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The Leadership Skills They Don't Teach in Business School: Why Executives Need Holistic Coaching

  • Writer: b plasz
    b plasz
  • May 25
  • 4 min read

They prepared you for financial modeling, strategic planning, and market analysis. They taught you how to read a P&L, build teams, and navigate corporate politics. But nowhere in your university curriculum did anyone teach you how to breathe through a crisis, center yourself before a difficult conversation, or tap into your inner knowing when the data isn't clear.

This gap in traditional business education is costing leaders—and their organizations—more than most realize.


The Hidden Cost of the "Always-On" Executive Lifestyle

Many of my clients arrive having achieved what they thought they wanted: corner offices, impressive titles, substantial incomes. Yet they're also carrying the invisible weight of chronic stress, deteriorating relationships, and bodies that are crying out for attention. It wasn't until they experienced serious health issues or significant conflicts in their personal relationships that they realized the true cost of their "always-on" lifestyle.

The wake-up call often comes in the form of migraines that won't quit, marriages under strain, or the sobering realization that they've become strangers to their own children. Success, they discover, feels hollow when it comes at the expense of everything that actually matters.


I learned this lesson firsthand during the early months of COVID-19 while working at Bank of America. As small businesses desperately needed PPP funding to survive, I found myself working six days a week, clocking 60+ hour weeks to help process the overwhelming demand. The mission felt critical—these businesses were fighting for their lives—but my body began to rebel.

Migraines became my constant companion. Fatigue settled into my bones. My back ached from endless hours hunched over a computer, and I could feel my patience with colleagues and family growing thin. I was helping save businesses while slowly destroying my own well-being.

The moment of clarity came when I realized I had to choose: continue down this unsustainable path or find a different way. I made the difficult decision to push back against the unreasonable hours and reclaim my life.


The Path Back to Sustainable Leadership

My recovery strategy was beautifully simple: I returned to the practices that had always served me. Every day, I committed to walking in nature, allowing the rhythm of my steps and the whisper of wind through trees to remind me who I was beyond my job title. I returned to daily meditation, creating pockets of stillness in the chaos. I prioritized quality sleep, made healthier food choices, and fiercely protected time with friends and family.

Within weeks, I felt like myself again. But here's what surprised me most: I didn't just feel better—I became a more effective leader. My decision-making sharpened. My ability to listen deepened. I approached challenges with greater calm and creativity. The very practices that restored my personal well-being enhanced my professional performance.

This experience crystallized a truth that would eventually lead me to found The Good Karma Place: balance isn't the enemy of success—it's the foundation of sustainable greatness.


How Holistic Practices Transform Leadership

Leaders who meditate make better decisions. When you cultivate the ability to pause, breathe, and access inner stillness, you're less likely to react from fear or frustration. Instead, you respond from wisdom. You listen more deeply to your team, ask better questions, and approach conflicts with curiosity rather than defensiveness.


The Nova Community www.thenovaglobal.com
The Nova Community www.thenovaglobal.com

Leaders who spend time in nature have deeper connections to themselves and their business. Many of my clients report their greatest insights come not in the boardroom, but on mountain trails or during morning walks. There's something about the natural world that helps us process complex information, sort through challenging problems, and access innovative solutions that feel aligned with our values.

Leaders who prioritize holistic health create cultures of well-being. When you model sustainable practices, you give your team permission to be human. You create psychological safety. You demonstrate that excellence and self-care aren't mutually exclusive—they're synergistic.


The Leadership Skills That Matter Most

The most impactful leaders I know share certain qualities that were never part of their formal business education:

  • They know how to find calm in chaos, becoming steady anchors for their teams during turbulent times

  • They've learned to trust their intuition alongside their analytical skills

  • They understand that their energy is as important as their time

  • They've mastered the art of sustainable performance rather than unsustainable achievement

  • They recognize that their personal well-being directly impacts their professional effectiveness

These aren't soft skills—they're essential leadership competencies for our complex, fast-paced world.


An Invitation to Explore

If you're reading this and recognizing yourself in these words, know that there's another way. You don't have to choose between professional success and personal well-being. You don't have to sacrifice your health for your career or your relationships for your ambitions.

At The Good Karma Place, I work with executives and entrepreneurs who are ready to lead from a place of sustainable strength. Together, we explore what holistic leadership might look like in your unique context, integrating ancient wisdom with modern business realities.

I would be honored to join you on your journey to greatness—the kind that honors both your professional aspirations and your whole, authentic self.

What would shift in your leadership if you had tools to find calm in the chaos? What would change in your business if you could access both your analytical mind and your inner knowing?


I look forward to meeting you and learning more about your journey.

With Gratitude,

Brenda, Founder of The Good Karma Place





 
 
 

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