Dear Leaders,

Every now and then · by Hamza Shayk

Power and politics

The Executive Civil War

For a thousand years, the Byzantine Empire was the most sophisticated civilization on earth: unmatched wealth and institutions, brilliant diplomats, and a military that outlived Rome itself.

Jun 28, 2026

The Praetorian Problem

In 27 BC, Augustus Caesar created the Praetorian Guard. They were the handpicked elite of the Roman military, entrusted with protecting the emperor and preserving order.

Apr 2, 2026

How to Play the Game

By now, two things are clear. Merit gets you in the room. Politics determines how high you go once you’re there. And the power driving those outcomes isn’t necessarily on the org chart — it flows through relationships, informal structures, and contexts you must map.

Mar 12, 2026

The Invisible Architecture of Executive Power

Last week, we named something most executives already sense but are uncomfortable accepting: merit gets you in the room. Politics determines how high you go once you’re there.

Feb 26, 2026

The Unspoken Math of Executive Promotions

Most of us believe in meritocracy. We have to. We’ve spent decades outperforming peers, taking bigger roles, carrying larger P&Ls, and surviving environments where the margin for error gets thinner every year.

Feb 13, 2026

How to Run a Company in a Culture War

Welcome to business in 2025, where cultural illiteracy is more expensive than financial illiteracy, and a single Instagram post can erase decades of brand equity in a day.

Nov 13, 2025

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

Being Right Vs. Being Effective: A Leadership Dilemma

Would you rather be right or effective? Every one of us has fallen in love with the idea of being right. It’s so tempting: facts, logic, data. “The numbers don’t lie.”

Jul 23, 2025

The True Cost of Self-Deprecating Language

I’m seeing more and more leaders hedge in conversation. Often to the point of self-deprecation. You’ve heard lines like these: “I’m probably way off here...” “This might be a dumb idea...” “I’m no expert, but...” “I’m such an idiot.”

Jun 26, 2025

What Your Silence Is Costing You

Politics don’t ruin companies. Hidden politics do. The higher up we go, the more decisions are shaped by personalities, loyalties, and history. That’s normal.

Jun 18, 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

What Story Will You Tell

Once upon a time... A CEO I worked with had to shut down a major division; over 100 people lost their jobs. He had the spreadsheets, the market data, and a rational case.

Apr 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.