I'm a believer that small changes can create a huge impact in your life. For example, working out and meditating in the morning can give you more energy, help you think more clearly, and improve your focus throughout the day.

But when it comes to leadership, it's hard to find these single shifts that create disproportionate change, and that's because most people don't write about them.

Most leadership books talk about nine behaviours or seven habits, and under each of those, there's a whole subset of actions that you need to take. It can feel overwhelming when you already have 25 things on your to-do list!

I've been running my VP-Ready coaching program for almost four years now, and have worked with over 200 women to help them get VP-ready.

In the program, we talk about a range of traits and behaviours that will allow you to show up as VP-ready and ensure that the people around you recognize you're ready for the next step. Things like command, strategic leadership, kind candour, and so much more. Not only that, these behaviours help to ensure that once you get there, you're ready to thrive.

But when I take a big step back, pretty much everything I teach and everything that all of the leadership advice out there says boils down to one thing. And that's what I want to unpack in today's newsletter. Let's dive in…

The single most impactful change you can make

When I sum up all of the leadership advice I've read or discovered, it comes down to a single thing: Act with intention. That might seem simple, because it is (as a concept). But my friends, simple does not mean easy.

Despite the fact that I share this message throughout the program that I run, I find myself giving this advice over and over again when answering questions or in group coaching sessions.

The reason is that most of us are not acting intentionally today. We're reacting to what's happening around us, and there's a big difference.

Why don't we naturally act with intention?

There are two main contributors that prevent us from acting with intention in our daily lives:

1. We're way too damn busy

Acting with intention requires space, and most of us have zero space in our day.

Let me guess, you get up in the morning, try to squeeze in a workout, get the kids ready for school, walk the dog, clean the kitchen etc… and maybe jam a muffin in your mouth before you sit down to start working…?

Then, your day really begins:

  • You're in back-to-back meetings all day with little to no breaks
  • You're trying to keep up with email and Slack/Teams messages in between and putting out fires along the way
  • You're working through lunch to catch up on all of the responses

By the time your day ends, you feel as though your head is spinning and barely remember the details of what happened.

Where's the space here?

The truth is, you need to slow down to create space. It doesn't just happen, and the one minute between Zoom calls doesn't count.

2. We lack self-awareness

The truth is that most people are not even thinking about how they are showing up in the world, or how they are spending their time.

Because you're way too busy, you're operating on autopilot and simply reacting to the things that come your way, instead of intentionally going through your day.

Becoming more self-aware looks like:

  • Recognizing how you spend your time and whether it's effective
  • Noticing how people respond to the way you communicate
  • Seeing your own gaps and where you can grow

I always say that self-awareness is the first step to any change. If you don't know how you're showing up today, it's really difficult to start showing up differently

What really changes when you start acting with intention?

So much changes when you start doing this.

You start designing your day around the things that really matter and become more strategic with your time.

You start communicating in a way that's more effective and able to get your point across more easily.

You build relationships with the key stakeholders who matter and increase your influence across the organization.

You manage interpersonal challenges easily and become known as someone who can handle conflict.

You become more proactive in your day instead of constantly reacting to the chaos around you.

Believe it or not, this is all very possible for you!

How to get started

I want to share a tangible next step you can take to create more space, and another one to build better self-awareness.

Creating space: This is a 2-step process.

1. Start auditing your calendar. Every Friday, look at the meetings scheduled for the following week and see if any can be cancelled, shortened or deleted.

2. Start time blocking strategic work (ideating, planning etc…) and tactical work (emails, Teams messages etc…).

Doing these will instantly create more space and less chaos in your day.

Building self-awareness:

Start building some mindfulness into your daily routine. Meditate for 5-10 minutes in the morning, and then schedule in a couple of short mindfulness breaks during the day to take a few deep breaths and re-centre.

Over time, these small mindfulness habits will increase your level of self-awareness.

The truth is, it will take effort to make this shift. However, slowing down and becoming more intentional is the single change that has had the biggest impact on my career trajectory and the way I was perceived as an executive. And I've seen it help women go from struggling directors to thriving VPs many times.

As you know, my mission in life is to help more women get their seat at the table

If one of your 2026 goals is to become a VP, come to my free masterclass in January to kick off the year with intention, where I'll walk through the key factors that hold women back from exec roles. In 90 minutes, we'll cover:

  • What are the top 3 factors holding you back
  • Which one should you focus on
  • How to get started

Register here and hit the ground running in 2026!

Until next time friends… ✌️💜

Katy