Dear Reader
The start of a new year often comes with quiet pressure to act quickly.
New plans. New targets. A sense that momentum matters more than reflection.
Before accelerating, I have been taking time to pause and look back. How leaders approach the start of the year says a great deal about how the year will unfold, particularly when it comes to focus, pace, and how transitions are handled.
These reflections draw on my years in the CEO role, as well as what I am learning in this first year working as an independent advisor and mentor. I am sharing them here because they reflect patterns I see repeatedly across leaders and organisations, especially at moments of reset or change.
1. Accountability is not the same as focus
As a CEO, it took me time to learn that being accountable for everything does not mean giving equal attention to everything.
Once strategy, systems, and strong leadership are in place, the real discipline becomes choosing where your time and judgement matter most. Each year, I learned to name just three priorities where I wanted to turn the dial, and to be explicit about these with my board and executive team.
This was not about control. It was about clarity.
Clarity about where I was investing my energy, where I needed challenge and partnership, and where I trusted others to lead. Over time, this focus created greater alignment, trust, and momentum across the organisation.
2. Rest changes how you see the work
January can tempt us to rush forward. I learned instead to pause first.
Proper rest at the end of the year created space for more honest reflection. Not just what we delivered, but what truly shifted. What surprised me. What we overestimated or underestimated. What drained us and what strengthened us.
My first day back was one where everyone thought I was still off line because I took it as a reflection and reset day.
The plan might already be agreed with the board, but rest brought perspective. It helped me position our direction more clearly, speak about it with conviction rather than momentum, and lead with greater honesty.
When you are tired, you skip this step.
When you are rested, clarity becomes unavoidable.
3. A different role brings a different kind of anxiety
This year, the end of year felt different. Quieter. Less intense. And unexpectedly unsettling.
Moving from organisational leadership to independent work brought a new kind of stress. Not overload, but uncertainty. The logic was there. The planning was there. Yet the emotional adjustment lagged behind.
What I am learning is that transitions have their own rhythms. Confidence does not always arrive at the same time as clarity. Trust often comes first, and reassurance follows later.
This is not unique to independent work. I see the same pattern when leaders step into new roles, scale organisations, or let go of familiar ways of working.
I am sharing these reflections because many leaders I work with are navigating similar tensions. Balancing delivery with focus. Speed with reflection. Certainty with change.
If any of this resonates, I would welcome a conversation. Sometimes a pause, a sounding board, or a reset is exactly what allows the next phase to be navigated with more confidence and clarity.
Warm regards,
Liz
Strategic Advisor | Former CEO | Founder, Volante
Based in Kenya, available globally
