Leadership in action goes beyond achieving goals—it’s about aligning who you are, how you lead, and what you help to create.  But what if I told you that sustainable leadership—the kind that fosters personal well-being, authentic relationships, and long-lasting organisational impact—requires something deeper? Enter the I-We-It framework, a transformative approach I use in my coaching work to help leaders find balance and focus in the complexity of their roles.

Is your approach to managing up keeping you on the path to success—or is it silently leading you towards burnout?

Early in your career, managing up may have been a checklist of tasks: writing a succinct weekly email, preparing 1:1 agendas, and keeping your boss informed. But as you climb the corporate ladder, this transactional approach needs to evolve, and fast!

A Lesson in Managing Up

Growing up in the middle of America in the 80s, my mom was a single working mother who often brought her work home. This was before laptops, Zoom, and the internet, so she spent a lot of time on the phone in the evenings—an actual phone connected to a wall!

As a 9 or 10-year-old, I often felt frustrated when she was on the phone because I needed her permission to do things like go on a bike ride or play with a neighbour. Interrupting her was a big no-no. So, I devised a solution. I would write a note saying: