Senior Manager Strategy & Transformation in the Financial Services | Strategic Leadership Coach | Speaker | Mentor | Author | Helping professionals, leaders, and teams level up with purpose and impact.

Global Senior Manager with 15+ years' banking experience in areas of Enterprise Risk Management, Governance, Strategic Transformation Projects, and Change Management with a heavy focus on Executive Leadership Reporting. Demonstrated ability to cultivate strong relationships, influence others, and lead high performing teams that advance global priorities. 

Committed to continuous organization improvement, enhancing customer experience and delivering solutions to support strategic financial and business decision-making. 

As a persuasive communicator fluent in English and Spanish, I effectively engage with clients, regulators, stakeholders, management, and staff at all levels. My diverse background includes extensive experience in ERM frameworks, risk culture programs, control assessments, audits, capital structure optimization, and statistical modelling for risk management matters. Leader with a proven track record of leading large-scale projects, implementing change management strategies, and delivering cost savings through efficient project management methodologies.

Core competences include:
•Enterprise Risk Management •Governance & Compliance •Operational Risk •Internal Audit • Executive Leadership Reporting & Analytics •Project Management •Change Management •Data Risk •Model Risk •Strategic Risk •Coaching & Talent Development •SAS/SPSS/DWH •SharePoint & Power Apps •Power BI/Python/R •Copilot •Agile/ Waterfall •JIRA/Confluence •Six Sigma/Kaizen •Protiviti

Diana Lasso

Your skills won’t matter if no one wants to work with you.
Talent opens doors. 
Attitude decides how long you stay.

I’ve seen smart people get stuck because they resist change. 

And others rise fast because they:
➟ Adapt instead of complain
➟ Stay positive under pressure
➟ Stay curious and keep learning

A strong resume helps. 
But it’s not enough. 

What really sets you apart?
➟ A positive attitude builds trust.
➟ A growth mindset fuels progress.
➟ A team-first approach creates impact.

Skills can be taught. Mindset is a choice.

As Zig Ziglar said, "Your attitude, not your aptitude, 
will determine your altitude." 

Choose the one that moves you forward.

P.S. What mindset shift made the biggest difference in your career?

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Speaking your truth is easy.
Saying it at the right moment is leadership.

Managers value honesty.
Strategic Leaders value timing, context, and impact.

At work, what you say matters.
But how, when, and where you say it often matters more.
↳ It’s about creating clarity and trust.

As Winston Churchill once said:
“Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; 
Courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.”

Here are 5 ways to stay authentic at work
while strengthening your credibility:

1- Share your perspective:
↳ Authenticity starts with honesty.
➟ Start opinions with “From my perspective…”:
“From my perspective, focusing on X may help us reach the goal faster.”

2- Be curious:
↳ Curiosity builds respect.
➟ Ask one question before sharing your view:
“Help me understand the reasoning behind this approach.”

3- Keep ideas simple:
↳ Clarity builds authority.
➟ Share ideas in two clear points:
“I see two options here. One for speed. One for long-term results.”

4- Raise concerns constructively:
↳ Authenticity can still be thoughtful.
➟ Pair every concern with one suggestion:
“I see a potential risk here. What if we try this alternative?”

5- Speak with intention:
↳ Purpose strengthens your message.
➟ State your intention:
“My intention is to help us move this forward.”

Awareness sharpens your voice.
Timing amplifies it.

When authenticity meets judgment,
people listen.

And that’s when your presence
starts shaping the room.

P.S. Which one resonates most with you right now?

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The difference between giving feedback
and damaging someone’s self-esteem
Isn’t honesty. It’s how you frame it.

Most leaders think the goal is to be direct.
The real goal is to be constructive.

Average managers point out mistakes.
Strategic leaders protect dignity while raising standards.

At senior levels, performance doesn’t improve through pressure.
 ↳ It improves through psychological safety.

As Maya Angelou said:
“People will never forget how you made them feel.”

Competence is rarely the real issue.
Confidence often is.

When people feel attacked,
They defend.

When they feel respected,
They think.

Here are 5 smarter ways to give feedback
 without shrinking confidence:

1- Lead with facts:
 ↳ Data lowers emotion.
 ➟ “Last quarter your results were 10% below target.”
 ➟ Avoid: “You’re always behind.”
Facts create clarity. Tone creates safety.

2- Shift from accusation to exploration:
 ↳ “Why did you…?” triggers defense.
 ➟ Try: “Help me understand what happened.”
 ➟ Listen without interrupting.
Curiosity invites ownership.

3- Separate identity from outcome:
 ↳ Results are feedback. 
 ➟ Instead of: “You’re not strategic.”
 ➟ Say: “This decision increased costs by 10%. Let’s unpack it.”
Challenge the decision. Protect the person.

4- Make accountability concrete:
 ↳ “I’ll try harder” is comfort language.
 ➟ Ask: “What will you do differently next week?”
 ➟ “How will we track it?”
Specific commitments build confidence.

5- Offer support that empowers:
 ↳ Support should strengthen the capability.
 ➟ “What obstacles are in your way?”
 ➟ “What support would make this easier?”
Support plus ownership creates growth.

High standards and high self-esteem
are not opposites. They are partners.

When people feel safe,
They don’t play small.

They take responsibility.
They take initiative.
They take ownership.

That’s the win. Raise the bar.
Protect the person.
And build a team that grows stronger
Every time you have a hard conversation.

P.S. Which one resonates most with you right now?

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Want to sound like a leader in every email you send?
Start with clarity.

Authority shows in communication:
➟ Short messages
➟ Clear direction
➟ Defined boundaries

Senior leaders write less.
Every word has purpose.

Strong communication builds trust.
Clear communication builds authority.

As Peter Drucker said:
 “The most important thing in communication
 is hearing what isn’t said.”

Here are 5 ways to communicate authority at work
while staying professional and respected:

1- Keep your message short:
 Short messages sound confident.
➟ Share the main point first.
➟ Use three sentences when possible.

Example:
 “Let’s move the meeting to Thursday.
 This gives us time to review the numbers.
 Please confirm availability.”

2- Use direct language:
 Firm words build credibility.
➟ Say what you recommend.
➟ Connect it to the result.

Example:
 “I recommend option B.
 It gets us closer to the deadline
 and keeps costs under control.”

3- Speak around the objective:
 Authority sounds focused.
➟ Bring the conversation back to the goal.
➟ Use words like goal, priority, outcome, impact.

Example:
 “Our priority is delivery this week.
 Which option gets us there faster?”

4- Give clear time boundaries:
 Respect for time shows leadership.
➟ Offer specific time frames.
➟ Let people choose within them.

Example:
 “I’m available 9–10 AM
 or 2–4 PM tomorrow.
 Please pick one.”

5- Finish with direction:
 Strong communication moves things forward.
➟ Close with the next step.
➟ Make the action clear.

Example:
 “Let’s proceed with this plan.
 I’ll send the update today.
 We review progress on Friday.”

Authority grows through consistency.
Consistency builds credibility.
Credibility strengthens your presence.

When your words are clear,
People feel confidence.

When your message has direction,
People follow naturally.

And that’s when your communication
starts carrying real authority.

P.S. Which one resonates most with you right now?

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Believing that everyone else is born with confidence is a trap.
It’s a quiet lie we tell ourselves.
And it keeps us small.

No one is born confident.

Confidence is built:
→ Brick by brick
→ Moment by moment
→ Experience by experience

Behind every “confident” leader
There were shaky starts.
Missed words.
Doubts no one saw.

Your obstacles were not detours.
They were construction sites.
Every challenge you faced
and didn’t run from
added a layer.

Every failure?
Feedback.

Every win?
Confidence.

As Nelson Mandela said:
 “I learned that courage was 
not the absence of fear, 
but the triumph over it.”
That’s confidence.

Not the absence of fear.
But the decision to move anyway.

Don’t sell yourself short.
You are not starting from zero.

You are standing on years of growth,
lessons, resilience, and quiet courage.

Don’t sell yourself short,
Trust the process and believe in your potential!
The journey is YOURS! 

P.S. What advice would you give your younger self 
about building confidence?

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Visual: Janis Ozolins 🙏

If you need to win every argument,
you’re not ready to lead.

When you become the boss,
technical skills get you in the room.
Emotional skills determine how long you stay.

The leaders who rise
are not the ones who speak the most.
They are the ones who understand
when to speak
and when to pause.

Here are 5 ways to lead with influence:

1 — Listen actively:
Pause before responding.
→ Let people finish completely.
Composure strengthens authority.

2 — Context awareness:
Read the room before you read the data.
→ Ask: What does this room need right now?
Influence depends on timing.

3 — Ask before you assert:
Replace correction with curiosity.
→ “Walk me through your thinking.”
Questions lower defenses.

4 — Choose the bigger objective:
Before speaking, ask:
→ What outcome do I want this conversation to create?
Leaders prioritize impact over ego.

5 — Control the temperature:
Leaders regulate emotional intensity.
→ Lower your tone. Slow your pace.
The calmest nervous system often leads the room.

As Peter Drucker said:
“The most important thing in communication
is hearing what isn’t said.”

Leadership isn’t about perfection.
It’s about progress.

Sustained impact builds lasting careers.
Emotional intelligence makes it possible.

Influence lives in how you manage yourself.

Be the leader you wish you had.

P.S. Which one resonates most with you right now?

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Getting promoted will change your relationships.
If you’re not ready for that, you’re not ready to lead.

When you grow,
→ Your title shifts
→ Your visibility increases
→ Your power becomes more noticeable

And that changes the room:
→ More exposure
→ More comparison
→ Less relational indulgence

The tension isn’t about your success.
It’s about what your success represents to others.

Growth activates identity.
And identity feels personal.

Here are 5 ways to grow without breaking relationships:

1- Grow in frame:
Clarify your new responsibility.
→ “My focus now is…”
Clarity builds security.

2- Elevate others as you rise:
Share credit generously.
→ Highlight team impact publicly.
Authority grows when others grow with you.

3- Anchor decisions in purpose:
Explain the function behind the move.
→ Connect actions to shared goals.
Purpose reduces friction.

4- Lead with warmth and structure:
Offer human connection.
→ Hold clear boundaries.
Stability builds trust.

5- Be intentional about who you grow around:
Seek peers aligned with your new level.
→ Expand your circle thoughtfully.
Alignment fuels sustainable growth.

As John Maxwell said:
“Leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less.”

Influence requires maturity.

Because the higher you rise,
the more your presence affects identity in others.

Leadership isn’t just about performance.
It’s about managing impact.

When you grow with structure, humanity, and clear boundaries,
You don’t end up alone. You elevate your ecosystem.

→ New peers
→ New alignment
→ New conversations

Growth doesn’t isolate you.
It refines who walks with you.

And that’s not a loss.
That’s leadership.

P.S. Which one resonates most with you right now?

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If everything is a priority,
nothing really is!

Want to know why some people 
achieve more with less effort?

80% of your results come
from 20% of your actions.
The rest? It just keeps you busy.

The smartest leaders don’t work more hours.
They focus on what matters most.

Every “yes” is a trade-off:

↳ Say yes to high-impact work,
 and no to tasks that drain your energy.

↳ Say yes to actions that move the needle,
 and no to “urgent” distractions.

↳ Say yes to what fuels your vision,
 and no to everything else.

It’s not about managing time.
It’s about managing priorities.

As Stephen Covey said:
 "The key is not to prioritize what's on your schedule,
 but to schedule your priorities."

Work on the 20% that brings the biggest impact.
Your energy, results, and happiness will thank you.

P.S. What’s the 20% you’ll focus on this week?

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She sat down
Tired eyes
Stable role

She looked at me and asked me:
“Diana… why do I feel behind if nothing is wrong?”

Maybe you’ve felt it too.
➟ Good pay
➟ Strong team
➟ Supportive boss
And still… flat.

Because safety and growth are not the same.

When work becomes predictable,
your brain stops stretching.
And when you stop stretching,
energy drops.

You’re not tired from pressure.
You’re tired from repetition.

Security can protect.
But comfort can quietly shrink you.

That’s why I created my 6-step GROWTH Formula
to turn stability into strategic leverage:

G — Gauge learning:
➟ What did you master this year?
➟ Is your value expanding?

R — Review autonomy:
➟ Do you influence decisions?
➟ Or mainly execute?

O — Observe curiosity:
➟ Are you asking new questions?
➟ Or repeating old answers?

W — Weigh your why"
➟ Are you here by choice?
➟ Or by fear?

T — Test your stretch:
➟ When did work last challenge you?
➟ Discomfort signals expansion.

H — Harness momentum:
➟ What small move would re-ignite growth?
➟ One conversation. One project. One risk.

Stability is a resource.
Not an identity.

As Peter Drucker said:
“The best way to predict the future is to create it.”

Growth fuels confidence.
Progress fuels energy.
Movement fuels leadership.

You don’t change your life by changing your goals.
You change your life by changing who you are.

Strategic leadership starts with identity.
Become the leader your next level requires.

P.S. Which step resonated most with you?

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Use my 6-step GROWTH Formula by DL

The hardest shift in your career
is not effort. It’s perspective.

Many high performers start 
as excellent executors:
→ Fast
→ Trusted
→ Reliable

But leadership asks for something more.
It asks you to think at a different level.

As Michael Porter said:
“The essence of strategy is choosing what not to do.”

Here are 5 practical ways that move you 
from Executor to Strategic Leader:

1- Create impact:
→ Multiply results through people and systems.
→ Measure success by collective outcomes.

2- Elevate the conversation:
→ Clarify why the work matters.
→ Connect tasks to direction.

3- Think beyond today:
→ Look at decisions through a longer horizon.
→ Consider the ripple effect of choices.

4- Focus on leverage:
→ Invest energy where it creates the most impact.
→ Small inputs. Big outcomes.

5- Lead with stewardship:
→ Treat responsibility as a privilege.
→ Make decisions that strengthen the team long term.

That’s when your work
stops being about output…

and starts shaping outcomes.

And that’s when your career
begins to create real impact.

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What distinguishes a Great Leaders?
It's not just about achieving targets or driving profits.
It's about standing up for your team!

To truly excel as a Leader, 
↳ You must protect your team from:
→ Negative stereotypes or biases
→ Blame for mistakes that aren't theirs
→ Office politics that undermine collaboration
→ Unreasonable workloads that lead to burnout
→ Misaligned priorities from upper management

It's your job to have your team's back, 
↳ Whether they see it or not:
→ Resolve conflicts quickly and respectfully
→ Shield them from unnecessary disruptions
→ Provide clarity when goals or expectations shift
→ Advocate for fair compensation and recognition
→ Create opportunities for growth and development

By standing up for your team,
↳ You amplify their voice and drive their success:
→ Innovation and creativity thrive
→ Engagement and morale increase
→ Results and performance improve
→ Loyalty to you as a leader deepens
→ Trust within the team grows stronger

Great Managers protect their people. 
Great Leaders empower them to succeed.

P.S. What else can you do to have your team's back?

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Stop Trying to Be Liked by Everyone.
Being nice to everyone
doesn’t set you free.

It makes you neutral.
And neutrality in a leadership role
is expensive.

Research from Harvard University
calls it the “false harmony” trap:
When teams avoid hard topics
to protect relationships,
they don’t build trust.
They build quiet distrust.

As Brené Brown says:
“Integrity is choosing courage over comfort.”

Your team doesn’t need you agreeable.
They need you clear.

Here are 5 ways to stop being neutral
and start taking a position:

1- Listen. Then elevate:
→ Let key voices speak first.
→ Synthesize and define the direction.

2- Anchor to the objective:
→ Reference a metric, goal, or deadline.
→ Remove personal language. Focus on outcomes.

3- Close the loop:
→ Summarize the options out loud.
→ Clearly state the path forward.

4- Handle pushback with steadiness:
→ Acknowledge the concern briefly.
→ Restate your position calmly.

5- End with execution:
→ Define the next step before the meeting ends.
→ Assign timeline and ownership.

Clarity + Action = Leadership.

Trying to please everyone feels safe.
But it costs you credibility.

Neutral leaders create confusion.
Clear leaders create momentum.

Because in leadership,
kindness earns access.
Definition earns trust.

P.S. Which one resonates most with you right now?

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The first impression isn’t what you say
It’s how your temperament shows up.

At work, it shows up in many ways:

1- The Driven – decisive and fast:
 ➟ Pause before reacting.
 ➟ Use “we” to bring others with you.

2- The Calm – steady and patient:
 ➟ Set clear boundaries.
 ➟ Let your stability shine in conflicts.

3- The Thoughtful – analytical and precise:
 ➟ Apply the 80/20 rule to avoid perfectionism.
 ➟ See feedback as information, not attack.

4- The Enthusiastic – energizing and social:
 ➟ Create simple systems to stay focused.
 ➟ Practice active listening to deepen impact.

5- The Visionary – creative and future-focused:
 ➟ Break big dreams into small steps.
 ➟ Stay grounded in today’s priorities.

As Maya Angelou said:
 “People will forget what you said,
But people will never forget how you made them feel.”

You don’t need to change your temperament.
You need to regulate it.
When your best side shows up,
People feel it.
And that’s what builds real leadership.

P.S. Which temperament feels most like you today?

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Being young at work is an advantage
when you know how to use it.

Energy is not the problem.
Ambition is not the problem.
The strategy is.

When you’re early in your career,
It’s tempting to prove.

→ To rush
→ To correct
→ To stand out

But influence doesn’t grow from noise.
It grows from stability.

Here are 5 ways to lead young and be trusted:

1- Be useful:
↳ What problem can I quietly solve this week?
↳ What process can I make simpler for everyone?
Utility builds power.

2- Speak to move things forward:
↳ Will this comment clarify or just showcase me?
↳ Can I summarize and propose the next step?
Order creates presence.

3- Build on what already works:
↳ What’s working that I can recognize first?
↳ How can my idea feel like progress?
Respect lowers defenses.

4- Make others look good:
↳ Who can I publicly credit today?
↳ How can my work make my manager’s life easier?
Allies gain influence faster.

5- Do the work. The rest follows:
↳ What measurable result can I show?
↳ Did I document the impact clearly?
Results create authority.

As Benjamin Franklin said:
“Well done is better than well said.”

Leading young is about being reliable.
When you stop trying to stand out,
and start making things better,
people start listening.

P.S. Which one resonates most with you right now?

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The day you stop resisting feedback
is the day your leadership accelerates.

He looked frustrated.
Not angry.
Just… tired.

He leaned back during our session and said:
“Diana… can I tell you something?”
“I hate feedback.”

Maybe you’ve felt that too:
➟ You care about your work
➟ You prepare more than anyone
➟ You hold yourself to high standards

So, when someone says:
“Can I give you some feedback?”
It doesn’t always feel like a gift.
It feels personal.

Your mind starts racing:
Did I miss something?
What could I have done better?

That reaction is human.
Because we take pride in our work.
But over time, the best leaders make a shift.

They realize something important:
Feedback is built on trust.

Someone cared enough
to share how your work lands on the other side.

Not to judge you.
To help you grow.

And when you approach feedback with an open mind,
it becomes one of the fastest ways to learn.

Use my 4-step GIFT formula 
to turn feedback into a growth advantage:

G — Get curious:
 ➟ Listen with openness.
 ➟ Ask: “Can you share an example?”

I — Identify the insight:
 ➟ Look for patterns.
 ➟ Feedback often reveals blind spots.

F — Focus on the opportunity:
 ➟ Growth rarely requires reinvention.
 ➟ Small adjustments create big progress.

T — Try a new approach:
 ➟ Apply the insight next time.
 ➟ Leadership grows through iteration.

Because feedback is not about your past.
It’s about expanding your future impact.

As Ken Blanchard said:
“Feedback is the breakfast of champions.”

The leaders who grow the fastest don’t wait for annual reviews:
➟ They ask
➟ They listen
➟ They improve

Build feedback conversations into your day-to-day.
Make it part of your leadership toolkit.
That’s when feedback becomes one of your greatest accelerators.

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Use my 4-step GIFT formula by DL

Ever tried to develop a new skill at work
and suddenly felt like the least capable person in the room?

You double-check your work.
You hesitate before speaking.
You feel a little out of place in the room.

And you wonder:
“Why does this suddenly feel so hard?”

Growth rarely feels comfortable.
It feels uncertain.

When you develop a new skill,
your brain is doing unfamiliar work.

→ New patterns
→ New thinking
→ New habits

That’s why it can feel clumsy at first.
But discomfort is not a warning sign.

It’s often a signal
that something important is happening.

Personal and professional growth
follow the same path:

First → Uncertainty
Then → Effort
Then → Progress

The mistake many people make
is stopping at the first stage.

They interpret difficulty as a problem.
But growth never happens in comfort.

It happens when you:

1- Try something new
↳ Even when you feel inexperienced.

2- Face uncertainty
↳ Without needing perfect clarity.

3- Stay consistent
↳ Even when progress feels slow.

Sometimes improvement
feels like getting worse first.

Because learning stretches you
before it strengthens you.

As Carol Dweck said:
“Becoming is better than being.”

That awkward stage you’re feeling?
It’s often the moment
your career is expanding.

Stay in the stretch long enough
and something powerful happens:

Capability becomes confidence.
Confidence becomes influence.
And influence is what opens the door
to the next level of leadership.

P.S. What skill are you building today
that your next role will require?

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Most teams are diverse.
Very few know how to use it.

Walk into almost any organization today, and you’ll see it:
→ Different cultures
→ Different experiences
→ Different backgrounds

Diversity is no longer rare.
But something else still is.
Inclusion.

Because diversity is who is in the room.
Inclusion is who feels comfortable speaking in the room.

And when people feel they belong,
something powerful happens:

→ Ideas expand
→ Perspectives challenge assumptions
→ Decisions get better

That’s why inclusion is not just a value.
It’s a leadership skill.

Here are 5 ways leaders turn diversity into real strength:

1- Be curious about perspectives:
 ↳ Whose voice haven’t we heard yet?
 ↳ What perspective could improve this decision?
 Curiosity expands thinking.

2- Create psychological safety:
 ↳ Do people feel comfortable challenging ideas?
 ↳ Do I respond with openness or defensiveness?
 Safety unlocks contribution.

3- Recognize uniqueness:
 ↳ What strengths does each person bring?
 ↳ How can I make those strengths visible?
 Recognition builds belonging.

4- Check your assumptions:
 ↳ Could bias be shaping this decision?
 ↳ Am I listening to understand?
 Awareness improves leadership.

5- Make space for contribution:
 ↳ Who might have an idea we haven’t heard?
 ↳ How can I bring more voices into the conversation?
 Inclusion drives performance.

When inclusion is real, diversity stops being a statistic.
It becomes a competitive advantage.

As Verna Myers said:
“Diversity is being invited to the party.
 Inclusion is being asked to dance.”

And when that happens,
teams don’t just become more inclusive.
They become smarter.

So, next time you’re in a meeting, 
try something simple:
→ Pause
→ Look around the room.
→ And ask: “Whose perspective are we missing?”

Sometimes one question
is all it takes to make people feel included.

P.S. What is one habit that helps you build a more inclusive team?

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Your biggest competition isn’t in the room.
It’s the hesitation inside you.

Not the colleague next to you.
Not the market.
Not the economy.

The quiet doubt that whispers:
“Maybe wait.”
“Maybe you’re not ready.”
“Maybe don’t push too much.”

Believing in yourself is a full-time job.
No days off.

Because this work isn’t in your contract.
But it determines how far your talent goes.

Self-belief isn’t loud confidence.
It’s internal steadiness.

It’s choosing not to let fear make executive decisions.

As Theodore Roosevelt said,
“Believe you can and you’re halfway there.”

Here are 5 ways to treat belief like a daily practice:

1 — Interrupt the doubt loop:
→ Notice the negative script.
→ Replace it with one fact about your capability.

2 — Take one visible risk daily:
→ Share the idea.
→ Ask the bold question.

3 — Track internal wins:
→ Write down progress.
→ Celebrate efforts.

4 — Separate fear from truth:
→ Ask: Is this fact or insecurity?
→ Decide based on evidence.

5 — Stay consistent with yourself:
→ Show up even when confidence is low.
→ Act aligned with the leader you’re becoming.

When you decide to step into the arena,
something shifts:
→ Your posture strengthens.
→ Your voice carries differently.
→ Your presence expands without forcing it.

And one day, you’ll realize this:
The room didn’t change.
You did.

That’s leadership!

It begins the moment you decide
you are no longer negotiating with your potential.

Promotions don’t start on paper.
They start with identity.

And when you consistently back yourself,
The world begins to meet you at that level.

P.S. Which one resonates most with you right now?

♻️ Repost this to inspire others
➕ Need support? Send me a DM
🔔 Follow Diana Lasso for more Strategic Leadership Insights

You don’t have an execution problem.
You have an overthinking habit.

Let’s be real:
→ You’ve read the article
→ You’ve saved the quote
→ You’ve talked about the idea.
But the action? Still waiting.

That book?
↳ Highlighting like a pro.
Applying it? Not so much.

That change you keep thinking about?
It won’t happen in your head.
↳ It happens when you move.

Here’s the truth:
Thinking is safe. Doing is brave.

Success doesn’t come from knowing more.
It comes from doing more, especially before you feel ready.

As Peter Marshall said:
“Small deeds done are better than great deeds planned.” 

So, today:
→ Send the email
→ Launch the idea
→ Schedule the meeting

Because movement builds confidence.
And clarity lives on the other side of action.

You don’t need more motivation.
You need one brave step.
And yes! you’ve got this. 💪

P.S. What small step would make you proud today?

♻️ Repost this to inspire others
➕ Need support? Send me a DM
🔔 Follow Diana Lasso for more Strategic Leadership insights

Visual: visualshustles🙏

Most leaders want better performance.
Very few know what actually creates it.

Look at almost any team:
 → People working
 → People trying
 → People waiting for feedback

And behaviour follows attention.
When leaders recognize what works,
 → Confidence grows
 → Motivation increases
 → Performance repeats itself

Because every person needs two things at work:
 → To feel valued
 → To feel part of something
Recognition gives both.

That’s why great leaders use reinforcement on purpose.

Here are 5 simple ways to strengthen behavior in your team:

1- Recognize in the moment:
→ Say it when it happens.
→ Immediate feedback builds momentum.

2- Be clear about what worked:
→ Name the action.
→ Clarity helps people repeat it.

3- Connect effort to impact:
→ Show how their work helped the team.
→ Meaning drives commitment.

4- Make recognition a habit:
→ Small words. Often.
→ Consistency builds culture.

5- Recognize yourself too:
→ Notice your progress.
→ Confidence grows with awareness.

When recognition becomes a habit,
performance stops depending on pressure…
and starts coming from commitment.

Sometimes all it takes is one sentence:
"Well done. That made a difference."

P.S. Which tip resonates with you the most today?

♻️ Repost this to inspire others
➕ Need support? Send me a DM
🔔 Follow Diana Lasso for more Strategic Leadership

The Chief of Staff Coach™ | 3x Chief of Staff helping others get into and excel in the profession 🚀 | Founder of Elevation Chief of Staff Training | CEO at ArlanWasHere

I help founders, CEOs, and executive teams bring on Chiefs of Staff who actually create leverage, not noise, not another layer, definitely not a well-intentioned mis-hire.

And mis-hires are far too common because the Chief of Staff role lives in nuance.

It’s judgment.
It’s context absorption.
It’s decision-making without formal authority.
It’s knowing when to push, when to translate, and when to let go.

I’ve seen what happens when it’s done wrong:
Execs frustrated that they’re still the bottleneck.
Talented operators set up for failure and burnout.
Orgs losing momentum at exactly the wrong moment.

And I’ve seen what happens when it’s done right:
Execs get breathing room.
Leverage compounds. 
Teams move faster.
Decisions stick.
Orgs scale without breaking.

That’s why the work I do matters. 

🚀 For Founders & CEOs
We start by pressure-testing what you actually need from this role— at your stage, in your industry, and inside your real constraints. I challenge vague JDs and find the nuance under the surface to determine what CoS candidate type will be the highest leverage for your unique needs. If you’re looking for the best on paper CoS, I’m not your partner. If you want the best for you Chief of Staff— right scope, right timing, right fit— then we should talk.

🚀 For Current + Aspiring Chiefs of Staff 

I speak to Chiefs of Staff every day.
New Chiefs. Seasoned Chiefs.
People doing the work without the title.
People with the title but without the support.
Most aren’t struggling because they lack capability.
They’re struggling because they lack clarity. Their role was never clearly designed, understood, or empowered.

I train and coach Chiefs of Staff to operate with confidence, clarity, and impact, to understand the unwritten expectations, to navigate power dynamics, and to build trust without burning themselves out.I help Chiefs of Staff benchmark their value, sharpen their judgment, and get clear on where they’ll actually thrive, not just survive.

🤔 Why Recruiting? 
I got into recruiting because I’m deeply skilled at discerning the role itself.

I’ve been a Chief of Staff.
I’ve trained hundreds of Chiefs of Staff.
I’ve coached dozens of Chiefs and their execs on how to work together.

That perspective lets me see what most recruiters can’t:
- The subtle mismatches
- The red flags that don’t show up on a resume
- The difference between someone who looks right and someone who is right for you

Learn more about how I can help you! 
PLACEMENT: www.elevatechief.com
TRAINING www.elevationchiefofstaff.com

Melanie Jones

I was onboarding a new Chief of Staff I just placed when I caught myself pausing, realizing:

There are things I treat as second nature (after years in this work) that aren’t as intuitive when you’re new to the role or have never worked with a Chief of Staff before.

(🔑 If you’re starting a new CoS role this year, or onboarding one, you’ll want to save this post.) 

Here are a few things I assumed were no-brainers… and they actually aren’t:

1. The job isn’t the job. Leverage is the job. 
New Chiefs of Staff often look for safety in a job description, but the role is ambiguous by design. What matters is identifying where leverage lives right now, and moving with it as the business evolves. What’s needed from you will change constantly and the best Chiefs of Staff recalibrate instead of clinging to a fixed scope. You either love that or you hate that, but that’s what the job is. 

2. Being busy is *not* the same as being useful.
Early on, it’s tempting to say yes to everything, but the highest value work is reducing friction: clarifying priorities, tightening decision paths, and preventing misalignment before it turns into noise. Activity can hide misalignment if you’re not careful.

3. Trust is built faster than you think… IF you’re intentional.
Many new Chiefs of Staff underestimate how quickly credibility compounds when you clarify decision rights, communication norms, and escalation paths early. Waiting to “earn” permission slows everyone down. Thoughtful structure builds trust faster than over-delivering in the weeds.


This recent onboarding was a good reminder that experience compresses learning curves only when we make the invisible visible.

It’s also why I’m so focused on not just placing Chiefs of Staff, but setting them up to operate effectively and sustainably.


What’s something you learned in your role that you wish someone had told you sooner?

The Chief of Staff Recruiter | Founder, Elevation Chief of Staff Training & Elevate Chief of Staff Placement | I help execs hire their best fit Chief of Staff | I coach and train current + aspiring Chiefs of Staff

Most Chiefs of Staff think they’re “using AI” because they’ve got ChatGPT open in a tab and an AI notetaker running in their meetings.

But having a hammer doesn’t mean you can build a house. That takes a plan, a blueprint, and (for the best outcome) guidance from someone who’s done it before. 

It’s the same with AI. 
Having the tools and knowing how to build something with them are two completely different things.

I learned this firsthand when I started working with an AI developer who completely rewired how I understood what was possible. Not in a “that’s a cool tool” way, but in a “wait 💡automating that will save me hours a day!” way.

He went beyond giving me prompts or shortcuts to help me see that the most energy-draining, time-consuming work (the stuff that eats your evenings and weighs down your mental load) could be systematized in ways I never imagined.

I’m not technical (at all 😬😅) but the way he explains things makes it click in a way nothing else has. So I started bringing him in with some of my coaching clients. 

Here’s what he’s helped them build so far:

💡 A weekly CEO context packet that pulls from the news, competitor updates, and internal metrics into one formatted brief delivered automatically

💡 Pre-meeting prep docs for every external meeting, auto-researched and formatted based on who’s on the invite and notes from previous meetings

💡 Automated health checks across all strategic initiatives that surface risks before the CoS even has to ask

💡 Board deck and investor update first drafts generated the moment the underlying data is updated

💡 A stakeholder relationship tracker that flags when a key relationship has gone cold, before it becomes an issue

Every single client has the same reaction: 
I didn’t know all of that was possible.

That’s the gap and it’s enormous.

So we’re partnering to turn this into a live, hands-on, small group program. 🙌🏾

Six weeks built entirely around the CoS role, designed to take you from “I use AI” to “I have an AI strategy that makes me untouchable in this role.” That will continue to grow as the biggest leverage gap. 

Most CoS still don’t even know it exists. 
You deserve to be on the other side of it.

Comment “waitlist” below (or anything to let me know you’re interested 😆) and I’ll reach out directly when enrollment opens.

Yesterday I did interview prep with a client who’s clearly the right fit for the role. 

Her biggest obstacle walking into the second round interview (after already impressing the exec she’d be supporting in an extended first round)…? 

Herself 😣 

“I don’t feel confident enough.”
“I get so nervous in these situations.”

Unfortunately I hear this often, because it’s particularly common among Chief of Staff candidates — people who are brilliant behind the scenes, who’ve quietly held organizations together, but who struggle to own that out loud.

Here’s some of the advice I shared with her (sharing here in case it will help others). 
 
1. Nervousness is not a weakness signal. It’s an investment signal.
You’re nervous because this matters to you. That’s a feature. Channel it, don’t apologize for it.

2. Confidence isn’t the absence of doubt, it’s deciding to move anyway. 
You don’t need to feel certain. You need to be certain. Those are actually two different things. Whether you feel it or not, if you *know* that you can help this org, and you know that you’re resourceful and can figure out any parts of the work you don’t yet have experience with, then conveying that clearly is actually doing them a favor.

⭐️ Flip the mental script: 
You’re not there hoping they’ll pick you. You’re there to show them what they’d be gaining with you on their team.

3. They already like you. Your job is to confirm, not convince.
A second interview (especially at this level) means you passed. You’re not auditioning anymore, you’re closing. Consider those rounds more like working sessions focused more on the future of what you’ll bring and less on the past of what you’ve done before. 

4. Prepare so thoroughly that confidence becomes inevitable.
Nerves spike when you don’t trust yourself. Trust is built through reps. Know your stories. Know their business. Know your why. I cannot stress this enough— research the company and the people you’re meeting with. There’s likely at least one podcast or article about the company, about their industry, showing that you know their business shows that you value it and are already invested in it. 

5. Stop performing confidence. Start occupying space.
Slow down. Breathe before you answer. Let silence work for you. The most powerful people in the room rarely rush.

You’ve worked hard. 
You’ve earned the skills and knowledge. 
You’ve been given an opportunity to showcase your capabilities. 

All you need to do now is give yourself  permission to believe you belong.

International Women’s Day fell on a Sunday that we lost an hour, so yeah… I’m taking today too 😄

I want to celebrate a woman who I appreciate and admire deeply, Arlan Hamilton.  

Arlan was my first woman boss and my first boss to really believe in me before I had even proven myself.

I was employee number one at her startup, Runner. I came in as a sort of catch-all, the kind of role where you do whatever needs doing and figure out the rest. She saw something in me and as the company grew she promoted me multiple times. Then she brought me in as her Chief of Staff. Then COO of her personal brand company. 

I could write a book about how much I learned from her over those years because she gave me so much more than titles and work to do. 

She gave me a front-row seat to what it looks like to build something audacious from nothing, and to do it as yourself, authentically and unapologetically.

When (motivated by her books and speeches to “be your own boss”) I started training Chiefs of Staff and built Elevation Chief of Staff Training and Placement, she fully encouraged me. 

When I was ready to go all-in on my own business, she didn’t just wish me well. She supported me in ways that went beyond anything you’d reasonably expect from a former employer. From anyone, really.

Arlan believed in me first. 
I’ve been living up to that belief and paying it forward ever since.

Happy (extended) International Women’s Day, Arlan. Thank you for being yourself so that those of us looking for you could find you. 💜 


(This photo was taken after we pulled off our inaugural Your First Million Live conference… three days, thousands of attendees, incredible speakers like Issa Rae, Gary Vaynerchuk, Rich Paul, Sheila Jackson Lee, Rachel Rodgers, we even had a performance by TLC. So much went into pulling this off. This was my “we did it Joe!” moment 🥹)

No alternative text description for this image

Most companies: 
We’re hiring a Chief of Staff! 
Here’s the application link to the JD we created in ChatGPT. Your resume will likely get lost among the many hundreds of other applicants who have already applied, and we’ll probably grow tired of screening by the time we get to your resume, if it even makes it past the AI ATS system, but good luck! 

Smart companies:
We’re hiring a Chief of Staff. 
We brought in a specialized recruiter who deeply understands the Chief of Staff position. She helped us scope the role for our unique needs and is now running an intentional, focused search. She’s also going to help with partnership enablement to ensure the role is set up for sustainable success and not just short term relief. 


One approach optimizes for volume and creates noise.

The other optimizes for outcomes and creates leverage.

If you’re hiring a Chief of Staff, the difference isn’t luck. It’s having a specialist who builds the search around the role, the leader, and the moment.

That’s where I come in. 🤗

In my work as a Chief of Staff trainer, coach, and recruiter I’ve been proud to notice more and more women stepping into the CoS profession.

This matters more than most people realize.

The person in the Chief of Staff seat sits next to the CEO, shapes the agenda, filters what gets decided and what doesn’t, and sees around corners before anyone else does.

That’s not support work, that’s power.

When women are in that seat, a few things happen:
→ They build a track record of operating at the highest level of an organization
→ They develop relationships with boards, funders, and senior leaders
→ They become visible in rooms that have historically excluded them

The CoS role is one of the fastest paths to the C-suite so it’s awesome to see more women taking it.

I’ll take it even further to say that I don’t think this shift is an accident. The role rewards the exact skill sets women have long been told are “soft” but are actually executive skills. Things like synthesis, emotional intelligence, cross-functional influence, reading the room.

To every woman currently serving as a Chief of Staff: you are doing important work. Keep shining your light for others. 

To every woman considering becoming a Chief of Staff: you were made for this kind of work. The strategy, the influence, the impact… it has your name on it. Go claim it.

Happy International Women’s Day. 💗

The Executive Assistant → Chief of Staff pipeline is real. 

While there's lots of debate on that topic, that’s exactly what happened for myself and for Hallie Warner (and countless others, let me know in the comments if you're a fellow EA → CoS 🤗 )

In the latest episode of "The Chief of Staff Show," I sat down with Hallie (author of "The Founder & The Force Multiplier," a must-read for anyone in an executive support role) to talk about her journey from Executive Assistant to Chief of Staff.

It’s a transition more people are making than ever before.
But it’s also one of the most misunderstood career paths in our field.

In this chat, we talked about:
• Why the Chief of Staff role is often confused with the EA role
• What actually changes when someone becomes a strategic partner to the CEO
• The mindset shift required to move from supporting execution to shaping decisions

One of my favorite parts of the conversation was when we discussed the idea that partnership is a choice. 

The most effective founder x Chief of Staff relationships don’t happen by accident, they’re built intentionally.

If you’re an Executive Assistant who has started doing more strategic work, there’s a good chance you’re already touching parts of the Chief of Staff role.
The question becomes whether you want to step fully into it.

🎧 The episode is live now. You can check it out here https://lnkd.in/g7UwVThd

The best career advice I ever received: 
Act as if you already have the job you want.

Before I first became a Chief of Staff, I unknowingly* started thinking and behaving like one. 

(* I say unknowingly because I didn’t even know what a “Chief of Staff” was at that time 😅 I just knew I wanted to and could add value beyond the bullet points on my job description.)

I built trust and nurtured relationships. 

I brought strategic solutions to my boss instead of just updates. 

I proactively sought out challenges to solve before they became problems for the team. 

I did whatever I could to ensure projects, events, meetings, etc ran seamlessly for my colleagues. 

And then I was given the Chief of Staff role. 

I earned it. 

When you show up and show others you’re ready, opportunities will follow.

The Chief of Staff Trainer | Founder, Elevation Chief of Staff Training & Elevate Chief of Staff Placement | I help execs hire their best fit Chief of Staff | I coach and train current + aspiring Chiefs of Staff

Every Chief of Staff hire I’ve facilitated started with asking the CEO two key questions:

What’s keeping you up at night?
What gets you going in the morning?

The first answer reveals where the business is creating drag. 
This is often being decision bottlenecks, lingering responsibilities, and areas that still require the founder’s constant involvement.

The second reveals where the founder creates the most value (their zone of genius). 
This often looks like vision setting, relationship building, selling, shaping direction, and leading the organization forward.

The gap between those two answers is where the leverage lives.

💡 If CEO anxiety comes from being the final decision point,
and energy comes from setting direction and driving growth,
let’s find a Chief of Staff who has proven expertise managing decision flow and execution so the founder can lead at the highest level.

💡 If CEO pressure comes from misalignment across teams and priorities,
and momentum comes from building what’s next,
that signals a Chief of Staff who enjoys running operating cadence and cross-functional alignment to keep the organization moving together.

💡 If CEO stress comes from holding too much context, judgment, and institutional memory,
and clarity comes from long-term strategy and external leadership,
we’ll prioritize a Chief of Staff who’s comfortable and competent acting as a true thought partner and proxy, extending the founder’s judgment across the company.

What the CEOs I work with appreciate most about this approach is that it moves us away from guessing and towards diagnosing. 

When they can clearly articulate both their energy drainers and their energy givers, hiring becomes more precise.

When they can’t answer those questions (or don’t even know to ask them), Chief of Staff hires default to vague support and rarely move the needle.

What other questions would you ask a CEO who’s about to hire a Chief of Staff?



———————————————

If we haven’t met yet, hi 🤗 I’m Melanie Jones, the founder of Elevation Chief of Staff Training and Placement. 
✨ I train and coach current (and aspiring) Chiefs of Staff 
✨ I help founders and CEOs source, screen, identify, secure, and onboard their best fit Chief of Staff  

Let’s connect!

Yesterday’s post about AI for Chiefs of Staff sparked far more conversation than I expected.

Hundreds of comments.
Countless DMs.
One clear theme:

Chiefs of Staff don’t just want to use AI, they want to understand how to stay valuable as AI reshapes how work gets done.

That’s something I care deeply about.

My goal is to help our profession become AI-resistant and future-proof so Chiefs of Staff are even more strategic, more indispensable, and more valuable in the years ahead.

AI will absolutely change how work gets done, but the Chiefs of Staff who understand how to design systems around it will become exponentially MORE powerful in their roles. Future proof, AI-resistant, whatever you want to call it, this upskilling is urgently needed. 

That’s why we’ve officially opened the waitlist for the small group program (ICYMI: it’s a 6-week, small group, hands-on cohort program that teaches Chiefs of Staff how to design AI systems that automate operational work to increase their bandwidth and amplify their strategic impact)

Since LinkedIn only lets me DM links to people I’m connected with, here’s the easiest way to get it:

• Drop a quick comment here so I know you’re interested in the AI automation program
• Send me a connection request
• I’ll accept and DM you the waitlist link

I’m really excited about this for us! 

Helping Chiefs of Staff stay ahead of where work is going, not scrambling to catch up later, feels like some of the most important work we can do for our profession right now. 🚀

Generalists are often overlooked in leadership, despite versatility quietly becoming one of the most powerful career advantages right now.

In this week’s episode of The Chief of Staff Show, Sarah Rilling and I talk about how non-linear careers often create some of the strongest Chiefs of Staff.

The people who thrive in this role tend to have breadth.
They’re generalists.
They’ve zig-zagged.
They’ve "worn multiple hats."
They’ve learned how to think multiple steps ahead, connect dots, and operate across functions.

And in today’s market (especially with AI reshaping how work gets done) that adaptability matters more than ever.

Our conversation also gets into:
 • Why the CoS job market feels tougher right now than ever
 • What hiring managers actually expect (vs. what job descriptions say)
 • Why LinkedIn and personal branding are no longer optional
 • The mindset shift that separates people who want the role from those who thrive in it

If you’ve ever wondered whether your “non-linear” path disqualifies you…
This episode is for you. 🎙️

Also, I’d love to know, did you take a traditional path into your role, or did you zig-zag your way there?

Check out the episode here https://lnkd.in/g7S7FGnE

Open video: The Chief of Staff Show: Why Generalists Succeed In Chief of Staff Roles on youtu.be

The Chief of Staff Show: Why Generalists Succeed In Chief of Staff Roles

The Chief of Staff job search mistake almost everyone makes, including people who think they’re being strategic: 

Using AI to optimize your resume for the role *instead of* using it to diagnose the problem behind the role. 

(This is a long post, but worth the read. Save it so you can come back next time you’re applying for a CoS role)

In 2026, just about everyone’s resume sounds like it was written by the same “confident, results-driven, cross-functional leader.”

Because it probably was. 
His name is Claude… 😅

The hiring manager doesn’t need another qualified-on-paper candidate. 

They need someone who already thinks like a Chief of Staff, 💡which means someone who spots the real problem before being asked. 💡 

And here’s how you spot the real problem when it comes to why they’re hiring… 

Every job description is a stress document.

Someone wrote it because something isn’t working. Maybe the last hire failed, the executive is drowning in operational debt, strategy and execution have quietly come uncoupled. 

The listed responsibilities are symptoms. 

The real signal is underneath them: a specific, urgent problem the hiring manager is losing sleep over. What is this executive afraid of? What broke, or is about to?

Uncover that and your whole application approach changes.

So instead of pasting your resume into an AI tool, try this: 
paste the JD into an AI tool and ask it to ignore the listed responsibilities and identify the core problem the hire is meant to solve. What failure looks like at 90 days. What success actually looks like.

Then build your positioning around that diagnosis.

Your resume lead. 
Your outreach note. 
Your interview answers. 

All of it should signal: I already see what you’re dealing with and I have the experience and ability to solve it. 

That’s not only a smart job search tactic, that’s the Chief of Staff mindset at play,
and it will immediately resonate with the executives hiring for this role.

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