By Melissa Thompson When the ground shifts, silence gets loud. If you’ve ever been part of a team navigating change—whether it’s a new system, a leadership shake-up, or even a merger—you know how quickly uncertainty can snowball. People start whispering in the hallways, trying to connect dots that may or may not exist. The rumor […]

by Adrian Owen Jones Most leaders believe it is. They attend workshops on “authentic communication” and practice their town hall presentations. But here’s what we’ve learned after working with hundreds of leaders through organizational change: transparency isn’t about learning what to say. It’s about unlearning the instinct to wait. Change creates information vacuums. Your teams […]

By: Adrian Jones What I’ve Learned About Leading With Curiosity Instead of Control There was a time when I thought leadership meant decisiveness: knowing the plan, communicating it clearly, and sticking to it. But the more I worked with high-performing teams in fast-moving environments, the more I realized something important: it’s not about having all […]

By: Melissa Thompson How to Communicate Like a Leader I. Introduction Many leaders carry this belief: “If I explain myself clearly, that should be enough.” But clarity alone isn’t the whole equation—how a message lands often matters more than how it’s delivered. Effective communication is a necessary part of leading. It shapes how messages are […]

Many leaders carry this quiet belief: If I want it done right, I need to do it myself. I see it all the time in my work, especially with high performers who’ve recently stepped into leadership roles. They’ve been promoted because they’re great at getting things done, but they’re still holding onto too much and are hesitant to delegate.

June hits differently. 

The Q1 buzz is long gone, Q4 still feels forever away, and for many teams, motivation starts dragging. If you’re feeling that dip in energy, you’re not alone—and neither is your team.

We’re halfway through the year. The plans we made in January have either taken root, unraveled, or been quietly replaced by reality. It’s the perfect time to step back, recalibrate, and ask: Where are we now, and where are we going? 

A Mid-Year Reflection for Leaders Navigating the Unexpected 

You started 2025 with a plan.
Maybe even a color-coded one. A word of the year. A fresh planner. A set of goals that made you feel like this was finally going to be your year.

At Success Labs, we work with leaders who care deeply about results—and equally about people. That’s why we’re challenging the outdated belief that overwhelm is simply the cost of doing business.

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, let’s talk about something many teams feel but few have the language for: burnout. What is it really? What does the science say? And how can we recognize and prevent it—before it costs us our health, our people, or our purpose?

Physical space matters profoundly at work. Have you heard of “hoteling” at work? It’s a practice where employees don’t have assigned workspaces but instead “check out” a desk for the day. These spaces come equipped with a desk, a monitor, and a place to plug in a laptop. However, employees must pack in, and pack out, everything else they need to work. It reminds me of staying in a hotel. While a hotel room technically provides everything I “need,” I never feel comfortable. I don’t sleep as well, I struggle to focus, and I long to return home. I wonder, “How productive and effective are employees in hoteling setups? Do they want, as I do, to just go home?”

Leadership isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about having clarity. But let’s be real: in today’s fast-moving, high-demand world, leaders are often bogged down by mental clutter. Think of it like an overstuffed closet—full of outdated beliefs, inefficient processes, and workflows that no longer lead to success. It’s time for some serious spring cleaning!

Every leader has blind spots. Even the most seasoned executives—those with decades of experience—sometimes miss the impact they have on their teams, the subtle ways their communication style influences collaboration, or how their decision-making approach shapes company culture. This is where 360 feedback becomes an invaluable tool in executive coaching.