Suzanna C. De Baca

Everyone said they wanted change. Our outdated CRM had been the office punchline for years. It took 12 clicks to do what should have taken one. So when, as managing director of the private client group at a Wall Street firm, I was asked to lead an enterprise-wide project to replace it, I figured this…

Earlier in my career, I was hired to lead a turnaround. From day one it was clear the organization needed change. The board had one set of ideas, the leadership team another and the staff yet more opinions. Everyone agreed change was necessary but everyone also had a reason why now was not the time.…

On Leadership: Balancing adaptability and discipline when the future is uncertain

On Leadership: Maybe hope really is a strategy

Last year, I wrote about participating in the Whiterock Ultra. Rather than running the full distance, I chose to walk a partial race, completing 13 miles, a half-marathon. I did it in memory of my dear friend Jen and as a way to honor personal goals rather than external expectations. I wasn’t there to compete…

When I started out in the working world, the path to advancement felt linear. You got some education or training, joined a company, did good work, and waited for a promotion or advancement. For the most part, the employer determined each next step. “This arrangement is no longer working for either employees or employers,” writes…

This is part of an ongoing series on mental health and leadership. For nearly five years, I served as the primary caregiver for my beloved elderly aunt, who had dementia. I relocated her across the country to live near my mother and me, navigated complex medical decisions, found suitable memory care and visited regularly until…

This is part of an ongoing series on mental health and leadership. Mental health struggles are quietly shaping the modern workplace. Behind polished resumes and team meetings lie stories of anxiety, depression, burnout and loss – often shared only in whispers, if at all. In my own life, I’ve seen the toll increase even in…

This is part of an ongoing series on mental health and leadership. In today’s high-pressure leadership landscape, the mental health of CEOs, founders and executives is under increasing strain. As the stakes of leadership rise, so too does the emotional toll. Leaders must now be intentional about safeguarding their mental well-being and investing in the…

How many of us as leaders can honestly say we have always been OK? I certainly can’t. My own journey, and my observations of others in leadership, have highlighted the profound impact of mental well-being – or the lack thereof – on effectiveness and overall life satisfaction. It’s been a crucial lesson, learned through witnessing…