Navigating Leadership Tensions in Real Time: It’s not Working Harder. It’s Making the System Stronger.
Each month, we’ll explore the tensions that sit at the heart of leadership and human behavior—the moments where clients feel stretched, uncertain, or caught between competing demands. These reflections are drawn from my work in leadership and executive coaching across private, non-profit, federal and military sectors, where these tensions surface consistently in complex, high-stakes environments.
At the same time, I invite you to make this your own. Whether you coach leaders, teams, students, or individuals in transition, these tensions are human—not role-specific. Adapt them to your context, your clients, and your coaching style—so they become not just concepts, but tools that deepen your presence and expand your impact.
By Lisa J. Kuruvilla, ICF MCC, CMC, CEC
It’s not Working Harder. It’s Making the System Stronger.
Insight:
High-performing clients often default to effort. They step in, solve problems, and keep things moving. But over time, this creates dependency—and masks deeper system issues.
Coaching at this level shifts the focus from effort to design.
Sample Question:
Where might your effort be compensating for a system that needs to change?
Application:
When clients describe overwork, ask: “What is this effort trying to fix?” Then gently redirect from personal output to structural thinking.
