Hi there, it's Stefanie (President of TVG)—back with your monthly dose of leadership insight.
As we step into fall and the final stretch of the year, I’ve been reflecting on how some seasons of life bring a full reset. All at once.
New territory. Tough decisions. Quiet endings. Unexpected beginnings.
That’s the season I’m in right now.
From evolving business direction to making difficult people decisions…
From designing new programs to coaching leaders through complex transitions…
It’s been a season full of both joy and weight. And it’s reminded me:
Leadership isn’t about clean lines. It’s about holding paradox.
This has been one of my strongest years in business, and also one of the most challenging.
New clients. Pilot programs. An evolving team. Lots of learning. More visibility than ever.
And also: moments of doubt, exhaustion, and the pressure of leading well in times of change.
The both/and is real.
You can be proud and tired.
Grateful and uncertain.
Excited about the future and still making sense of the past.
Expanding and contracting, all at once.
I’ve heard this echoed in coaching conversations, too:
"I had my best year yet, but my partner and I were navigating infertility.”
"I finally got a seat at the table, but my marriage is in a rough patch.”
"I was invited to a top-tier committee right after my biggest career drawdown.”
These are real experiences. And they’re not rare.
They’re the both/and of life.
We tend to assume that when things are going well, everything should feel good.
That success means ease. That progress means certainty. This is particularly easy to assume when we’re the observer of someone else’s life and it seems like they have it all together.
But that’s not how growth works.
You might:
- Celebrate a long-awaited win while grieving what had to go.
- Pause to breathe and still feel uneasy about what’s next.
- Say yes to an exciting opportunity and still carry doubt or fear.
- Feel clear on your values and still face decisions that stretch them.
These moments aren’t signs you’re off track. They’re signals you’re in the real work and practice of leading, of evolving, of being human.
So, what helps?
For me, it’s been:
→ Radical acceptance of what’s true (and what's not).
→ Leaning on trusted advisors who understand my values. goals, and vision.
→ Doubling down on what I can control. (Some days that’s as simple as a clean kitchen and a coffee pot set to brew.)
And more than anything, remembering that consistent daily action, not perfection, is the goal.
This month’s prompt for reflection:
Where in your life or leadership are you being asked to hold two truths at once?
What’s one small thing you can do to move forward—not perfectly, but with intention?
You don’t need to have it all figured out. You just need to keep showing up.
I’m in it with you.
—Stefanie
