Mastering Leadership Skills

When I was in corporate, we'd promote people from high achiever to leader and assume a magic transformation would happen - that they'd suddenly feel comfortable delegating, coaching and watching others struggle without stepping in. Today I led about 150 women (virtually) from the Women in Electronics organization through four key tools to shift from high achiever to strategic leader. Here’s some strategies to make the shift: ▫️Notice your payoff from doing. The thrill of achievement provides a quick dopamine hit (helper’s high!). But that’s something you need to resist to get to the greater fulfillment of patiently coaching others to improve. ▫️Get out of the overwhelm cycle It’s hard to build sustainable confidence if you are overworked and overwhelmed. Ask yourself: Am I overwhelmed because it’s just easier and quicker to do it myself? What low-stakes tasks can I delegate where it’s okay for people to make (and learn) from mistakes? ▫️Stop overusing empathy. Being an empathetic leader is a key skill! But overusing empathy to the point we rush in and protect and save our team from disappointments and challenges is overusing empathy to the point of being disempowering. Can you be comfortable with allowing them to struggle a bit as they learn something new? Remember, when you overfunction, you allow others around you to underfunction. #womenleaders #confidence #careers #leadershipdevelopment

The biggest myth about climate careers? That you have to take a pay cut for purpose. The data says the exact opposite. A new report from RMIT University and Deloitte (linked in the comments) reveals the market is paying a significant ‘green premium’ for managers with climate skills – an average of 13% more, or an extra $13,000 annually. 💰 This is a clear price signal from a market facing a severe talent bottleneck. That same report projects a need for over 1 million more green-skilled workers in Australia by 2030, just to keep pace with demand from medium and large businesses. The Clean Energy Council backs this up, suggesting the energy transition alone could create an additional 604,000 jobs by 2030. When does a skills 'gap' start to look more like a careers 'gold rush'? And while businesses report that cost and time are major barriers to upskilling their own teams, that creates a huge opportunity for proactive individuals. But what does this 'green premium' look like in real life? It looks like Rob Chan. I recently featured Rob in my #HumansOfSydneyClimateAction series (see carousel or https://lnkd.in/gNp_62sg). Look no further than this to see how expert skills can be leveraged for climate impact. After influential roles at mobility giants like Uber and Zoomo, he’s now the Managing Director for Turo Australia, actively decarbonising transport by scaling the car-sharing marketplace. Rob’s "ah-ha!" moment was deeply personal, intertwined with becoming a parent during the Black Summer bushfires. That personal drive, combined with his deep professional expertise in marketplaces, made his skillset incredibly valuable to a sector desperate for experienced leaders. He's a great example of how you don't start from scratch. You pivot. I see this pattern all over our Climate Crew community. It's people like James Butler, taking his deep strategic experience from Bain & Company and Qantas to become Head of Strategy at Ausgrid, right at the heart of the energy transition. It's Alison Chan, transitioning from a decade as a Director at a magic circle law firm to become a leader in sustainable finance. Their stories prove the point: the challenge is learning to translate world-class skills from other industries to bridge the perceived 'experience gap'. Engineers, accountants, marketers, lawyers, project managers – your expertise is in high demand. A year ago, I invested in myself by taking the Terra.do 'Learning for Action' course to deepen my own climate knowledge. It helped me connect my existing skills in photography and storytelling to where they could have the most impact. The transition doesn't need everyone to become a climate scientist. It needs skilled professionals to apply what they already know to solving new, urgent and well-funded problems. The opportunity is immense. The demand is proven. The premium is real. #GreenSkills #ClimateCareers #CareerPivot #EnergyTransition

Women, Want to Network Like a CEO? Start by Rethinking the “Old Boys’ Club” Playbook Research from Kellogg shows that women gain the most in networking when they don’t just copy traditional male-dominated strategies. Instead, the best results come when women focus on strategic alliances with other women — but with a twist. This study is more than a “fix the women” story; it highlights systemic gaps in career networking that women can actively navigate and reshape. Here's the playbook for women that I recommend: 🔹 Go Beyond “Visibility”: Central networks matter for everyone, but women benefit most from building connections that share private insights essential for navigating biased structures. These insights, often from trusted women colleagues, can make all the difference in understanding workplace nuances, including the politics and protocols that are frequently unsaid. 🔹 Diversify Close Connections: Avoid echo chambers by connecting with well-networked women who bring unique perspectives from other workplaces, industries and sectors. This diversity amplifies exposure to insights outside of a narrow view, enabling women to approach career challenges with a broader, more strategic lens. 🔹 Invest in a Balanced Network: Successful businesswomen cultivate visibility and depth in their networks — relationships that provide access and specific, actionable guidance. Women can follow this approach by building wide-ranging connections and trusted relationships, offering invaluable, gender-specific career advice. 🔑 Leadership Call to Action 1. Support strategic networks that give women access to public and private information. 2. Host events that encourage diverse, meaningful, strategic mentorships and sponsorships. 3. Coach women to prioritise networking as a core career-building activity—strategically and persistently—because effective networks don’t just happen; they are cultivated with purpose. 4. Provide women with training on building and leveraging a strategic network, in person and online. Further Resources in first comment👇 #Networking #Mentorship #Diversity

Confidence vs. Competence: Navigating Gender Perceptions in Leadership On January 1st, 2017, I was announced as the Country Manager for Betway Uganda. I was in my 20s, leading a powerful global brand, and soon, the newspapers carried the story. Exciting, right? But with the headlines came the whispers and doubts: 💭 “Will she handle it?” 💭 “Can she navigate the waters of such a high-profile role?” I knew the world was watching. But more importantly, my bosses at the time (God bless them) had seen what others hadn’t. They had confidence in me, and the best way I could honour that trust was to SHOW UP— with both confidence and competence. I understood that I had a mountain to climb, and the only way was through hard work, strategic learning, and resilience. So, I got to work: 📌 Investing more time than most would. 📌 Committing to continuous learning. 📌 Asking the right questions at all stages. 📌Listening more and speaking with intent. 📌Going over and above my expected assignments. 📌Being proactive, solution-oriented, and disciplined. I had to build my competence and own my expertise—not because I had to prove myself to doubters - but because I wanted to lead authentically and confidently. 🔹 Most women in leadership will face this reality: Confidence vs. Competence. 🔹 Some will expect us to prove ourselves over and over again. 🔹 But the real power lies in how we navigate these gender perceptions. Three Ways to Navigate Gender Perceptions in Leadership: 📍Master Your Craft – Competence Silences Doubt: No matter the biases or stereotypes, when you know your work inside out, results will speak louder than any prejudice. Be excellent—let your expertise make the statement. 📍Lead with Confidence – Own Your Space: Confidence is not arrogance—it is assurance in your abilities. If you shrink yourself, people will mirror that doubt. Show up, speak up, and let the world adjust! 📍Build a Strong Support System – You Don’t Have to Walk Alone: Surround yourself with mentors, sponsors, and like-minded professionals who see your potential, challenge your growth, and champion your success To every woman in leadership: You don’t have to choose between confidence and competence. You need both. Own your expertise, trust your journey, and keep breaking barriers. Have you ever felt the pressure of proving yourself as a woman in leadership? Let’s talk in the comments! PS: My name is Coach Adelle. I am a Certified Leadership and Personal Growth Coach, Lawyer, Data Scientist, Human Capital Specialist, Speaker, and Trainer. I help leaders build thriving, high-performing teams with a touch of financial literacy. #CandidTalkWithAdelle #GrowWithAdelle #Leadership #HumanResource #FinancialLiteracy

If you want to work in climate, you need to LEARN + DO 90% only learn. And skip the doing part 🤷♂️ After seeing little results. They give up. Frustrated. 😭 Please, don’t give up. We need all the talent we can get to tackle climate change. Here’s what you can do instead: 1️⃣ LEARN about a sub-sector: → Intro + Overview first (IPCC, Project Drawdown) → Deep dives next (Shayle Kann, Climate Drift) → Sub-sector leaders, newsletters, etc. last. Time box “the learning” to a handful of hours. (yes hours, not weeks or months!). 2️⃣ Start the DOING Figure out the current challenges in your climate sub-sector. ❓How❓ Easy: Do your research and use two guiding questions: → What do climate tech VCs/Founders get asked, but don’t have a good answer for (conference recordings, podcasts, etc.) → What is everyone in a sub-sector talking about right now (Linkedin, Twitter/X, etc.). Harder: Ask leaders in the space directly. (pro tip: use opendoor climate from Daniel Hill to find those doors). 👉 In short: Where does every climate conversation pause…because it’s complicated? Where the conversation stops. Is where you start 💪 ❓How❓ → By understanding the issue like an insider.  → Knowing what has already been covered.  → And adding your experience to it. Ask yourself: Didn’t I solve a challenge like this in my professional life before? Apply your own perspective, experience, and skills to the challenge. Why is this helpful for breaking into climate? Think about it this way: → Let’s assume you work in tech marketing for a startup. → You understand B2C, B2B, GTM, PMF, VC and Angel. Would you consider hiring somebody who asks: Person 🅰️: → “I love tech. It’s so important. Which internet marketing companies should I look into?” OR Person 🅱️: → “Many B2B product companies are becoming media companies.” → “Especially company X and Y, they’re marketing differently…” → “In the next year I see 3 lead flow challenges for B2B…”.  → “What’s your take?” Use this to make yourself successful 🙌 Put in the DOING. And become like person B. But for climate 💚 —— PS. Want to work in Climate + tackle current challenges as part of a leadership community? Join our Climate Drift career accelerator. Next Cohort opening soon. 👉 Link in the first comment. PPS. In case you’re wondering ❓Why trust my advice❓ Maybe this helps (slightly blushing as I write this 😳) → I taught 100s of students at the best universities (Harvard, etc.) → Personally helped 1,000s of people transition careers. → Built a 6-figure, 7-figure, and a 8-figure business. → Advising 10+ early-stage impact companies.

Working in a male-dominated industry can be tough, but with determination and the right approach, you can succeed. Here's how I did it, and how you can too: 1. Know Your Worth Believe in your skills and show that you belong. Confidence in your expertise is key to being taken seriously. 2. Build Connections Having a strong support network is essential. Find mentors and allies who can guide you and open doors for your career. 3. Speak Up Don’t be afraid to share your ideas. Make your voice heard in meetings and important discussions. 4. Stay Resilient There will be challenges and setbacks. Use these experiences to push yourself harder and grow stronger. 5. Celebrate Success Don’t downplay your achievements. Acknowledge your wins, and let them boost your confidence. 6. Help Other Women As you rise, lift others up. Support and mentor other women trying to break into the field. 7. Use Your Strengths Women often bring emotional intelligence to their work. Use it to build relationships and lead with empathy. 8. Keep Learning Stay updated and invest in your growth. This keeps you competitive in your industry. 9. Find Balance Avoid burnout by balancing work with rest and personal time. Your well-being matters. 10. Believe in Yourself Trust that you can succeed, even when the odds are against you. Your self-belief is your greatest asset. Perpetua Marigi Bulemi, Leader & Mentor

How can women leaders leverage commanding confidence in professional settings? Women and men communicate differently. During Women's History Month, I will post about the mindsets and speech habits that tend to hold us back from our highest potential 💪. For example, a study in Psychological Science cited that women tend to feel more anxious about asking live questions at professional meetings, and are less likely than men to do so. In academic seminars, women are two and half times less likely to ask questions than men are. A similar study found that if a woman asked the first question, women in the audience were more likely to ask their own. When I work with young female professionals, I train them on 🗣 question-asking skills and coach them to never attend a meeting without making their voices heard. Ask a clarifying question, praise what someone else said, thank the speaker for their insights, but don’t leave the meeting without leaving your mark. My Master Communicator Blog 🎤, "Why do women and men communicate differently?" highlights common communication habits that may be harmful to a woman's credibility and perceived authority, and offers six solutions. Click the link below to read the full blog post, but here is a sampling: ✴️ Vary your pitch. Tap the lowest natural register of your voice to signal confidence. Avoid uptalk or upspeak (higher pitch at the end of a sentence that sounds like a question.) ✴️ Cut out the filler words (um, ah, like, you now, etc.) and replace them with breaths and pauses. Fillers are perceived as signs of hesitation and lack of preparation. ✴️ Claim "talking space" by asking questions and warding off interruptions. Stand when you speak in a conference setting to ensure you are SEEN and HEARD. ✴️ Avoid hedging and tagging. Prefacing a question with “This may be a silly question, but...” and "Someone may have asked this already, but...” disempowers you. Similarly, tags dilute your statements and weaken your authority: “I propose we take this action, BUT I COULD BE WRONG.” These and dozens of other communication techniques can help emerging and established women leaders level the playing field to persuade, inspire and move people to action. #leadershipcommunication #executivepresence #womenleaders #executivecommunication #publicspeakingcoach #publicspeakingskills

𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝘾𝙖𝙣 𝙀𝙣𝙫𝙞𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙡 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙛𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡𝙨 𝙋𝙞𝙫𝙤𝙩 𝙁𝙤𝙧𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙙? Yesterday’s post focused on job leads and resources. Today, let’s talk about you. This is about how to pivot, not just react. Let’s get real: Losing your role at the EPA or a mission-driven org isn’t just a career hiccup; it’s a gut punch. But here’s the raw truth: Your impact isn’t tied to a badge or a title. I’ve watched colleagues turn layoffs into launching pads (yes, even in this messy climate). Here’s how to pivot without losing your purpose: 1. 𝐃𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 "𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞" 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 "𝐀𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐲" 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 Stop saying, “I only did permitting/compliance/fieldwork.” Example: Your EPA regulatory expertise? Private firms salivate for that. They need people who can navigate NEPA reviews like a second language. e.g., a friend reframed “enforcement officer” into “risk mitigation strategist”. 𝙊𝙪𝙧 𝙨𝙪𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙥𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧: 𝙒𝙚 𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙖𝙠 𝙗𝙤𝙩𝙝 𝙗𝙪𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙪𝙘𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙩𝙨-𝙤𝙣-𝙩𝙝𝙚-𝙜𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙘𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚. 2. 𝐓𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 (𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐞!) The private sector isn’t the enemy. Utilities need pros who understand water equity and infrastructure gaps. NGOs don’t care if you’re ex-EPA—they care that you can fight for clean water in courtrooms and boardrooms. State roles are hiring like crazy for climate resilience. Pro tip: Use ECO-USA.net to find hyper-local gigs where your federal experience = instant credibility. 3. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐱𝐲 𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲 Join LinkedIn groups like “Environmental Consulting Network” and “Sustainable Jobs.” Attend industry webinars (many are free via ACS, AWMA, WEF). Find mentors outside EPA. If you only network with former colleagues, your search stays too narrow. Forget LinkedIn spam. Do this instead: Slide into the DMs of NEIWPCC or NAEP webinar speakers. Say: “Your talk on PFAS regs resonated. I’m pivoting from federal work—any advice?” (Works 10x better than “Looking for jobs!”) Join WEF’s “Young Professionals” Slack. They’re 24/7 hype squads for water nerds. 4. 𝗠𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝗲 It’s okay to grieve. But: Your “why” still matters.  You don’t need another degree, but micro-credentials & certifications can boost your resume. Certified Environmental Professional (CEP) GIS for Environmental Applications Project Management (PMP) Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM) 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗣𝗶𝘃𝗼𝘁 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻: Rewrite your LinkedIn headline: “EPA Alum | Bridging Regulation + Innovation in Water Equity” Pick 3 firms from the previous post. Research their projects, then email a manager: “I helped streamline EPA permitting for [X]—can I share insights on your Y project?” #Environmentaljobs #PivotWithPurpose #MissionDrivenHustle

Women don’t take enough credit for their work. Yesterday, I had a conversation with one of my coaching clients that struck a nerve. She’s a Global Product Line Manager overseeing the growth strategy, vision, and direction of a $2B product line for a large Fortune 500 company. By all accounts, her impact is immense. But here’s the problem: because she doesn’t directly own P&L, she saw herself as being in a “support” role — not a decision-making one. This mindset has quietly sabotaged her for years. She hesitated to own the impact of her work, downplayed her contributions, and, as a result, minimized her role during interviews for leadership roles. This is a common pattern I see with many of my incoming female clients. We have been conditioned for decades to put our heads down, work hard, and only take credit for the direct work we do. We feel guilty for taking credit for the larger organizational impact because wasn't this “team effort"? But the hard truth is, if you don’t advocate for your own impact, no one else will. Inside THE FEARLESS HIRE, my signature career accelerator program, we work on breaking this self-sabotaging cycle so women leaders can show up confidently, own their value, and close high-paying leadership roles. Here are three strategies that help our clients authentically self-promote and 10X their confidence: 1. Reframe Your Role as “Strategic” Even if our clients don’t directly own the P&L, their work drives key business outcomes. The strategies they implement, the vision they shape, and the results they deliver are all part of the decision-making process. Through coaching, our clients learn to reframe their contributions in terms of the strategic outcomes they enable, so they can stop seeing themselves in support roles and start seeing themselves in decision-making ones. 2. Start with Facts, Not Feelings It’s easy to diminish the impact of our work when we approach our career through a lens of self-doubt. Instead, our clients learn to anchor themselves in facts. What are the measurable outcomes of their work? What specific problems have they solved? How can they quantify their contributions with numbers and metrics, like revenue growth, cost savings, or team performance improvements? Facts don’t lie, and become the cornerstone of increased self-confidence. 3. Learn the Art of Storytelling Facts are critical, but they need to be packaged in a compelling way. Our clients develop concise, engaging stories about their key achievements using my SOARR storytelling framework, focussing on the challenges they overcame, the decisions they made, and the results they delivered. These stories are powerful tools for interviews and executive conversations—they help you stand out and stay memorable. Taking credit for your work isn’t arrogance - that's real leadership. When you own your impact, you not only position yourself for high-impact roles, but you also inspire the next generation of women leaders to do the same. Agree?

Two successful professionals in my network, both involved in the recent U.S. election, reached out this week to ask a key question: "Assume governments will not fix climate. What's the most impact I can have as an individual outside of influencing government?" The easy answer is, upskill and have impact in your career. I believe in that action. However, the empathetic design thinker in me recognized, "that's not the question being asked." The question is how to have the MOST impact. They are looking for points of leverage, of ways to bring their talent and ambition to bear in a scalable way. It's natural to think electoral politics provides that path. They're saying, "for now, I'm looking elsewhere." Not an easy question to answer, and it requires some thought 💡. Here's my list: 💻 My own personal experience when I thought about this, four years ago now, was to conclude: "I need to start an upskilling venture." Entrepreneurship isn't for everyone, but if you're willing to have a vision, develop scalable solutions, recruit a great team, and weather the constant storms, it can lead to significant impact. You don't need to ride on the VC conveyor belt. Think about bootstrapping and getting to cash flow fast. It's possible! 🧠 Second, leverage what you do best, the things that made you successful in your career. Bring that talent, and your ideas and network, to start-up or non-profit boards. Founders can have a lonely existence (even when their teams are amazing!). Whether venture or NGO, they can use the help and support. Don't worry about cold contacting. I think you'll get an enthusiastic response. 🏢 Get involved with local government. Think the scale is small compared to national politics? Think again. One innovative solution, a success story, can replicate: charging stations, heat pumps, urban planning that incorporates net zero. There's so much work to do (see our Climate Policy Analyst program). 📣 Advocacy isn't just about influencing government. It's about mobilizing civil society. Remember society includes employees, the talent that ultimately drives corporate success. Keep in mind the scalability of smaller, community solutions depends in part on the lessons your success has for others. It can be about replicating new "operating systems", including even innovative leadership styles (we're working on this!), across the economy. There's more items I can think of, but I'd love to hear from you all. What would you add to the list? #climateimpact #climateleadership