I thought being elected to Partner was a lock.
✅ Long hours.
✅ Complex projects.
✅ Stellar reviews.
The result?
A quiet “no.” (“you will have to wait until the next cycle…”)
No explanation.
No roadmap.
Just a sinking feeling in my gut.
At first: Shame. Doubt. Grief.
Then: Choice.
👉 I wasn’t done.
But I realized something big—
Working harder wasn’t the answer.
I had to change how I showed up.
That’s when I studied "executive presence" as if it were my full-time job.
Sylvia Ann Hewlett’s research, a national survey involving nearly 4,000 college-educated professionals — including ~300 senior executives — to understand what coworkers and bosses look for when evaluating “executive presence."
60% Gravitas → confidence & decisiveness under pressure.
30% Communication → clarity, brevity, making others feel heard.
10% Appearance → first impressions that show you take work seriously.
For me, two shifts unlocked everything:
Brevity → say less, mean more.
Confidence → not sounding smart, but sounding certain.
That shift changed my trajectory.
I went from being overlooked → to being followed.
Now, I coach professionals who’ve been passed over or underestimated.
We rebuild how they show up.
We reframe failure.
We reposition them to rise.
If you just got the email…
If the promotion went to someone else…
If you’re wondering “What now?”
➡️ Let’s chat
This isn’t the end.
It’s your next beginning.