December: Pivotal Shifts, Fresh Perspectives
2024: Lessons Learned, Change Ahead.
This year has been one of pivotal shifts. From embracing AI advancements to navigating macro challenges, leaders across industries have leaned into change, aligning their strategies and resetting their teams for success. It’s been a hard year—and you all deserve a break.
The end of the year is a time of reflection, and with so many companies deep in their offsite seasons, we’ve been hard at work guiding executive teams to not just refine their strategies, but rethink how they lead. The “ah-ha” moments have been profound: realizing that leadership behaviors, culture, and clarity are just as critical as the strategy itself.
One standout takeaway? To drive change, leaders must think like marketers—running campaigns within their companies to embed new behaviors. It’s about shifting from doing the work yourself (or insisting it’s done your way) to creating the conditions for change and new ideas. This is a mindset we all need to cultivate as we move into 2025.
On a personal note, this has been one of the most fulfilling years at the helm of OverTime Leader. After some tough seasons, I feel more connected with and inspired by our mission than ever before. This year has been about laying the foundations for growth, partnering with the right people, and positioning OTL to scale our impact in the years to come. I’m excited to share some big team and product updates in 2025!
In this issue, we’re sharing lessons from the field, proven frameworks, and a look ahead to 2025. From activating resets to scaling with intention, it’s about stepping into the new year ready for its challenges—but first, please rest.
Here’s to leading with clarity, courage, and purpose in 2025.
You got this.
Gillian
In practice
In this season of reflection, we've been been helping Executive teams align on strategy and then bring in their senior management teams to engage in the direction of travel, build on what they will focus on to deliver it and how they should cascade it to the rest of the business. In each engagement we observed an “ah-ha” moment where executives realised that this wasn’t just a revised strategy, but a culture shift and thus, their leadership would need to shift as well.
Here’s how we got them there:
• The Three Horizons: Balancing future thinking and execution by identifying the things we can do today to enable meaningful change in the future.
• The OTL Strategy Pyramid: We’ve been using this since 2017 as a method of aligning a whole org around the key strategic levers of focus (or bets) of the business for the year to come.
• Thinking like a Brand: Using marketing / advertising techniques to highlight key messages and campaigns that will drive the change and new behaviours within the organisation.
• Explicit Behaviours: Turning values into playbooks by articulating why they matter, what “All Star” looks like and what will be considered “Intolerable”.
It’s been great to see our models and frameworks land across a wide array of industries. We have been thrilled to see so many empowered teams using our tool kits to deliver change within their organisations.
December’s Feature: Oana Jinga on selling a world first product.
This month, I’m joined by Oana, Co-Founder and Chief Commercial & Product Officer at Dexory, to talk about the real work behind scaling a company at lightning speed. From expanding globally to building the tallest autonomous warehouse robot in the world, Oana’s journey is a masterclass in balancing growth, culture, and ambition.
We dive into the challenges of hiring in the U.S., the complexities of defining “The Dexory Way,” and the importance of knowing when to let go as a founder. Oana shares candid lessons on leadership and resilience, plus how she’s kept her team aligned while navigating rapid expansion.
If you’re scaling a team or taking a big idea to market, this conversation is packed with insight and hard-won wisdom. You won’t want to miss it.
🎙️ Watch the full episode here.
Top Tip
Activate a reset.
When we run high-performance workshops, there’s always that moment—when leaders realize it’s time to raise the bar for their teams. But here’s the caution: Don’t rush out of that “ah-ha” moment with guns blazing.
Sudden changes, like giving more consistent and pointed feedback, can catch your team off guard and feel personal.
If you’ve had that epiphany and know things need to change, here’s how to activate a reset with intention and clarity:
Start with Context:
“The business is taking a step change to gain market share. To stay ahead, I’d like us to reset how we work as a team.”
What will Change:
“This means we need to focus more on deliverables, spend our energy wisely, and truly operate as a high-performing team.”
Explain the Impact:
“As the team leader, you may notice I’ll be giving more frequent feedback—both constructive and positive—to better support your professional growth. I encourage you to do the same with me.”
Make a Commitment:
“I admit I’ve dropped the ball on our 1:1s in the past. Moving forward, I’ll ensure we’re aligned on expectations, priorities are clear, and you always know where you stand.”
By resetting how you lead and clearly communicating your ambition more holistically, you set the stage to allow for new behaviours to take shape
Bonus Podcast: 2024 Themes & 2025 Trends
In this solo episode of the podcast I answer the most frequently asked questions I get from leaders at this time of year, and explore the themes from 2024 and trends in 2025.
Drawing from our work across industries—robotics, banking, beauty, and beyond—and with leaders in roles spanning Founder, COO, CTO, and CRO, I feel we offer a unique perspective on the leadership transformations I’ve witnessed this year.
I also reflect on how leaders across industries embraced a journey of acceptance in 2024. With significant macro factors and the rapid rise of AI advancements, these leaders didn’t wait to adapt. Instead, they leaned into what they could control, identified the necessary shifts, and found alignment in their strategies and goals.
Looking ahead to 2025, I share my prediction that it will be the year of accountability. Leaders are becoming more intentional in how they show up, from fostering clearer expectations to driving meaningful change. I also explore emerging Gen Z and Millennial manager tensions and how this generational dynamic could create opportunities for growth, creativity, and fresh leadership approaches.
🎙️ Listen to the full episode to hear my reflections, lessons, and what I am most excited about for the months ahead.
Time for change?
Leadership isn’t just about managing change—it’s about designing it.
At OverTime Leader, we equip teams with the tools and strategies to navigate pivotal moments, align around shared goals, and deliver focused impact.
From leadership development to cultural transformation, we help unlock potential at every level of your organization.
If you’re ready to create lasting change, we’re ready to partner with you.