aren't appointed. They’re observed.

And what decision-makers are watching for isn't just technical skill ,it's:
• Strategic thinking
• Calm under pressure
• Communication across functions
• Influence without authority
• Visibility without ego

This shift is what fast-tracks careers.

It’s not about waiting your turn.

It’s about earning trust, building visibility, and creating pull, so the next move becomes inevitable.

𝘽𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙙𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙨𝙩𝙪𝙘𝙠 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙩? - 

DM me and I’ll tell you about the 4 pillar framework I use that gets my clients noticed.

#TechLeadership #ITCareers #LeadershipMindset #CareerGrowth #ITProfessionals #PromotionStrategy #LeadWithoutTitle #CareerDevelopment

The skills that get talked about, 
aren’t always the ones that make you successful. 
 
In tech, we celebrate deep expertise. 
 
But the things that often move your career forward? 
They rarely get the spotlight 

I've coached senior IT pros who were: 
✅ Brilliant technically 
✅ Respected by their team 
❌ Still overlooked for leadership roles 

Why? 
Because the real career skills aren’t just technical. 

They’re the ones that help you navigate people, politics, and change - even when it’s uncomfortable. 

Which skill do you think is most underrated? 

If there’s another one to add – drop it in the comments.

What’s the most underrated career skill?

As larger than life it may seem, I’m often torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. 

Enabling people, products & processes on their growth journey, through my work at Growth Collective, has helped me achieve the strife, to make the world a better place, while enjoying the process of doing it. 

-- I bring an overall industry experience of 24 years, focused on product, technology, coaching & entrepreneurship. Across domains of insurance, BFSI & ecommerce. 

-- My experience & passion lies in working with individuals, academia  & organizations, enabling career growth, process transformations & product innovations to maximize potential.

-- I'm a Harvard Business School, PLD graduate & an Erickson & Gallup coach.

-- I'm passionate about Leadership Development & performance coaching. I use a strengths focused approach to convert ideas into actions. 

-- I have skillfully built cross-functional teams across geographies & coached leaders with a focus on progress & productivity leading to profitability.

-- My extensive global experience enables me to understand various cultural nuances enabling organizational transformations & strategically developing partnerships & business relations. 

-- I leverage my technology & product experience, to enable teams to develop best engineering practices, agile methodologies & human centered design thinking for innovative product building.  

-- My startup experience enables me to bring order to chaos & enable leaders to navigate cross-functional teams through ever changing landscapes

-- I have spearheaded agile transformations for organizations, enhancing predictability, productivity, quality of products/services & agile mindsets with teams. 

-- I am an enthusiastic contributor to various industry and academia events for design thinking, career counselling, women in technology, diversity championing, leadership development etc.

Reach out to me for  - 
1-1 or team coaching for
      -- Leadership Development 
      -- Performance Coaching
      -- Personal Branding
Enabling teams for 
       -- Design Thinking
       -- Agile & other team enablement
       -- Growth mindset, socio-emotional skills
       -- Product management
Business Coaching
        -- Enabling Entrepreneurs & their teams make traction on their product journey.

Some of my clients- Microsoft, Cisco, Zetwerk, Target, OneSheild, Odessa, Grundfos, IIM, Indian Oil, Meredith & others.

When not working I can be found exploring -  places, books, cafes, people, technologies & many other interesting things the world offers.

Janet Rajan

This is one of the most underrated product stories I’ve come across in India.

While working in an office in Bengaluru, Chandrashekhar Mondal would often look outside and see hundreds of daily-wage workers at labour chowks negotiating work in real time, with no structure, no guarantees, and no leverage.

For most of us, that’s just part of city scapes that we usually ignore. But for him, that was a sad memory etched deep into his brain as it was a regular occurring reality from where he came, his home town Gopalganj.

𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗱:

"If there could be LinkedIn, Indeed for white-collar jobs, then why not a platform for these blue-collar jobs?"

That was when 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗖𝗵𝗼𝘄𝗸 was born. 

Before building anything, he did what good product teams do first: he went to where the users were.

He spent months at labour chowks across cities, observing how hiring actually happened. Three core problems showed up consistently:

1. 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝘀𝘆𝗺𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗿𝘆. Workers didn’t know who was hiring. Employers didn’t know who was reliable.
2. 𝗭𝗲𝗿𝗼-𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲. No identity verification, no proof of work history, no accountability on either side.
3. 𝗣𝗮𝘆𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲𝘁𝘆 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸. Delayed payments, wage manipulation, and no escalation path if something went wrong.

This wasn’t a “marketplace problem”. It was a trust problem.

So the first version of Digital Labour Chowk wasn’t an app. It was a Facebook group.

A deliberately low-tech MVP that tested one assumption: 𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿, 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲?
And it did.

Once there was proof of usage, Chandrashekhar raised ₹10 lakh from an incubator, and every product decision after that focused on reducing risk, not adding features.

The app introduced four critical product layers:

• Identity verification for both workers and employers
• Direct bank account linkage to eliminate wage disputes
• Two-sided feedback with real consequences, not vanity ratings
• A 24/7 helpline for on-site issues

None of this is innovative in isolation, but what’s powerful is where it was applied.

Today, Digital Labour Chowk has over 100,000 registered workers and 2,800+ employers.

It has changed the lives of thousands and continues to do so today!

Now, a worker now knows before showing up:
– who is hiring
– what the pay is
– whether the employer is verified

That single shift changes the power dynamic.
This is a reminder I often come back to:

Great products don’t always create 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝗿. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀. and make it fair.

And that’s often the hardest product problem to solve.

Love how Digital Labour Chowk has changed so many lives! This is what good products are like. 

#productmanagement #productdevelopment #productgrowth

OneShield Leadership Award

Erickson Certified Coach

Gallup Strengths Coach

Founder, Growth Collective | Product Leadership Coach | Gallup Strengths & Executive Coach | TEDx Speaker | MSME Entrepreneur of the Year 2023 | Building in Stealth

Co founder of the Cincinnati Chapter and continue to volunteer actively as a member of the core team for the Boston Chapter.

Founder, Growth Collective | Product + Leadership Executive Coach & Facilitator | Gallup Strengths Certified | Hogan Certified | IDEO U Certified Design Thinker | TEDx Speaker

In 2025, I woke up one morning and didn’t know which city I was in.
That moment said more about my year than any milestone ever could.
 
2025 was intense, fast-moving, and deeply formative, but there’s still one truth I’d like to admit: 
 
I spent 2025 in overdrive. 
 
Yes, I’m a coach, grounded in clarity, reflection, and perspective.
But I’m also an entrepreneur, where momentum, movement, and messiness are part of the job.
 
And I ended up living in airports more than I’d like to admit.
 
While I continued coaching, building and travelling, life gave me signals to slow down in ways I hadn’t planned for -
 
– A product idea that was close to my heart was put on the back burner
– An MMA injury that forced me into a physio–travel–work loop
– My Dad fell sick when I was running our first community event in Bangalore.
 
And in a self-coaching moment, I realised the year wasn’t about moving faster, but about holding life, work, and responsibility together without dropping any of them.
 
It taught me to be grateful for:
 
➡ Clients who said, “It’s okay, we’ll figure it out.” 
➡ Team and collaborators who stepped in to support. 
➡ Friends who checked in without needing explanations. 
➡ And a deep love for the work I do, even on the hard days.  
 
Most importantly, this year reminded me that you don’t always have your life perfectly handled.
 
It’s about continuing to show up thoughtfully, imperfectly, and supported.  
 
I ended 2025 -
Clearer about how I work.
More grounded in what I build.
And deeply respectful of the fact that leadership doesn’t pause when life happens - It adapts. 
 
And that feels like a good place to start the next year.
Happy 2026, everyone!
 
#newyear #growth #entrepreneurship

I started 2025 by writing this quote on the first page of my diary
And this is how I’d want to start every year from now on. 

So I had read 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄 𝗥𝗶𝗰𝗵 in 2024, and one line from that book really stuck with me.

"Your ambitions are only thoughts until they're paired with a definite purpose backed by a burning desire."

This quote has a story behind it that Napoleon Hill (author of the book) shares.

He talked about how this man, Edwin C. Barnes, was wholeheartedly passionate about wanting to work with Thomas Edison. 

Not dream about it. Not talk about it. 𝗛𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗵𝗶𝗺.

But Barnes had nothing. No money. No special background. No big network.

One day, he literally showed up at Edison’s office and asked for a chance. 𝗛𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻’𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗯𝗶𝗴 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆. 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁.

So Edison agreed. 
Edwin started at the very 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗺.

He only got small tasks. The progress was painfully slow, and he had to wait years.
But throughout, his intention never changed.

He outright said, “This is what I want, and I’m willing to work for it.”

That 𝗯𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗿𝗲 eventually turned into a real partnership with Edison.

This really makes you think about how people view their dreams.

Most people want things.
Very few people decide what they want.
And even fewer decide what they’re willing to give for it.

Edwin didn’t second guess anything. Neither did he delay it. He knew what his burning desire was, he took action, he got what he always wanted. 

And that’s the truth I want to carry into 2026.
A dream becomes possible the moment you stop wishing for it and start preparing for it.

So just like 2025, my 2026 is not going to be about just goals I’d like to achieve.

It’s about clarity in knowing what I want, the discipline to do the work it asks for,
and enjoying the person I become in the process.

That’s how I’m stepping into 2026. 
How are you?

Apple’s simplicity isn’t just a UX preference.
It’s an organizational choice.

People often talk about Apple’s products like they’re just the result of great taste.

But a lot of what feels “simple” on the surface is actually 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵.

Apple limits:

• Customization
• Variations
• System-level control

Not because users don’t want options.
But because 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘁𝘆.

More options mean:

• More edge cases
• More QA
• More support
• More things that can quietly break

Apple chooses a different trade-off:
𝗳𝗲𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 → 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 → 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆.

That’s not just design thinking.
That’s 𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗲.

Many user experience and product decisions can actually be 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗴𝘂𝗶𝘀𝗲.

And great PMs don’t just design for users, they also design for the system that supports the product.

So, what feature in your product exists not because users demanded it but because your org couldn’t afford the alternative?

#productmanagement #uiux #decisions #leadership

𝐌𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐀𝐈 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧.

Think about it. When we open ChatGPT, we:

• Give it clear prompts
• Adjust the question if the answer isn’t right
• Change the lens if we want better outcomes
• Iterate, refine, and try again

But when it comes to our own thinking at work, we do the opposite.

Here are 𝟓 𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫, 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐥𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐀𝐈:

𝟏. 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲

Your brain works on inputs too.

Instead of:
❌ “This is messy. I don’t know what to do.”

Try:
• “What’s the next smallest decision I could make here?”
• “If I solved this problem, what would happen?”

Clarity follows the question.

𝟐. 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐬, 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞

Ask “What’s wrong?” → your brain finds flaws.
Ask “What’s possible?” → it finds options.

Same situation. Different lens. Different results.

This is why great leaders don’t just solve problems, they 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺.

𝟑. 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 > 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟-𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐦

You wouldn’t tell ChatGPT, “You’re stupid, figure it out.”

Yet many leaders talk to themselves that way daily.

Self-talk isn’t soft. It’s 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆.
Better signal → better thinking.

𝟒. 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲

One insight won’t rewire your brain. One workshop won’t either.

What works is repetition:

• Asking better questions daily
• Pausing before reacting
• Reframing the same pattern again and again

That’s how judgment improves.

𝟓. 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞. 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫. 𝐉𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬.

The best product leaders, founders, and decision-makers I work with all do this well.

They treat thinking as a 𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗯𝗼𝘅, not a test.

AI doesn’t make you smarter. It reveals how you already think.
So, the only real upgrade available is still 𝘆𝗼𝘂.

𝐒𝐨 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐬𝐤 𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐰?

#LeadershipThinking #DecisionMaking #MentalModels #AI

Pixar has a meeting that most leaders would be deeply uncomfortable sitting in.

Imagine this.

• You walk into a room with your unfinished work.
• Not your polished deck.
• Not your “final version.”

And the people in the room?

• They’re not your bosses.
• They don’t have approval power.
• They can’t overrule you.

They just watch and listen.
And then they tell you honestly what isn’t working yet.

Pixar calls this room the 𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭.

Ed Catmull, cofounder Pixar, writes about it in his book 𝘊𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘐𝘯𝘤.

How directors regularly bring rough cuts of their films into this space.

• The feedback is blunt.
• Specific.
• Sometimes uncomfortable.

And then comes the part that surprised me the most when I first read about it:

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸.

• No pressure to agree.
• No forced alignment.
• No decision required in the room.

That single choice changes everything.

• People stop posturing.
• They stop defending.
• They actually listen.

The conversation shifts from “𝘋𝘰 𝘐 𝘢𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦?” to “𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘮 𝘐 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨?”

Catmull puts it simply –

“𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐥.”

That’s how Pixar repeatedly takes stories from “this isn’t landing yet” to films that stay with us for years.

𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐝 𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬.
𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫.

#LeadershipMindset #WorkplaceCulture #CreativeLeadership

This is the email that didn’t just get Airbnb noticed, it got them believed in.
Before Airbnb was Airbnb, it was 𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦, 𝘳𝘶𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘠𝘊 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦.
 
What changed their trajectory wasn’t a pitch deck. It was 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗰𝘆.
 
Justin Kan saw something in the founders, not just the idea and emailed Paul Graham asking if they could still apply to Y Combinator.
 
Paul replied:𝘈𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵.
 
They did. They got in.
And 𝗔𝗶𝗿𝗯𝗻𝗯 survived long enough to become inevitable.
 
This wasn’t luck. It was 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁.

And how did they build it? - 
 
1. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺-𝗿𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗱
They didn’t talk in abstractions. They talked about 𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘢𝘧𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘥, 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘺, and 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘵. Advocacy starts when someone can 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 the problem, not just understand it.
 
2. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲
Early Airbnb wasn’t polished, but the founders were 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘭𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘥. Not defensive. Not over-selling. Just clear that they were going to keep pushing until it worked.
 
3. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀
Selling cereal boxes. Taking photos themselves. Manually fixing supply issues.
None of this “scaled” but it signalled something critical to believers: 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘥𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬.
 
4. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘃𝗼𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺
Justin Kan didn’t have to 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵 belief he could 𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦: effort, clarity, and follow-through. Advocacy happens when someone can confidently put their reputation on the line for you.
 
5. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗱
Trust creates opportunity. Preparation decides whether you can walk through it.
 
Great products don’t just need users. They need 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀.
 
And champions are built through:

· Consistency over charisma
· Clarity over cleverness
· Action over articulation
 
People advocate for people they 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗲, not just to impress.

If someone had to vouch for 𝘺𝘰𝘶 today, what evidence would they point to?

Not every week needs a sprint plan.

Some Sundays, I don’t open my planner.
I don’t map, stack, or optimize.

I just look back and nod at the version of me who made it through last week.

The tired one.
The hopeful one.
The one who almost gave up midweek but didn’t.
The one who said “no” when it would’ve been easier to say “yes.”
The one who winged it, and somehow, it worked.

Have you had one of those weeks?
Where the win was just... 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩.

No reset.
No miracle morning.
No 7-step strategy.

Just a breath. A stretch.
A quiet little moment of credit for the human who showed up anyway.

The world can wait. 

#MindfulProductivity #SelfGrowth

I deeply trust Gmail because it knows when I’m about to embarrass myself.
Specifically, the moment I hit send and it gently asks:
“𝗗𝗶𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗱𝗱 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁?”
 
No judgement.
No drama.
Just… help.
 
Early in my career, I didn’t have Gmail.
And yes, I absolutely sent emails that said “Please find attached” with nothing attached.
 
What I love about this feature is how tiny it is.
 
In a product as complex as Gmail, it’s almost invisible.
But the impact? 𝗛𝘂𝗴𝗲.
 
Because it’s 𝗽𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.
 
It understands how humans actually work:

→ We write emails while multitasking
→ The attachment is always “one last thing”
→ We proofread the content, subject, CCs
→ And only realise the mistake after we hit send
From a product lens, that’s the brilliance.
 
This feature doesn’t change the email workflow.
It changes 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗲 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘁.

Most products try to solve problems by adding more:
𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽𝘀, 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹.
 
Gmail did the opposite.
 
It removed just enough friction to reduce that tiny spike of anxiety right before “Send.”
 
Same philosophy behind the ‘Undo Send’ feature.
Not a productivity hack, an emotional safety net.
 
And that’s the product lesson I keep coming back to.
 
Great products don’t just 𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆.

They 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵𝘆, for very human moments like distraction, hesitation, regret.
 
So sometimes the most powerful thing a feature can do is - 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗮 𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲𝗿.

Okay, your turn -
Which product feature has quietly saved you from a very human mistake?
 
#productmanagement #productthinking #ux #empathyinproduct #gmail

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