Blog

Every year, it happens.You put on something slightly brighter than usual. You head to a breakfast or a lunch. There are round tables. Strong coffee. Incredible women on stage telling powerful stories.You feel inspired. You clap. You take a photo. You write a thoughtful LinkedIn post.And then you go back to your desk.Emails. Meetings. Pace.And I’ve been sitting with this question for a while now:Is inspiration enough?Please don’t misunderstand me. I value those events deeply. I’ve attended them. I’ve spoken at them. I’ve felt moved by the women on stage.But every year, I leave wondering the same thing:How do we make this sustainable?How do we move from inspiration to transformation?<blockquote>Because inspiration lasts an hour. Transformation changes how you lead.</blockquote>I’ve been volunteering with ALELD for almost five years now. Two years ago, I had an idea. Instead of just hosting another Women in Leadership event, what if we designed something that didn’t end when the applause stopped?Because I didn’t want women to leave that space energised… only to slowly return to the same patterns. The same doubts. The same hesitation in meetings. The same internal whisper of “maybe I’m not ready”.So we added something extra.We created a structured mentorship program that sat alongside the event. I reached out to extraordinary women, experienced leaders, generous humans, and invited them to offer two mentoring sessions to participants.Simple. Practical. Intentional.The first edition of the program received a 95% overall satisfaction rating from mentors and mentees.<figure id="figure-ydeogwj1pmm3u3va5"><img id="ydeogwj1pmm3u3va5" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/3bQHp96b0qXW9s21CBO1WOc9Ki63ftQTjTRp0zoxBHjek5xKy1axTzeUVZM8egPF.jpg" alt="Mariana and her mentee standing and smiling " title="Mariana and her mentee standing and smiling " class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="Mariana Marcano Franco and her mentee from the mentorship program 2025" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/3bQHp96b0qXW9s21CBO1WOc9Ki63ftQTjTRp0zoxBHjek5xKy1axTzeUVZM8egPF.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"><figcaption class="body-normal text-gray-500 mt-2">Mariana Marcano Franco and her mentee from the mentorship program 2025</figcaption></figure>But beyond the number, the words mattered more.One mentee shared, “I felt truly seen and supported, I’ve never had a mentor who believed in me this much.”Another said, “My mentor helped me clarify my career direction. I’m walking away with a plan I’m genuinely excited about.”Another reflected, “This program helped me find my voice and show up more confidently at work.”That’s when you know something real is happening.Because what followed wasn’t just positive feedback.Women asked for promotions. They negotiated differently. They spoke earlier in meetings. They applied for roles they had previously dismissed.Last year, we expanded the program again in our second signature event. As I write this, we already have 22 expressions of interest and sessions are still underway.Even from just four mentees so far, the depth of impact is clear.One participant shared that it was an eye-opener, she had never had a mentor before and didn’t know what to expect.Another described the experience as structured, deeply thoughtful, and highly personalised. She spoke about gaining clarity in her leadership journey, understanding her strengths more deeply, and learning to make more intentional decisions.And that’s the point.When women are supported with structure, reflection, and accountability, something shifts.Not because someone gave a motivational speech.But because someone helped them build capability.That’s what International Women’s Day means to me.Not a moment.A catalyst.A reminder that sustainable growth requires more than applause. It requires skill.That belief is also the foundation of In Your Element leadership training.<figure id="figure-2reee395himm3u7y1g"><img id="2reee395himm3u7y1g" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/31Yup9A9YjvEq6GXYVOC2GoiRlYlBjUimPp5BzTYePvqmhsQilmozguGBQekMluN.jpg" alt="Mariana and her mentee smiling" title="Mariana and her mentee smiling" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: 70% 40%;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="Mariana Marcano Franco with her mentee from the mentorship program 2024" data-positionx="70%" data-positiony="40%" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/31Yup9A9YjvEq6GXYVOC2GoiRlYlBjUimPp5BzTYePvqmhsQilmozguGBQekMluN.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: 70% 40%;"><figcaption class="body-normal text-gray-500 mt-2">Mariana Marcano Franco with her mentee from the mentorship program 2024</figcaption></figure><a data-mce-href="https://school.elevative.com.au/?utm_campaign=Last+chance+to+join+with+15%25+off_143132524631&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=shopify_email" href="https://school.elevative.com.au/?utm_campaign=Last+chance+to+join+with+15%25+off_143132524631&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=shopify_email" title="In Your Element" target="_blank" rel="noopener">In Your Element</a> leadership training was designed to help leaders strengthen five core capabilities:<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;" border="1" data-mce-style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;" data-mce-selected="1"><tbody><tr><td style="width: 100%;" data-mce-style="width: 100%;">&nbsp;- Leadership presence: showing up grounded, clear, and aligned.</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 100%;" data-mce-style="width: 100%;">- Emotional intelligence: regulating emotion and reading the room with awareness.</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 100%;" data-mce-style="width: 100%;">- Assertive communication: speaking with clarity and conviction.</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 100%;" data-mce-style="width: 100%;">- Decision-making under pressure: thinking strategically when stakes are high.</td></tr><tr><td style="width: 100%;" data-mce-style="width: 100%;">- Public speaking and presentation skills: communicating ideas in a way that moves people.</td></tr></tbody></table>Not in theory. In practice.Through structured modules, reflection exercises, and practical tools, women don’t just feel inspired, they build competence.And this year, I want to extend that one step further.For every woman who joins In Your Element, I’m GIFTING, yes GISTING, a complimentary one-on-one coaching session.Why?Because training creates awareness. Coaching creates integration.In that session, we can:· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Clarify your leadership direction.· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Identify one capability that will create the biggest ripple effect for you.· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Work through a real scenario you’re currently navigating, whether that’s asking for a promotion, leading a difficult conversation, or stepping into a bigger role.· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Design practical next steps with accountability.It becomes personal.It becomes actionable.If International Women’s Day is going to mean something beyond a post or a panel, let it be the moment you choose to invest in your own growth.Let it be the year you build the skills that will not only elevate you, but allow you to elevate others.If this resonates, I invite you to explore <a data-mce-href="https://school.elevative.com.au/?utm_campaign=Last+chance+to+join+with+15%25+off_143132524631&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=shopify_email" href="https://school.elevative.com.au/?utm_campaign=Last+chance+to+join+with+15%25+off_143132524631&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=shopify_email" title="In Your Element" target="_blank" rel="noopener">In Your Element</a> and take advantage of the complimentary coaching session.The only thing you need to do is to click <a data-mce-href="https://school.elevative.com.au/?utm_campaign=Last+chance+to+join+with+15%25+off_143132524631&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=shopify_email" href="https://school.elevative.com.au/?utm_campaign=Last+chance+to+join+with+15%25+off_143132524631&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=shopify_email" title="In Your Element" target="_blank" rel="noopener">In Your Element</a> and purchase The Training option and we will contact you to organise your GIFT!Because what happens after the event is what truly matters.And the ripple effect starts with you.

What International Women’s Day means to me

Not productivity. not performance. presence.The night before returning to work after a long break often sounds like this:I should feel refreshed… so why does my chest feel tight? what if I’ve lost my edge? what if everyone moved on without me?You tell yourself you’ll just open the laptop to “check emails”. Ten minutes later, you’re knee-deep in threads, flagged tasks, and that familiar sense of urgency creeping back into your body.Welcome back.This isn’t a lack of gratitude. It’s not weakness. It’s your nervous system responding to uncertainty, something many leaders experience when returning to work after a long break, especially when they’re trying to return with presence rather than pressure.And here’s the part we don’t talk about enough: most leaders are never taught how to return well. There’s an unspoken assumption that time off automatically resets us. That rest equals readiness. That leave magically produces clarity, energy, and motivation.Oh well. If only.<h3>The hidden cost of “just jumping back in”</h3>Research backs up what many leaders quietly experience. Deloitte found that over 70% of professionals feel overwhelmed within the first two weeks of returning from extended leave, especially when role expectations have shifted while they were away.At the same time, Gartner highlights that mid-level leaders carry the highest cognitive load during periods of change. They’re translating strategy from above while holding space for emotion, uncertainty, and performance below.Put those two together and you start to see the issue.When you return from leave, you’re not just coming back to tasks.You’re coming back to pressure. To perception. To pace.And often, to a version of yourself that no longer quite fits.So the real question isn’t how do i catch up? It’s how do I return to work with presence, without losing myself again?<h3>Why presence matters more than confidence?</h3>Presence isn’t about having the answers. It’s not about feeling ready, upbeat, or energised.Presence is about choice.It’s the ability to pause, even briefly, before going into solution mode (yes, I know that’s uncomfortable for you). It’s choosing to respond rather than react, because you noticed the reaction forming and asked yourself, what’s actually going on here?It’s noticing what’s changed, not just in the organisation, but in you.Many leaders tell me that during their break, something subtle happened. Their adrenaline dropped. Their body softened. They stopped operating in constant urgency. They remembered what it felt like to think clearly, to breathe properly, to not be “on” all the time.And then they return… and the system hasn’t changed at all.Presence is leading from where you are now, not from where you think you should be.When leaders skip this step, they don’t fail. They default.Over-functioning. People-pleasing. Rushing decisions. Avoiding the conversations that matter.Within weeks, the break has vanished.<h3>A quick context, and why I’m sharing this</h3>I work with leaders navigating change every single day through my leadership training <a data-mce-href="https://school.elevative.com.au/?utm_campaign=Last+chance+to+join+with+15%25+off_143132524631&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=shopify_email" href="https://school.elevative.com.au/?utm_campaign=Last+chance+to+join+with+15%25+off_143132524631&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=shopify_email" target="_blank" rel="noopener">In Your Element</a>. Smart, capable, committed people who care deeply about their teams and their work. Many of them return from leave determined to “do it differently this time”.And yet, without realising it, they walk straight back into the same patterns that exhausted them in the first place. Not because they failed to learn anything, but because no one ever helped them pause long enough to integrate what the break actually gave them.That’s why I want to share the frameworks below. They’re not theoretical models pulled from a book. They come from what I see play out in real leadership lives, in real organisations, under real pressure.Framework one: the re-entry gap (why returning feels harder than leaving)There’s a gap almost no organisation plans for.The gap between:Who you were before the break Who you became during the break What the workplace expects you to be now Most systems plan meticulously for absence. Very few plan for re-entry.That gap creates friction.You’ve gained perspective, but the system hasn’t. You’ve slowed down, but the pace hasn’t. You’ve changed, but expectations haven’t been renegotiated.Presence starts by naming that gap, rather than pretending it doesn’t exist.A few questions worth sitting with:<ol style="list-style-type: lower-alpha;" data-mce-style="list-style-type: lower-alpha;"><li>What did this break give me that I don’t want to lose?</li><li>What patterns am I most likely to slip back into under pressure?</li><li>What does “returning well” actually look like for me, not on paper, but in practice?</li></ol>When leaders name the re-entry gap, something subtle but powerful happens.They stop blaming themselves for feeling unsettled. They stop trying to force themselves back into an old version that no longer fits. And they start leading with more honesty, both internally and externally.Practically, this often shows up as:<ul><li>Clearer conversations about expectations and priorities</li><li>Less internal pressure to “prove” they’re back</li><li>A stronger sense of agency around what they keep, change, or let go of</li></ul>Many leaders tell me this is the first time returning to work feels intentional rather than reactive. Not perfect. Not smooth. But grounded.Framework two: adaptive leadership, start with self, not strategyOne of the core principles of adaptive leadership, and a foundation of my leadership training In Your Element, is simple and uncomfortable:You cannot lead others through uncertainty if you are not regulated yourself.Returning from a long break isn’t a technical problem. It’s an adaptive one. You’re navigating identity shifts, emotional expectations, and ambiguity around role and rhythm.Before diving into goals and deliverables, adaptive leaders do three things.First, they pause before performance.I once worked with a leader, Peter. On his first week back, he deliberately didn’t book a single meeting before 10am. Instead, he spent fifteen minutes each morning walking, thinking, and asking himself one question: what state am I bringing into today?He told me later that it changed everything. He was calmer in meetings, clearer in decisions, and less reactive when things didn’t go to plan. Nothing external changed. He did.Presence starts before the first meeting, not during it.Second, they observe without judgement.Another leader I worked with, Ana, noticed that every time her calendar filled up unexpectedly, her shoulders tightened and her tone sharpened. Instead of criticising herself, she treated it as data. No drama. Just information.She started noticing patterns: when she felt rushed, when resistance showed up, when she reacted more strongly than the situation warranted.That awareness alone softened her responses.Third, they choose one intentional behaviour.Not ten. One.Because intentional behaviours interrupt autopilot. They give your nervous system something solid to anchor to.For some leaders, it’s speaking last in meetings for the first fortnight. For others, it’s building buffer time between meetings. For many, it’s clarifying expectations instead of assuming alignment.Small choices, consistently practised, rewire leadership patterns faster than motivation ever will.A practical re-entry experimentThis is an exercise I use in <a data-mce-href="https://school.elevative.com.au/?utm_campaign=Last+chance+to+join+with+15%25+off_143132524631&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=shopify_email" href="https://school.elevative.com.au/?utm_campaign=Last+chance+to+join+with+15%25+off_143132524631&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=shopify_email" target="_blank" rel="noopener">In Your Element</a> to help leaders reset their internal compass. It takes about fifteen minutes.Take a pen and answer honestly.Stop one behaviour that helped you survive before the break, but now costs you energyStart one behaviour that reflects who you are nowProtect one boundary from your break you are not willing to sacrificeThen ask yourself: What conversation needs to happen to protect this?That question tends to surface where leadership really begins.What most leaders don’t realiseYour team doesn’t need you to come back as the same person. Or the hyper-capable version. Or the permanently energised one.They need you present.Presence builds psychological safety. It builds trust during uncertainty. It builds credibility without over-explaining.And yes, paradoxically, it accelerates performance.<h3>A seven-day challenge</h3>If you’ve worked with me before, you know I care deeply about accountability, not in a rigid way, but in a human one.For the next seven days, before you focus on being effective, practise being intentional.Notice when you’re rushing to prove yourself. Pause before filling silence. Name uncertainty instead of smoothing it over.Ask yourself each day: Am I leading from habit, or from choice?<h3>Curious to go deeper?</h3>This is exactly the work we do inside <a data-mce-href="https://school.elevative.com.au/?utm_campaign=Last+chance+to+join+with+15%25+off_143132524631&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=shopify_email" href="https://school.elevative.com.au/?utm_campaign=Last+chance+to+join+with+15%25+off_143132524631&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=shopify_email" target="_blank" rel="noopener">In Your Element</a>, supporting leaders to build self-awareness, emotional regulation, and adaptive leadership skills so they can lead change without burning out or shrinking themselves.If this resonated, I invite you to watch the short <a data-mce-href="https://school.elevative.com.au/pages/a-leadership-message-on-confident-communication" href="https://school.elevative.com.au/pages/a-leadership-message-on-confident-communication" target="_blank" rel="noopener">leadership message on confident communication</a> and explore whether <a data-mce-href="https://school.elevative.com.au/?utm_campaign=Last+chance+to+join+with+15%25+off_143132524631&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=shopify_email" href="https://school.elevative.com.au/?utm_campaign=Last+chance+to+join+with+15%25+off_143132524631&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=shopify_email" target="_blank" rel="noopener">In Your Element</a> can support you to return to work with presence, emotional clarity, and confidence, especially during change.Sometimes the most powerful leadership shift isn’t doing more.It’s returning differently.

How to return to work with presence after a long break

<h3>One year of Elevative.&nbsp;A year that changed me.</h3><figure id="figure-riof9odyinmfappe54"><img id="riof9odyinmfappe54" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/30Cs2KpkRuySTwxX14fraBOoTWM5pcj5HIxh5Vn7W141oA5HzSNiOXS1AKfurKSm.jpg" alt="the founder of elevative holding the brand's plaque celebrating one year of Elevative" title="the founder of elevative holding the brand's plaque celebrating one year of Elevative" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-lg md:rounded-xl lg:rounded-2xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: 25% 85%;" data-corners="medium" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="25%" data-positiony="85%" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/30Cs2KpkRuySTwxX14fraBOoTWM5pcj5HIxh5Vn7W141oA5HzSNiOXS1AKfurKSm.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: 25% 85%;"></figure>Twelve months ago, I left the safety of full-time work and took the leap.What nobody tells you is that building a business is also about rebuilding yourself.It’s been fulfilling, yes — but also messy, weird, and at times… a full emotional rollercoaster. Not the fun kind with seatbelts and safety instructions. The kind where you realise you’re the one who built the ride… and forgot to test the brakes.You won’t see the crying in the video. I don’t prop my phone up for those moments — though I’ve definitely had some Oscar-worthy performances over emails that never got replies.But I’ve done my part.The Inner Voice: Señorita Should I’ve argued with Señorita Should more times than I can count.You know the voice: “You should play it safe.” “You should tone it down.” “Are you different… in the wrong way?” “You should stop wearing bright colours to serious meetings.”Some days, she wins. But most days, Captain Courage shows up — with curl cream in her hair, a coffee in hand, slightly underprepared, slightly overdressed, and always determined to remind me: “You didn’t come this far to whisper.”The Real Lessons This year has taught me to:- Trust the leap, even if I can’t see the net - Reframe rejection as redirection - Turn impostor thoughts into data—and into direction - Ask for help—because I built a network simply by reaching out - Shift from scarcity to abundance, from perfectionism to excellence with room for collaboration - Experiment even with fear—because clarity often comes after action And no, I didn’t film the tears. But they happened. Because building something from the ground up is personal. It cracks you open in ways you didn’t expect.Who I’ve become Twelve months in, I can say with full honesty: I’m not the same woman who started this.I value different things. I trust myself more. I speak softer to myself when I fail.And my new mantra?<blockquote>Show up with purpose. Ask for help. Aim for excellence, not perfection.Because perfection leaves no room for joy, collaboration, or humanity.</blockquote>For anyone standing at the edge To anyone thinking of starting something: Yes, it’s hard. Yes, it’s scary.But what if the version of you waiting on the other side is so much more whole than the one who’s afraid?🎥 Watch the video. The smile is real, even if the story behind it is layered. 🎤 And if you’d like to meet Señorita Should… she makes a cameo in my keynote, Unmute Yourself. 😉

One Year of Elevative: the leap, the lessons, and Señorita Should

<h3>Elevating leaders: lessons from the Hogan Assessments certification workshops</h3>As someone deeply passionate about leadership development, I'm always on the lookout for ways to inspire and uplift those around me. Recently, I attended a Hogan Assessments workshop in Sydney as part of my accreditation. Two days filled with insights left me reflecting on the evolving landscape of leadership. One of the standout moments was hearing from Peter Berry, the Managing Director of Peter Berry Consultancy (PBC), who shared some truly thought-provoking perspectives. I also complemented my thoughts with PBC's research on this topic.&nbsp;Let me take you through a few key takeaways that really resonated with me:1. Capability: bridging the gap between leadership and managementJohn Kotter's distinction between management and leadership is profound. Kotter paints a vivid picture: imagine managers ensuring trains run on time while leaders envision the future of transport. It's about finding that sweet spot where you're working both in and on the business—balancing the day-to-day operations with a clear, strategic vision for the future. Quite a challenge, right?Reflect with me: Are you merely keeping the trains running on time, or are you also laying down the tracks for your organisation's future?2. Emotional Intelligence: The heart of effective leadershipEmotional intelligence (EQ) is a game-changer in leadership. The workshop reinforced the idea that while IQ might get you in the door, EQ keeps you there and helps you excel. Peter Berry's research expands this further, linking passion and motivation with outcomes from others. It's about tuning into your emotions and those of your team, leveraging that understanding to foster better relationships and drive meaningful results, and utilising tools like the Hogan personality and 360 assessments to gain insights into one's natural behavioural traits and motivations.&nbsp;Let's pause for a moment: How well are you tuning into the emotional undercurrents within your team to strengthen those vital connections?3. Achievement Focus: balancing people, customers, operations and resultsAchieving success requires a balanced focus on people, customers, operations, and results. It's not just about meeting financial targets; it's about creating an inclusive environment, listening to customers, and ensuring operational excellence. Superior performance, it turns out, is all about balancing these elements to drive sustainable success.Think about this: Are you balancing your focus across all these key areas, or is one aspect getting more attention at the expense of others?4. Strategic Thinking: Level 5 leadership and competitive excellenceDrawing from Jim Collins' concept of Level 5 Leadership, the most effective leaders channel their ambitions into a larger mission. The American Baldrige Performance Excellence Framework further emphasises the need for competitive leadership—understanding your strengths and weaknesses and taking intelligent risks to stay ahead.Ask yourself: How are you channelling your ambitions into your organisation's mission, and are you taking the right risks to stay competitive?5. Inspiring Engagement: the true measure of leadershipLeadership isn't just about achieving results; it's about inspiring your team to go above and beyond. Research from AON, Glint, and Mercer/SIROTA highlights the alarming level of disengagement in the workplace, with 24% of global employees no longer going beyond their basic responsibilities.Leadership is the most consequential force in driving engagement, retention, and performance. WHY?! Effective leaders create a positive work environment where employees feel valued and motivated. Engaged employees are more likely to be productive, innovative, and committed.Leaders who understand and leverage their employees' strengths rather than focusing on their weaknesses can significantly improve morale and job satisfaction. This approach not only makes employees happier but also reduces turnover rates.Let's consider this together: What steps are you taking to transform your team from disengaged to fully engaged?Attending the Hogan assessments workshop enriched my understanding of these concepts, and I'm eager to continue exploring how we can all elevate our leadership game. How are you applying these essential building blocks in your leadership journey?Let's connect over coffee! ☕Whether you prefer a virtual chat or a face-to-face meeting, let's make it happen! Let's schedule a time that works for you. I'm looking forward to our conversation!&nbsp;

Blog

What International Women’s Day means to me

How to return to work with presence after a long break

One Year of Elevative: the leap, the lessons, and Señorit...

Elevating leaders: lessons from the Hogan Assessments cer...