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The Activated Leader™ | Issue #30
IN THIS ISSUE: The truth you've been avoiding is costing you more than time. A CMO spent 22 months blaming everything except herself. One sentence changed everything. Plus: Take the Stage 1 Assessment and win a $25 gift card for sharing one insight.
A Chief Marketing Officer I worked with knew something was wrong for 22 months.
She blamed her boss. The economy. Her team. The org restructure. The lack of resources.
Everything except the truth.
When I asked what she actually wanted, she went quiet.
Then: "I don't want to be in marketing anymore."
That sentence changed everything.
Not because she had a plan. Because she stopped lying to herself.
The 4 Stages of Activation help you stop wasting energy on the wrong stage. No more clarity-seeking loops. Just movement.
This is Stage 1: ACKNOWLEDGE
Stage 1: ACKNOWLEDGE
Tell the truth about where you actually are.
Most leaders skip this stage entirely. They jump straight to planning without honestly assessing their starting point.
This stage looks like:
Sunday night dread you explain away as "normal"
Excel spreadsheets tracking your "10-year plan" but you can't articulate next month
Saying "I'm fine" when you're not, because naming it means doing something about it
You’re stuck here if:
You feel vague dissatisfaction but can't name it
You avoid quiet moments because uncomfortable thoughts surface
You're busy but not moving forward
The cost every day you don't acknowledge the truth is a day you can't start solving for it.
Your one move this week: Tell someone the full truth about where you are. Not a journal entry. A real conversation.
BUT FIRST - A QUESTION FOR YOU
Before you take the assessment, I want to hear from you directly:
What truth are you avoiding right now?
Hit reply and tell me. I read every response, and I'll reply within 48 hours with what I see.
Sometimes typing it out to one person is the first step to saying it out loud.
FIND YOUR STAGE
Most leaders think they're stuck in Stage 2 (clarity). In my experience coaching executives through transitions, the majority are actually stuck in Stage 3 (action) - they know what to do, they're just not doing it.
Take the Stage 1 Assessment: Are you avoiding or acknowledging?
(Instant access, no download needed)
You'll discover:
→ If you're stuck in Stage 1 or further along than you think
→ The exact sign you're avoiding vs. acknowledging
→ Your next move (this week, not next quarter)
QUICK POLL: WHERE ARE YOU?
Help me understand where you're actually stuck (takes 5 seconds):
𝗪𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻?
(I'll share the results next week)
WIN A $25 GIFT CARD 🎁
Post this insight on LinkedIn (copy/paste below, tag me @lilahjones):
I just learned something about being stuck:
Most people think they need more clarity.
They actually need a deadline.
Most people think they need perfect timing.
They actually need to make it irreversible.
The difference between planning and moving? Courage.
(h/t @lilahjones for the activation framework that's changing how I think about transitions)
Why post this?
You're stepping into the thought leader you already are
Your network needs to hear this (someone's waiting for permission to be honest)
This kind of post gets you noticed by the right people—senior leaders, recruiters, decision-makers who value bold thinking
I’ll send 3 people $25 Amazon gift cards by Monday
Deadline: Saturday 11:59pm PT
Copy. Paste. Tag me. Done.
NEXT WEEK: STAGE 2 - ALIGN
Clarity doesn't come from thinking. It comes from deciding.
I'll share how.
Until then, tell the truth.
WAYS I CAN SUPPORT YOU OR YOUR TEAM
Not sure which is right? Reply to this email and I'll send you personalized guidance (no pitch, just direction).
1:1 Transition Coaching
Navigate your career decision with clarity and courage
6 weeks, 3 frameworks, one clear decision. For leaders ready to stop managing and start deciding.
Schedule your breakthrough →
2. Keynote Speaking
Bring "The Activated Leader" to your next event
Transform stuck teams into activated teams in 60-90 minutes.
Book Lilah →
3. Leadership Workshop
Activate your team to move from stuck to focused action
Build decisive leaders who take courageous action, not endless meetings.
Explore here →
See you next Tuesday.
P.S. Not ready for the assessment? Just hit reply and tell me: What truth are you avoiding right now? I read every response, and I'll reply within 48 hours with what I see.
