When the Team Stops Talking For weeks, Daniel had felt like something was off. The team was quieter in meetings. Ideas were surface-level. Deadlines were being met, but enthusiasm was missing. He chalked it up to the busy season, until a trusted colleague offered a gentle comment after a long week: “You’re hard to read lately. It’s like [ Read More ]
Revisiting Strategy with Intention You don’t need another brainstorming session. And you certainly don’t need another binder full of goals. What you probably need is space to figure out why the plans you’ve made haven’t led to the traction you hoped for. You’re not alone. Most strategic plans don’t fail because they’re bad ideas. They fail because strategy execution breaks [ Read More ]
Why Relying on One Person’s Knowledge Can Hold Your Business Back Every business has a "Brenda". The employee who knows everything. Whether it’s solving a complex problem or dealing with a difficult client, Brenda has the answers. Over time, she becomes indispensable, the go-to person for all things critical to the business. But what happens when Brenda takes time [ Read More ]
Understanding the Risks of Being "Average" in Your Market A small construction company once prided itself on being a jack of all trades. They handled residential remodels, commercial build-outs, and even the occasional industrial job. They weren’t bad at any of it. But they weren't known for any of it either. Over time, they found themselves in constant bidding [ Read More ]
When Silence Slows Growth When leadership of a long-standing family business passed to the next generation, everything looked ready for success. The company had a strong reputation, loyal people, and a board of trusted advisors who had supported the business for decades. But something was off. The energy in board meetings had shifted. Conversations were polite but shallow. [ Read More ]
When Leadership Turns Into a Bottleneck David was the hero of his company. As the head of sales for a fast-growing tech firm, he was the first one in, the last one out, and the person with every answer. An employee had a question about a proposal. They went to David. A client had a unique request? David [ Read More ]
The Power and Risk of a High Performing Board When Cheryl became CEO of her family’s second-generation business, she inherited a board made up of close friends of her father. They were loyal, but meetings were quiet. Everyone agreed with the CEO, even when the strategy was unclear. As growth slowed, Cheryl realized what she was missing: a [ Read More ]
Accidental Culture: Why It Happens “We’re making more money than ever, so why does it feel like everything is falling apart?” The question hung in the air of Maria’s office. As the new president of a family-owned manufacturing firm, she had inherited a business that was, by all financial metrics, a runaway success. Yet, she spent her days [ Read More ]
“I thought I had more time.” That’s the most common phrase we hear from business owners after an unexpected exit — whether it’s due to a health crisis, a surprise opportunity, or simply burnout that came on faster than expected. And yet, over and over again, leaders delay business succession planning. Not because they don’t care — but because [ Read More ]
What Growth Actually Feels Like At the end of the first workshop in Aileron’s Becoming a More Conscious Leader 12-month program, a participant laughed and sighed while sharing, “I feel like I’ve been through a workout — for my brain and my heart.” That’s not unusual. In fact, it’s expected. As Erika Alessandrini, Aileron Leadership Coach, often reminds [ Read More ]
“We just assumed you’d be here.” That’s what the operations lead said to her founder, after he announced—abruptly—that he was stepping away. There was no handoff. No plan. Just silence, followed by uncertainty. And while they managed to keep things moving, no one would describe what followed as smooth. Long-standing team members left. Clients began asking questions. Trust wavered. [ Read More ]
When Pressure Takes Over, What Happens Next Defines Your Leadership Picture this: A CEO walks into a meeting just after a tense call with a client. Frustration lingers. An employee raises a concern — and the CEO snaps. The conversation shuts down. Nothing gets solved. Later, the CEO regrets it. The issue was minor. The reaction wasn’t. We’ve [ Read More ]
