There’s a myth in leadership that experience automatically makes you better. But I’ve learned, on the racetrack, in health policy, and in research funding, that experience without adaptability is just a heavier anchor. The world changes. Fast. And if you’re clinging to “what used to work,” you’re not leading. You’re coasting.

Everyone seems to be chasing work-life balance. It’s become one of those phrases people throw around in performance reviews, wellness programs, and leadership retreats. The idea sounds great: work hard, but not too hard. Make time for family, fitness, and fun. Keep everything “in check.” But here’s the problem:

Leadership doesn’t always come with the most years on your resume. In fact, some of the strongest leaders I’ve seen were not the most experienced person in the room. They didn’t know everything. But they knew how to carry themselves, how to make decisions, and how to guide the group without pretending to have all the answers. That’s what confidence in leadership actually looks like. It’s not loud. It’s not about titles or dominance. It’s about presence...

Leadership isn’t just about making decisions. It’s about how people experience you day after day. You can have the title, the track record, the influence, but if your behavior changes depending on who’s in the room, how stressed you are, or what mood you’re in, your credibility starts to erode. People notice inconsistency. They may not call it out. But they remember it. And in leadership, that quiet loss of trust is costly...