A workplace commentary describes how a manager repeatedly solved her own problems simply by talking them through while her boss mostly listened and asked a few clarifying questions. The piece uses this anecdote to argue that effective leadership depends more on skilled listening than on providing solutions, and outlines three listening skills leaders should develop.
fastcompany.com
· 2026-09-08
The performance coach who works with world No. 1 tennis player Aryna Sabalenka argues that popular productivity techniques break down when real pressure hits. Drawing on personal experience surviving on the streets as a teenager, he contrasts the mindset of a 'warrior' with that of a 'fighter' as the key to performing under stress. He says he has seen conventional advice fail repeatedly across sports arenas, corporate settings, and his own life.
fastcompany.com
· 2026-09-07
A veteran product leader who left a decade-long healthtech career to become a part-time fractional product leader reports ongoing burnout even after her health issue resolved and her workload dropped to its lightest in years. She sought coaching after struggling repeatedly in job interviews for enterprise roles, question whether her burnout was blocking her performance or whether she had overestimated her own skills. Standard fixes like rest, PTO, and quitting for a new company failed to resolve her exhaustion.
jennywanger.com
· 2026-09-04
An executive coach reports a recurring pattern among senior-level clients: they project polish, strong results and confidence publicly, while privately experiencing exhaustion and strain. Colleagues and even close associates rarely notice, or don't feel comfortable raising concerns, allowing the strain to persist unaddressed.
fastcompany.com
· 2026-09-01
New workplace research indicates that many managers approach coaching as a rigid, scheduled event rather than an ongoing practice, often limiting it to annual reviews or occasional check-ins. This narrow view leads managers to either jump in and solve problems directly or treat coaching as an awkward, infrequent obligation. The findings point to four practical adjustments managers can make to turn coaching into a more natural, continuous part of daily work.
fastcompany.com
· 2026-08-30
An executive coach recounts working with a manager who drove a fast platform migration and hit every deadline, assuming a lack of pushback meant the team was fine. The coach argues this speed often masks disengagement, burnout, and silent resistance that surface later as attrition or stalled execution.
fastcompany.com
· 2026-08-25