I was told I was “too ambitious” and rated “Needs Improvement.” Six months later, I was speaking on Google’s public stage. My Barrel Strategy turned rejection into recognition and changed everything. Here’s how I built visibility, found advocates, and led with courage when doors closed.

After nine years at Google, I did something few leaders dare to do: I filmed my resignation. From Google to Freedom isn’t about drama or a viral moment. It’s about documenting the calm that comes when you’ve built your exit with intention. In this story, I share what my resignation footage really captured: the strategy behind my transition, the lessons from one difficult meeting that changed everything, and the freedom that comes from long-term, courageous planning. I call it strategic activation, the difference between running from something and running toward something. Through this journey, I learned how to build authority while employed, create options before I needed them, and lead with purpose. If you’ve ever felt ready for more but unsure where to start, my story will show you how to build your bridge to freedom, one intentional step at a time.

Comfort isn’t free. It’s expensive. While you wait for the “right time,” you’re quietly paying a tax no accountant will ever calculate: the Activation Tax. It compounds daily, costing you not just income but the identity and courage you’re meant to grow into.

Rejection can feel like the end of the road, but for smart executives it is often the turning point. In this post, I share the painful promotion I did not get (and why it was the best thing that ever happened to my career). The truth is, most high-performers make the same mistake: they put all their leadership eggs in one basket. The most successful leaders do not wait for validation from a single decision-maker. They build diversified career portfolios that make them rejection proof. Learn how to shift from hoping to be chosen to creating your own strategic choices.

Success can be deceiving. You’ve earned the title, built the reputation, and mastered the role; yet somehow, it feels like you’re running in place. The truth is, many leaders don’t get stuck because of a lack of skill or ambition. They get stuck because they’re clinging to an outdated version of themselves.

High-performing teams don’t move faster because they have more confidence—they move faster because they’ve learned to trust something deeper. After working with hundreds of leadership teams, I’ve seen that the real differentiator between teams stuck in analysis paralysis and those making bold, timely moves isn’t data, certainty, or buy-in. It comes down to asking a single question that unlocks momentum almost instantly—a question I reveal (along with the full framework) in this week’s issue of The Activated Leader newsletter.

This comprehensive guide explores why embracing uncertainty, rather than avoiding it—is the key to executive success in the 21st century.

For years, I believed saying ‘I don’t have time’ was a shield, when in reality, it was a cage. The moment I replaced those words with choice-based language, everything changed: my leadership, my team’s performance, and my sense of control.

I walked into what I thought was a routine team meeting at Oracle—twenty minutes later, I was questioning everything I thought I knew about leadership. Picture this: you’re presenting your carefully planned Q3 strategy to your global sales team, and your most experienced rep interrupts: “Lilah, can I be honest? This isn’t working.” The room goes silent. In that moment, you have two choices: defend your position or do something that feels completely counterintuitive. I closed my laptop, and what happened in the next hour taught me more about leadership than any MBA course ever could.

When a sudden visa loss threatened to derail Shwetha’s “perfect” life, she discovered she wasn’t losing her career, she was shedding an outdated version of herself. This post reveals why success can feel harder than failure and how the in-between can become your greatest growth stage.

I was sitting in a parking lot in a borrowed suit with just $36 in my bank account, about to walk into the most important interview of my life. No degree. No connections. No backup plan.
What happened next didn’t just land me a job at Microsoft, it rewired the way I make decisions, coach leaders, and take action when the stakes are high.

Most leaders aren’t stuck because they lack skill—they’re stuck because they’re solving the wrong problem. The real issue is often invisible, hiding beneath layers of logic and experience. Clarity comes when you stop trying to be right and start asking what you might be missing.

Stop calling it "starting over." Learn to leverage every restart as a strategic advantage, just like the world's most successful leaders. Unlock your hidden superpower and turn transitions into transformations.

Everyone talks about frameworks that work in your career or in solving a problem, but nobody mentions what happens when you have to live them in real life.

Every hero's journey you've ever seen has one thing in common. It's not what you think.

The difference between being stuck and being scared isn't what you think. Here's how to tell—and what to do about it.

The most successful people I know are terrible at predicting their future. But they're incredible at navigating toward it.

Every hero's journey you've ever seen has one thing in common. It's not what you think.

The biggest lie about leadership isn't about what you need to know. It's about what you need to hide.

The hardest part of any journey isn't the destination. It's deciding what to leave behind.