In my work with senior leaders across industries, one conversation comes up again and again—especially for leaders stepping into VP or senior leadership roles for the first time.
They say:
“I know how to deliver results. I’ve built my career on execution and getting things done. But now, the expectations feel different. I’m not just leading a team; I’m expected to influence across the organization, partner with the C-suite and think far beyond my function. How do I make that leap?”
That’s what I call the growth edge—the space between where you are today and the leader you need to become to thrive at the next level.
The shift from delivering results to driving strategy can feel like stepping onto a completely different playing field. And that’s because, in many ways, it is.
At the Director level, success often comes from execution excellence—delivering projects on time, leading teams to hit targets and ensuring operational efficiency. Those skills don’t disappear at the VP level, but they become table stakes. They’re the minimum expectation, not what sets you apart.
At the VP level, the spotlight widens. Suddenly, you’re:
It’s not like there’s a playbook or checklist for this shift. No one hands you a “how to VP” manual. The roadmap is unwritten because the real growth edge isn’t about what you do—it’s about how you show up.
Your growth edge is in your how.
This is where the biggest mindset shift happens—and where many leaders get stuck.
At this level, your how matters more than your what. How you engage your peers. How you frame and communicate ideas. How you build trust across functions. How you elevate the conversations you’re in.
Your growth edge is defined by how you step into that bigger, broader, more visible leadership role. It’s less about the technical mastery that got you here and more about the leadership presence and strategic thinking that will keep you here—and help you thrive.
As I recently shared recently with a team of senior leaders, those who successfully navigate this shift do three things consistently. These aren’t just “nice to do”—they’re essential for leaders operating at the VP level and beyond.
At the operational level, it’s easy to get caught up in the what—tasks, deliverables, and updates. But senior leaders don’t need (or want) to be in the weeds. They care about the why—the business impact, the risks, the opportunities.
Every time you communicate—whether to your team, peers, or boss—ask yourself: Am I framing this conversation around why it matters? Am I connecting this work to the bigger picture?
This small shift in framing elevates your voice and positions you as a strategic partner, not just an executor.
At higher levels, the ambiguity factor skyrockets. Change happens fast, decisions are made with limited information and senior leaders often operate in gray areas. In these moments, clear communication is a superpower.
If you don’t shape the narrative, someone else will. Be intentional about how you communicate, whether it’s a status update, a team meeting, or a one-on-one with your boss. Ask yourself:
Clear, intentional communication helps you manage up and foster alignment across your peers and teams.
It’s easy to get stuck in the day-to-day grind. But the leaders who thrive at the VP level are the ones who carve out time to zoom out. They don’t just execute—they ask bigger questions:
That shift—from short-term tactics to long-term strategy—is a hallmark of leaders who own their growth edge.
The truth is, no one is going to tap you on the shoulder and say, “Here’s exactly what you need to do to succeed at this level.” The most successful leaders write their own playbook, one built on intentional leadership.
Intentional leaders know that how they show up matters as much as what they deliver.
That’s why your growth edge isn’t just a career milestone—it’s a mindset shift. It’s about owning how you show up, how you add value and how you lead when the path forward isn’t always clear.
So, I’ll ask you the same question I asked that senior leader: What’s your growth edge right now?
Maybe it’s elevating your voice in executive meetings. Maybe it’s becoming more comfortable navigating ambiguity. Or maybe it’s building stronger cross-functional relationships to drive enterprise-wide initiatives.
Wherever your edge lies, I encourage you to lean into it—intentionally. The biggest growth happens when we’re willing to step into the discomfort of not having all the answers—and lead anyway.
If you’re navigating this shift—or preparing for it—I’d love to help you explore your growth edge and build the intentional strategies to thrive. Let’s connect to discuss how executive coaching or leadership workshops can help you (or your team) make the leap.
I don’t know why but there is something different about starting this new year. There’s no doubt I’ve had a lot of change the last couple years – left my 25 year corporate career, started my own coaching practice, wrote a book about my journey and stretched myself in more ways than I can count – but still, the beginning of 2020 just feels different.
For the majority of my own career and then naturally in my work as a leadership coach, the start of each new year is the perfect time for annual goal setting. And when you're in the corporate world, annual goals are designed to be accountability measures that support the strategic direction of the organization (you know, strategic objectives, company pillars, big rocks…whatever your organization calls them!). We are taught to set SMART goals – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time Bound; and even with this level of simplification, we often struggle. It feels impossible to whittle down all that is important to 3 to 5 specific and measurable goals!
This detailed drill down is designed to ensure focus against the specific action that we need to take and the “to-do” list we need to check off during the course of the year. Ironically, this level of precision causes us to actually lose focus…focus on the big picture, on where we are headed, on what excites us and motivates us each day about the future.
For me, Jan 1, 2020 felt different and it was different. I started the year focused less on SMART goals and what would become my "to-do's" for the year; and more on my intention for 2020. What do I see for myself come December 2020? How do I want to be showing up – as a parent, as a friend, as a business woman, as a leader?
Starting with intention (rather than goals) can help you envision something for yourself that your goal-oriented mind could never dream. It aligns you to your journey ahead and the outcomes you wish to achieve – of where you want to be, how you want to feel by the end of the year.
As a coach, my job is to help clients develop possibilities for themselves that, in some cases, they never dreamed were possible. I hold this intention in the highest regard and remind them of where they are going when they forget, or become too focused on the day to day and lose track.
Sure, goals are important, but it is your intention for yourself – your whole self – that keeps you focused forward, inspired and motivated by the direction you are headed. Goals become the means for accountability in achieving that intention.
Setting intention is important for the following reasons:
One simple way to get started in setting intention for yourself is through mind mapping. I have used this with many of my clients this year to create a picture of their intentions for 2020. Mind mapping is a great tool in business and maybe you have had exposure to it in your workplace – when aligning teams on actions, brainstorming new ideas, presenting complex information in a creative way. Mind mapping has become an important tool in my coaching toolbox to help clients create a holistic picture of what they want for themselves in a new year.
HOW TO: On a blank piece of paper, start in the center with “2020 Intentions”. Allow your mind to wander creating main themes from the center and multiple branches from here writing words and thoughts, creating a visual connection to the intentions that come to you. Use color, get creative and have fun!
This is a visual representation of your intentions for 2020 that you can display on your wall to remind you who you want to be and how you want to contribute in 2020!
If you have never done a mind map before, there are plenty of resources and videos out there to help. You can do this exercise yourself and of course, if you would like a coach and strong accountability partner to support you in staying true and achieving this intention for yourself in 2020, I can help!
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