Dear Leaders,

Every now and then · by Hamza Shayk

Executive isolation

The Higher We Rise, The Less We See

There’s a paradox at the heart of organizational power: the moment we gain the authority to change things, we begin losing the ability to see what needs changing.

Oct 20, 2025

Feel Like An Imposter? You’re Doing It Right

The higher you climb, the better people get at masking it. But I’ve yet to meet a serious leader who doesn’t, at least occasionally, feel like a fraud.

Jun 2, 2025

Listening Well, Speaking Last

Here’s a simple rule: If you’re the CEO and you’re talking more than 60 percent of the time in a meeting, you’re talking too much. I once worked with a founder who opened every meeting with a five-minute monologue.

May 23, 2025

BY GENRE

Executive isolation

Organizational drag

Incentives and measurement

Judgment

People decisions

Power and politics

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ABOUT HAMZA

I advise CEOs and senior investment professionals on difficult decisions, executive development, and organizational performance. My clients lead public, private, PE-backed and family-owned companies, or hold senior roles at investment banks, asset managers and private equity firms.