There are moments in life that quietly shift the ground beneath us.
For me, after navigating a significant personal loss earlier this year, I found myself seeing leadership, alignment and purpose through a different lens.
For me, after navigating a significant personal loss earlier this year, I found myself seeing leadership, alignment and purpose through a different lens.
I’ve always believed leadership is lived from the inside out.
But loss has a way of slowing you down just enough to notice the distance between who you are, what you value, and how you’re actually leading.
But loss has a way of slowing you down just enough to notice the distance between who you are, what you value, and how you’re actually leading.
And if we’re honest, many leaders experience this — we just don’t talk about it.
Transition, pressure, change, emotional weight — none of it pauses simply because we have roles to perform.
And our roles don’t pause just because life gets heavy.
And our roles don’t pause just because life gets heavy.
But there is real power in acknowledging both truths at the same time.
Over the last few months, I’ve had to realign quietly — not publicly, not loudly — but in the way leaders often must:
returning to purpose, checking my capacity, and grounding myself again in the foundations that keep me steady.
returning to purpose, checking my capacity, and grounding myself again in the foundations that keep me steady.
What I learned is this:
Alignment isn’t a one-time achievement — it’s a leadership discipline.
It’s a practice of coming back to yourself.
It’s a practice of coming back to yourself.
It’s the discipline of asking the harder questions:
- Am I leading from my values, or from pressure?
- Is this direction still aligned with my purpose?
- Where has responsibility overshadowed intention?
- Where has clarity been replaced by noise?
- What needs to be brought back into alignment so I can lead well again?
And none of these questions make a leader weak — they make us deeply aware.
In Māori thinking, we might describe this as returning to our pūtake — our foundations.
When your pūtake is steady, every part of your leadership becomes more intentional:
your decisions, your boundaries, your energy and the way you carry your teams.
When your pūtake is steady, every part of your leadership becomes more intentional:
your decisions, your boundaries, your energy and the way you carry your teams.
Through my own realignment, three truths remained constant:
1. Purpose brings clarity.
When you’re clear about why you lead, every decision becomes cleaner.
Not easier — cleaner.
Not easier — cleaner.
2. Alignment protects capacity.
Most leaders don’t burn out from workload.
They burn out from misalignment.
They burn out from misalignment.
3. Values build resilience.
When you lead from your values, even heavy seasons deepen your leadership rather than diminish it.
These aren’t theories — they’re lived experiences.
Lessons carried through loss, through change, and through rebuilding.
Lessons carried through loss, through change, and through rebuilding.
For Leaders Reflecting This Week
Where do I need to realign — in my goals, my team, or my leadership mindset — to lead with more purpose this week?
Take this with you into your meetings.
Into your decision making.
Into your leadership environment.
Into your decision making.
Into your leadership environment.
Leadership capacity isn’t found in holding everything together —
it’s found in creating space to lead with intention.
it’s found in creating space to lead with intention.
A Note for Emerging Leaders
In February, I’ll be offering free mentorship sessions for new and emerging leaders — a grounded, values-led space for those working in people-centred service environments to rebuild alignment, purpose and capacity from within.
If you’re navigating transition, seeking clarity, or preparing for your next stage of leadership — this space is for you.
Arotahi Solutions
Leadership • Performance • Cultural Integrity
Supporting leaders to grow from the inside out.
Supporting leaders to grow from the inside out.
