◈ Homepage — https://www.swim-against.com/Skip to content Identify Your Strengths That AI Can't Replicate: A Complimentary Assessment ABOUT SERVICES RESOURCES PRAISE BLOG & PODCAST CONTACT × ABOUT SERVICES RESOURCES PRAISE BLOG & PODCAST CONTACT Executive Coaching & Leadership Development for Life Science and Tech  GET STARTED Welcome to Swim Against the Current Growing life science and tech companies don’t stall because of bad science or bad products. They stall when the leaders and teams carrying the most critical work become overwhelmed, misaligned, or unsupported at exactly the wrong moment. At Swim Against the Current, we help companies and senior leaders navigate growth, complexity, and pressure with greater clarity, alignment, and effectiveness through executive coaching, leadership development, and team alignment work. We’ve seen these challenges from the inside, as leaders ourselves and as coaches supporting organizations and executives through high stakes growth and change. We know what it costs when leadership strain goes unaddressed and how to help before performance suffers. LEADERS TEAMS Trusted by clients in organizations such as: 1 2 3 4 5 The Problem Growing companies hit a point where the leadership and team that got them here aren't quite equipped for where they're going. The misalignment creeps in. The overwhelm builds. Trust in leadership starts to erode. And the work that matters most- the work the board is watching, the milestone that can't slip, the launch that everything is riding on- starts to slow down. That's where we come in. Swim Against the Current provides executive coaching, leadership development, and management training for growing life science and tech companies. We work with the leaders and teams whose performance determines whether the company hits its next milestone- or doesn't. Results We don't deliver soft outcomes.  We focus on measurable changes in how leaders lead and how teams perform.   149% Average improvement in leadership competencies across 20 biotech leaders after six months of coaching 92% Improvement in leadership skills among middle managers after a management training program 42% Increase in executive team productivity after one year of dedicated leadership support 97 Net Promoter Score across all client engagements (and 5/5 stars, check out our Google reviews) GET STARTED Who We Work With We work with organizations and the individuals within them- from CEOs to middle management, who all need to work in concert for the best strategies to actually get executed. The executive team is misaligned and it's showing up in the culture Leaders who have been promoted quickly and need to grow into their roles fast A high-stakes team is underperforming and the business is feeling it A company is scaling and the leadership infrastructure hasn't kept pace Middle managers are struggling to lead their teams through the pressure of rapid growth An individual leader needs a trusted thought partner at a pivotal moment   What We Do Executive Coaching One-on-one coaching for senior leaders, Directors to CEOs, navigating the inflection points that define careers and companies. We help leaders think more clearly, decide more confidently, and lead with the clarity and confidence the moment requires. Leadership & Team Development Workshops and programs for key teams that need to build trust, navigate conflict constructively, and get into the kind of total alignment where strategy is uniformly executed. Management Training Structured training programs for growing companies building their next layer of leadership. We turn high-performing individual contributors into managers their teams want to follow. Our Process We employ a proprietary methodology designed to produce measurable improvements. 1. Discovery We start by understanding your goals, your team, and the specific challenges slowing you down. No assumptions, no templates. 2. Design We build a program around your situation. Executive coaching, team workshops, management training, or a combination- scoped to what will actually move the needle and deliver the highest ROI. 3. Delivery We do the work. Sessions, workshops, assessments, and ongoing support- all designed to create measurable change, not just good conversations. 4. Results We measure what changes. Pre and post assessments, participant feedback, and outcome tracking so you know exactly what you got. Why Choose Us? We believe in building trust and strong relationships with our clients so we can truly drive results that will last.  We ask our clients to rate us after each engagement and have received 5/5 stars with an NPS score of 97. Here’s what sets our coaching apart: 1. Accreditation All our coaches are trained in ICF (International Coaching Federation) processes, have advanced degrees, and have been past leaders in corporations. They truly know what your stressors feel like. 2. Proven Success We have worked with everyone from Fortune 100 companies (Google, Apple, Johnson & Johnson) to family-owned companies, to biotech and tech start-ups. Our sweet spot is leaders who are VP level and above and growing companies between $30-500M in revenue. 3. Tailored Solutions We are not a one-size-fits all large conglomerate.  We are a boutique coaching company and take on a select number of clients each year.  This allows us to truly understand you and your business and build custom solutions to fit your unique needs and goals. GET STARTED FEATURED IN Testimonials I cannot overstate the impact that Amy has had on my professional growth. From our very first session, I felt understood and challenged in a way that was both supportive and motivating. Amy’s ability to listen, ask the right questions, and distill complex challenges into clear, actionable solutions is exceptional. She helped me sharpen my executive presence, navigate complicated team dynamics, and lead with greater clarity and authenticity. Each session left me with practical strategies I could immediately apply and the downstream impact to my confidence was truly impactful. What sets Amy apart is her balance of empathy and rigor. She creates a safe space while holding her clients to a high standard, pushing them to become the best version of themselves. I wholeheartedly recommend Amy to anyone ready to elevate their leadership impact. -Shivan, Executive Director, Travere Therapeutics Click here for more results from happy clients. Looking for the same results? GET STARTED Blogs to support your leadership journey Why Focusing on People Will Give AI Tech Leaders a Competitive Advantage By Amy Sanchez The industry that once promised wealth, status, and job security is now generating something else entirely: fear. Here’s what’s going wrong, why it matters, and why focusing on people again will give AI tech companies a competitive advantage. I haven’t spoken to a single senior tech leader in the past six months who would describe… Read More about Why Focusing on People Will Give AI Tech Leaders a Competitive Advantage Why Leadership Teams Break at the Scaling Stage By Amy Sanchez I’ve seen the same pattern show up again and again inside growing companies. In the early days everything works because a few smart people sit close together making decisions quickly. Communication is informal. Energy is high. People step in wherever needed.  “Wearing all the hats” it’s often called.  It’s exciting and intentionally a bit chaotic.… Read More about Why Leadership Teams Break at the Scaling Stage Three Small Rituals to Develop Leadership Presence By Amy Sanchez Nearly 25 years ago, I was an entry-level sales rep at Eli Lilly, sitting in a large annual sales meeting. The CEO at the time, Sydney Taurel, took the stage. I don’t remember what he said. What I do remember, almost three decades later, is how he made me feel. Calm. Impressed. Intrigued. He had… Read More about Three Small Rituals to Develop Leadership Presence Where Smart Leaders Are Investing in 2026 Hint: It’s Not All Ai By Amy Sanchez As we settle into 2026, many senior leaders are already back in the familiar rhythm: packed calendars, constant decision-making, and the pressure to get priorities right—fast. It’s easy to get swept up in the fast moving current of corporate life without taking the time to really think through strategic initiatives and smart areas to invest… Read More about Where Smart Leaders Are Investing in 2026 Hint: It’s Not All Ai Year-End Leadership Reflection: 7 Questions That Inform Next Year’s Success By Amy Sanchez I recently attended my annual year-end debrief and planning retreat with fellow coach entrepreneurs. We started with a leadership year-end reflection exercise to debrief 2025 and some of my findings were… surprising. While I focused a lot of my mental energy on thinking about work, it was the non-work events that influenced me the most… Read More about Year-End Leadership Reflection: 7 Questions That Inform Next Year’s Success How Gratitude Can Improve Leadership Effectiveness By Amy Sanchez Gratitude as a Leadership Strategy Mark Zuckerberg isn’t known for harping on the insight that gratitude can improve leadership effectiveness. But the one time that we know he tried it, it worked. Years ago, long before Facebook became Meta, Mark Zuckerberg wanted a key team member to move from New York to Silicon Valley. She… Read More about How Gratitude Can Improve Leadership Effectiveness VIEW ALL HOME ABOUT EXECUTIVE COACHING SERVICES TEAM BUILDING WORKSHOPS DISC WORKSHOP TESTIMONIALS CONTACT Swim Against the Current® provides executive coaching to support organizations and leaders through successful growth in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. Let's Connect BOOK A CALL 2026 © Swim Against the Current® Privacy Policy Terms of Use ◈ Interior Pages — 18 pages crawledAmy Sanchez - Swim Against the Current® Skip to content Identify Your Strengths That AI Can't Replicate: A Complimentary Assessment About Services Executive Coaching Services Team Building Workshops DiSC Workshop Resources Praise Blog & Podcast The Happy Leader Podcast Blog Contact × About Services Executive Coaching Services Team Building Workshops DiSC Workshop Resources Praise Blog & Podcast The Happy Leader Podcast Blog Contact Posts by Amy Sanchez Why Focusing on People Will Give AI Tech Leaders a Competitive Advantage By Amy Sanchez | May 12, 2026 The industry that once promised wealth, status, and job security is now generating something else entirely: fear. Here’s what’s going wrong, why it matters, and why focusing on people again will give AI tech companies a competitive advantage. I haven’t spoken to a single senior tech leader in the past six months who would describe… Read More Why Leadership Teams Break at the Scaling Stage By Amy Sanchez | March 12, 2026 I’ve seen the same pattern show up again and again inside growing companies. In the early days everything works because a few smart people sit close together making decisions quickly. Communication is informal. Energy is high. People step in wherever needed.  “Wearing all the hats” it’s often called.  It’s exciting and intentionally a bit chaotic.… Read More Three Small Rituals to Develop Leadership Presence By Amy Sanchez | January 21, 2026 Nearly 25 years ago, I was an entry-level sales rep at Eli Lilly, sitting in a large annual sales meeting. The CEO at the time, Sydney Taurel, took the stage. I don’t remember what he said. What I do remember, almost three decades later, is how he made me feel. Calm. Impressed. Intrigued. He had… Read More Where Smart Leaders Are Investing in 2026 Hint: It’s Not All Ai By Amy Sanchez | January 13, 2026 As we settle into 2026, many senior leaders are already back in the familiar rhythm: packed calendars, constant decision-making, and the pressure to get priorities right—fast. It’s easy to get swept up in the fast moving current of corporate life without taking the time to really think through strategic initiatives and smart areas to invest… Read More Year-End Leadership Reflection: 7 Questions That Inform Next Year’s Success By Amy Sanchez | December 9, 2025 I recently attended my annual year-end debrief and planning retreat with fellow coach entrepreneurs. We started with a leadership year-end reflection exercise to debrief 2025 and some of my findings were… surprising. While I focused a lot of my mental energy on thinking about work, it was the non-work events that influenced me the most… Read More How Gratitude Can Improve Leadership Effectiveness By Amy Sanchez | November 25, 2025 Gratitude as a Leadership Strategy Mark Zuckerberg isn’t known for harping on the insight that gratitude can improve leadership effectiveness. But the one time that we know he tried it, it worked. Years ago, long before Facebook became Meta, Mark Zuckerberg wanted a key team member to move from New York to Silicon Valley. She… Read More How Great Leaders Keep Top Talent During Times of Uncertainty By Amy Sanchez | November 17, 2025 The workplace is shifting — fast. If you’re a leader in biotech or tech, you’re likely feeling the ripple effects: reorgs, AI-driven change, tighter budgets, new expectations, and teams stretched to capacity. And the data makes the picture even clearer: If you’ve felt the subtle hesitation in 1:1s… the quieter Zoom calls… the increase in… Read More How To Navigate Year-End Pressure Without Burning Out Your Team By Amy Sanchez | November 12, 2025 The last quarter of the year is crunch time. Budget deadlines. End-of-year board meetings. Annual planning. Ambitious Q4 targets. The holiday calendar.  It seems there is always year-end pressure to meet mounting goals. Sound familiar? For leaders in tech and biotech, the final 6-8 weeks of the year often feel like the ultimate test of… Read More The AI Fear Gripping Silicon Valley- and How Leaders and Companies Can Respond By Amy Sanchez | August 12, 2025 If you lead in today’s business world, you already feel it — AI isn’t just knocking on the door, it’s kicked it wide open and rearranged the furniture. July 2025 was particularly brutal for the tech industry. Just over 46,000 people were laid off with Intel, TCS and Microsoft leading the pack in making cuts. … Read More Who Should Hire An Executive Coach By Amy Sanchez | February 4, 2025 Getting the most beneficial collaboration out of your team isn’t just good for the team—it’s good for you and your company as well. Effective collaboration helps team members share diverse ideas, pool knowledge, and work toward common goals, which leads to better problem-solving and improved outcomes. Read More Older Posts » Home About Executive Coaching Services Team Building Workshops DiSC Workshop Testimonials Contact Swim Against the Current® provides executive coaching to support organizations and leaders through successful growth in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. Let's Connect Book a Call 2026 © Swim Against the Current® Privacy Policy Terms of Use Leadership & Executive Coaching Resources | Swim Against the Current Skip to content Identify Your Strengths That AI Can't Replicate: A Complimentary Assessment About Services Executive Coaching Services Team Building Workshops DiSC Workshop Resources Praise Blog & Podcast The Happy Leader Podcast Blog Contact × About Services Executive Coaching Services Team Building Workshops DiSC Workshop Resources Praise Blog & Podcast The Happy Leader Podcast Blog Contact Leadership and Executive Coaching Resources Curious about what it would be like to work with me? These video resources are here to help you learn more about executive coaching, productivity in teams, remote team motivation, strategies to prevent burnout, setting boundaries and work-life integration. What is Executive Coaching? Wondering what executive coaching is and whether or not the investment in your professional development will bring career ROI? This 5-minute video answers those very questions. Introducing our 5-minute video that aims to provide answers to your questions about executive coaching and the potential return on investment it can bring to your professional development. In this informative video, we dive into the essence of executive coaching and its impact on individuals and their careers. You'll gain a clear understanding of what executive coaching entails, the benefits it offers, and how it can propel your growth as a leader. We address common concerns and uncertainties you may have regarding the investment in executive coaching. Through insightful examples and testimonials, we showcase real-life experiences of professionals who have undergone executive coaching and the positive outcomes they have achieved. By watching this video, you'll gain valuable insights into how executive coaching can help you unlock your full potential, navigate challenges, and accelerate your career trajectory. You'll discover the transformative power of having a trusted coach who can guide and support you in reaching your goals and overcoming obstacles. Investing just 5 minutes of your time in this video will provide you with a wealth of knowledge, empowering you to make an informed decision about the value of executive coaching for your professional development. Whether you're seeking to enhance your leadership skills, navigate career transitions, or maximize your impact, this video is a valuable resource that will illuminate the potential ROI of investing in yourself. Apply for a Discovery Call Productivity in Teams Productive and engaged employees are at the heart of all successful organizations. But, how can you ensure productivity in teams within your business? This short video helps you determine what your team needs and how to address your findings. Introducing our short video that delves into the crucial topic of team productivity and engagement within organizations. We understand that productive and engaged employees are fundamental to the success of any business, and this video aims to provide you with actionable insights on how to ensure productivity in your teams. In this video, we explore the key factors that contribute to team productivity and engagement. We guide you through a process of assessing your team's needs and identifying potential areas for improvement. By understanding the unique dynamics of your team, you can uncover specific strategies to address any challenges and enhance productivity. Through practical examples and expert advice, we offer valuable tips and techniques to foster a positive work environment, promote effective communication, and cultivate a culture of collaboration and motivation. You'll discover how to harness the strengths of each team member, leverage their skills, and align their goals with the overall objectives of the organization. By watching this video, you'll gain actionable steps to implement within your team to boost productivity and engagement. We emphasize the importance of recognizing and addressing individual needs, providing necessary resources, and promoting a healthy work-life balance. You'll learn how to create an environment where employees feel valued, empowered, and motivated to perform at their best. Investing a few minutes in this video can make a significant difference in the productivity and success of your teams. By taking proactive measures to enhance team dynamics and engagement, you'll foster a positive organizational culture that attracts and retains top talent, ultimately leading to improved business outcomes. Apply for a Discovery Call Remote Team Motivation Curious how to motivate remote teams? With all of the changes and challenges workplaces have adapted to, you may now find yourself worrying about remote team motivation. This video will guide you to understand the nuances within your team and how to encourage effective and engaged team members who live miles apart. Introducing our informative video that addresses the critical topic of motivating remote teams. As workplaces have rapidly adapted to new changes and challenges, it is natural to be concerned about maintaining team motivation in a remote setting. This video aims to provide you with valuable insights on understanding the nuances within your remote team and fostering effective and engaged team members, despite the physical distance. In this video, we delve into the unique dynamics of remote teams and explore the factors that influence team motivation in a virtual environment. We guide you through practical strategies and best practices to cultivate a positive and productive remote work culture. By watching this video, you will gain a deeper understanding of the specific challenges faced by remote teams and learn how to overcome them. We provide actionable advice on how to establish clear communication channels, foster a sense of connection and camaraderie among team members, and promote autonomy and trust in a virtual work environment. Through real-life examples and expert guidance, you will discover effective methods to recognize and reward remote team members, ensure work-life balance, and create a supportive atmosphere that motivates individuals to perform at their best. Investing your time in this video will equip you with the knowledge and tools to tackle the unique complexities of remote team motivation. By implementing the strategies discussed, you will be able to foster an engaged, cohesive, and high-performing remote team, regardless of the physical distances that separate them. Apply for a Discovery Call Strategies to Prevent Burnout Feeling stress in your executive or leadership role? The strategies to prevent burnout shared in this 25-minute video will help you understand three key areas to focus on. Contact me to learn about how we can work on tailored strategies to prevent burnout. Introducing our comprehensive 25-minute video that addresses the crucial topic of preventing burnout in executive and leadership roles. If you're feeling overwhelmed and stressed in your high-level position, this video is a valuable resource that will provide you with essential strategies to regain balance and prevent burnout. In this video, we explore three key areas that are instrumental in combating burnout: self-care, boundaries, and mindset. We delve into each area, offering practical insights and actionable techniques that you can implement in your daily life. By watching this video, you will gain a deeper understanding of the importance of self-care and how to prioritize your well-being amidst the demands of your executive or leadership role. We provide effective strategies to manage stress, foster resilience, and promote a healthy work-life integration. Additionally, we explore the significance of setting boundaries to protect your energy and maintain a sustainable work-life balance. You'll learn how to establish clear boundaries, delegate tasks effectively, and navigate expectations to prevent burnout and ensure your long-term success. Moreover, About Us | Swim Against the Current Skip to content Identify Your Strengths That AI Can't Replicate: A Complimentary Assessment About Services Executive Coaching Services Team Building Workshops DiSC Workshop Resources Praise Blog & Podcast The Happy Leader Podcast Blog Contact × About Services Executive Coaching Services Team Building Workshops DiSC Workshop Resources Praise Blog & Podcast The Happy Leader Podcast Blog Contact About Hi! I’m Amy Sanchez, a Leadership and Executive coach. Before I graduated from high school, I had moved seven times around the US and internationally. During that time, I was exposed to a number of cultures and people and I was fascinated by all of it. What made one person tick in one location was different from someone else in another location. I soaked in everything I could about human behavior at a young age. After I joined the workforce, this innate fascination remained but my questions changed. Why were some people successful at work and others weren’t? Why did I click with some people but dreaded working with others? The observing and questioning continued through business school and the questions shifted again when I started managing people. This all culminated when I went through a critical personal and professional pivot and decided to become a coach. Suddenly, the area of study I had always been obsessed with delightfully became my life’s work. And I found a way to help others in the workplace by using the insights and tools I have been tuned into my entire life. My Training : I earned a professional coach certification from the International Coaching Federation — one of the highest distinctions for coaches that deliver executive coaching and an MBA from the University of Southern California. Before becoming a coach, I spent 13 years in marketing working for large companies like Eli Lilly & Co., Johnson & Johnson, a start-up that didn't make it and one that did- and doubled in size nearly overnight. I founded Swim Against the Current in 2017 and to date, we've worked with over 750 leaders. We take a lot of pride in seeing our clients thrive and like to develop long-term relationships that last. Get Coaching What Others Say Our Team Martina Felderman Martina Felderman leverages over 15 years of experience in the life science industry acting as a researcher, mentor, and Chief Operating Officer of a start-up oncology company.Her expertise ranges from synthetic biology and vaccine design to drug discovery and design of microfluidics devices in oncology. She brings vast technical knowledge to the development of novel products and the keen ability to combine her rational, scientific approach with a deep intuition. Martina holds a Master’s degree in Genetics and Biochemistry and a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from the Universität of Salzburg. She is a leadership and professional development specialist and an ICF Certified Executive Coach . Ashley Aguirre Ashley is a leadership development advisor and Certified Executive Coach with over a decade of experience collaborating with engineering and tech organizations. Focused on integrating people-oriented solutions with business goals, she brings holistic leadership development to her clients by addressing broader cultural and leadership needs. She previously served as an internal consultant at NASA and Nuro where she partnered with executives and senior leaders on culture change, performance management, and creating high-performance teams. Ashley holds a BS in Psychology and is a Professional Certified Coach accredited by the International Coaching Federation. Book Your Consultation With Us Trusted by clients in organizations such as ex att n bs vm dell goog jj k Stanford Next Previous "What an amazing experience. I can't thank Amy enough for the direction she's given me, the empowerment and self discovery process, and the natural skill she has in progressing me to my full self ability and worth. I am honored to find such a treasure — a resource for my professional growth. I have definitely benefited and it was 100% worth the investment." -Sheng, Director, Stanford Health Care Click here for more results from happy clients. Looking for those same types of results? Learn more about how I work with individuals and organizations. Get In Touch View Testimonials Home About Executive Coaching Services Team Building Workshops DiSC Workshop Testimonials Contact Swim Against the Current® provides executive coaching to support organizations and leaders through successful growth in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. Let's Connect Book a Call 2026 © Swim Against the Current® Privacy Policy Terms of Use Certified DiSC Workshop | Swim Against the Current Skip to content Identify Your Strengths That AI Can't Replicate: A Complimentary Assessment About Services Executive Coaching Services Team Building Workshops DiSC Workshop Resources Praise Blog & Podcast The Happy Leader Podcast Blog Contact × About Services Executive Coaching Services Team Building Workshops DiSC Workshop Resources Praise Blog & Podcast The Happy Leader Podcast Blog Contact Unlock Team Potential with a Certified DiSC Workshop – Online or In-Person Understanding different personality styles and communication preferences is the key to unlocking better teamwork and leadership. Our certified DiSC workshops are highly interactive and expert-led to help individuals, teams, and organizations unlock their full potential. Look no further to enhance Workplace Communication, Team Collaboration & Leadership Effectiveness. Book A Call Now Trusted by Fortune 500 Companies and Start-Ups Exploratorium pfizer novartis Google Johnson & Johnson Bogle Family Vineyards Apple Stanford Assembly Biosciences PROCEPT Biorobotics Kezar Life Sciences Cloudera DCL Logistics iRhythm Next Previous What is a DiSC Workshop & Why Does it Work? A DiSC Workshop is a powerful, science-backed training that helps individuals and teams through: ✅ Certified & Highly Experienced Coaches – Learn from industry experts who have trained top executives & corporate teams. ✅ Personalized Insights and Tips – After every workshop, we provide actionable insights about specific leaders and team dynamics, helping you support your team more effectively. Every DiSC Workshop includes a complimentary debrief session to extend the impact of learnings far into the future. ✅ Lifetime Access to Catalyst Platform – All participants get unlimited access to Catalyst, an interactive platform where they can explore their DiSC profile, reinforce learnings, and improve team collaboration over time. ✅ Interactive & Practical Training – Experience real-world case studies, role-playing, and personalized strategies that are immediately applicable in the workplace. ✅ Tailored for Your Needs – Our workshops are customized to address your organization’s unique challenges, goals, and culture. ✅ Flexible Delivery Options – Available both online and in-person, we adapt to your preferred format to maximize convenience and engagement Whether you're a business leader, HR professional, or team manager , this workshop can help you improve engagement, communication, and retention. Book Your Workshop Now Why Choose Our DiSC Workshop Over Others? Get to learn from Certified & Highly Experienced Coaches who have trained top executives & corporate teams. 📌 Online & In-Person Sessions – Attend from anywhere or host an in-office workshop. 📌 Customized to Your Needs – Tailored workshops for individuals, teams, and leadership groups based on your unique needs. 📌 Interactive & Practical – Real-world case studies, role-playing, and personalized assessments. 📌 Instantly Applicable Insights – Participants leave with actionable takeaways they can implement immediately. 📌 Applications Far Beyond the Workshop – All participants will gain access to an online system that securely stores the DiSC assessments with guidance from us about how to leverage the numerous reports to drive sustainable change. Talk to a Workshop Specialist What You Can Expect From Us We’ve had the pleasure of working with Amy Sanchez over the past two years, and her approach has always felt like a true partnership. She takes time to listen, ask thoughtful questions, and align on goals before guiding us forward. Amy has facilitated two team offsites using DiSC assessments, which was very well-received by participants, and led to stronger, more cohesive teams. Her one-on-one coaching has also had a meaningful impact, boosting individual confidence and leadership. Amy brings a combination of strategic insight, emotional intelligence, and executive presence, and has earned the trust and respect of employees at all levels. She has become a valued and trusted partner in our people development efforts. Joe Tedrick, Head of HR, Kezar Life Sciences Who is This Workshop For? If your goal is to communicate better, create better team-initiative, and build stronger professional relationships , this workshop is for you. 👉 Business Leaders & Managers – Develop leadership, decision-making & team motivation skills. 👉 HR & Training Professionals – Build high-performing teams & improve engagement & retention. 👉 Key Teams – Foster better collaboration and communication. Get Started Workshop Breakdown – What to Expect? Our structured approach ensures participants leave with deep insights and practical skills. 📌 Step 1: Personalized DiSC Assessment – Each participant receives access to their personalized DiSC profile to understand their unique personality style. 📌 Step 2: Interactive Workshop Session – Engaging discussions, role-playing, and group exercises to apply learning. 📌 Step 3: Practical Application – Learn how to implement DiSC insights in real-world workplace scenarios. 📌 Step 4: Follow-up & Continued Support – Exclusive post-training resources & guidance for lasting impact.   Schedule a workshop now Flexible Delivery: Live or Virtual Online DiSC Workshop Enroll and attend a live virtual training via Zoom In-Person Workshop We come to your office or offsite venue Custom Hybrid Model A blend of online & offline learning tailored to your needs. Get a Custom Quote Now What You Can Expect From Us: In a period of high growth, we knew that scaling the company was not going to happen efficiently unless we unlocked the potential of our leadership and management teams. Three years ago, we hired Amy to help support our development initiatives holistically. She has worked with us in various capacities including individual leadership coaching, curated programs for management development, and facilitating our executive team summits. She comes with a toolbox of frameworks, techniques and learnings that are sound, practical and easy to understand. Amy has been amazing! Not only does she have the formal training both as a coach and as a previous corporate world employee, but she has the unique ability to connect with everyone at all levels, getting all to open up in a such a way that unlocks their development and potential. For the first time in our 44 year history, we are seeing a wave of change in how our leaders are managing their teams and the results have been positive both in our company performance and our culture. Dave Tu, President, DCL Logistics More Results from Previous Happy Clients “After collecting feedback from the team, every single person said you and the workshop you led was very good or exceeded expectations.” Joe Tedrick, Head of HR, Kezar Life Sciences “It seems like we created really positive momentum that is palpable. There is a new sense of empowerment and ownership at the Director level and they have started to show up as an integrated team which is really fantastic to see. I would say the initial results (of the workshop you led) exceeded expectations.” Minni, Chief People Office, PROCEPT Biorobotics “Workshop was great! The team seemed to have bonded a lot over the workshop. Everyone has been a lot more vocal about working styles and preferences this week. Seems there has been a lot of little things that people weren't voicing before, but the workshop opened everyone up!” CEO, Bay Area Biotech Company Ready to Transform Your Team? ✅ Highly engaging, expert-led DiSC workshop ✅ Online & in-person options available ✅ 100% tailored to your team’s needs 🚀 Spots fill up fast! Secure your workshop today. Take the First Step Today! Frequently Asked Questions How long is the workshop? Expand Typically 2-4 hours , but we can customize based on your needs. Is the workshop only for corporate teams? Expand No! We offer programs for indivi Why Focusing on People Will Give AI Tech Leaders a Competitive Advantage - Swim Against the Current® Skip to content Identify Your Strengths That AI Can't Replicate: A Complimentary Assessment About Services Executive Coaching Services Team Building Workshops DiSC Workshop Resources Praise Blog & Podcast The Happy Leader Podcast Blog Contact × About Services Executive Coaching Services Team Building Workshops DiSC Workshop Resources Praise Blog & Podcast The Happy Leader Podcast Blog Contact Why Focusing on People Will Give AI Tech Leaders a Competitive Advantage The industry that once promised wealth, status, and job security is now generating something else entirely: fear. Here's what's going wrong, why it matters, and why focusing on people again will give AI tech companies a competitive advantage. I haven't spoken to a single senior tech leader in the past six months who would describe themselves as happy in their role. Not one. These are some of the smartest, most driven people in the world- people who chose an industry known for big bets, bold visions, and the genuine belief that technology could change human life for the better. And right now, most of them are confused, nervous, and running on empty. So what's happening? And more importantly, what should tech companies be doing about it? THE LANDSCAPE The AI Gold Rush of 1849: We've Seen This Before In January 1848, gold was discovered at Sutter's Mill in California. Within months, more than 300,000 people flooded the state. Some struck it rich. Most didn't. The ones who suffered most weren't just the unlucky- they were the ones who moved too fast, without a plan, driven purely by the terror of missing out. What's happening in AI right now looks eerily similar. Since 2022, the number of generative AI companies has exploded from roughly 50,000 to more than 67,000 globally. In 2025 alone, 49 U.S. AI startups each raised $100M or more. OpenAI's latest round valued the company at $300 billion. Bay Area companies pulled in $90 billion in venture funding in a single year. But here's what the headlines aren't telling you: while venture capitalists are flooding money into AI companies, the companies themselves are quietly pulling money out of something else to fund their own AI arms race. And what they're pulling it from is their people. According to Andy Challenger of Challenger, Gray & Christmas, one of the most respected workforce research firms in the country, companies are now explicitly "shifting budgets toward AI investments at the expense of jobs." Not just jobs, employee benefits and support too. Corporate wellness spending dropped 19% per employee in just two years. Outside training and development investment fell 21% in a single year. And in a particularly telling irony, 60% of tech workers say they are using AI at work daily but have received zero formal training on how to use it effectively. The people absorbing all of this are not OK. LeadDev's 2025 Engineering Leadership Report, which surveyed over 600 engineering leaders and developers specifically inside tech, found that 46% are experiencing moderate to critical burnout. Forty percent say their teams are less motivated than a year ago, and 65% say their responsibilities expanded after the last round of cuts with no reduction in expectations. According to Glassdoor's Employee Confidence Index, the tech sector recorded its largest year-over-year drop in confidence of any industry in 2025, falling 6.8 percentage points, and senior level IT confidence dropped 4.6 points in a single month. Across industries, a 2025 employee engagement study found that 71% of workers report what researchers now call "AI anxiety" - the persistent fear that the technology their company is racing to adopt will ultimately eliminate their role, devalue their expertise, or reshape their work in ways they cannot yet prepare for. Inside tech, where that threat feels most personal, that number is almost certainly higher.  These are not people who need a ping pong table. They need leadership that acknowledges reality. Sources: TrueUp Layoffs Tracker (April 2026) · LeadDev Engineering Leadership Report 2025 · Data Ramp Capital via Moneywise (2026) · People Element Employee Engagement Report 2025 To bring this to life, here is a story from one of my clients. A VP at one of the top SaaS companies had been working hard to align his team around a new company strategy. After investing significant time and energy getting his people onboard and building the plans to support it, six weeks later the strategy shifted. He rinsed and repeated- same enthusiasm, same reassurances- but this time struggling to mask his own exhaustion and worried his team could see through it. Six weeks after that, the strategy shifted again. That same Friday morning, an email arrived: your job has been eliminated. He told me later it felt like a relief… That should give every senior leader in tech pause. When a talented, committed VP experiences a layoff as relief rather than loss, something has gone profoundly wrong long before that email was sent. The exit was not the problem. The conditions that made leaving feel like freedom- that was the problem. What we're seeing in the tech world today is not a productivity strategy. It is a pressure cooker . And the data says it is already cracking the very people who are expected to usher us into this new AI era. In 1849, when people rushed in to find gold without a well-baked strategy, the cost landed on individuals. Today, it's landing on entire organizations, entire leadership teams, and the people inside them. "Unlike earlier layoff waves driven by over-hiring, many of 2025's reductions were permanent, with entire roles eliminated as companies rebuilt around AI-first operating models." - Alan Cohen, Analyst, RationalFX (January 2026) FROM THE FIELD- What Leaders inside Big Tech Are Actually Experiencing These aren't hypotheticals. These are real conversations from the leaders I work with and talk to regularly working in some of the most well-known names in tech. STRATEGY WHIPLASH CEOs are drafting new company strategies overnight and presenting them to the leadership team the same morning the rest of the company finds out. No pre-alignment. No pressure-testing. Just slides- and a room full of senior leaders trying to look confident when they feel anything but. THE EMAIL YOU DREAD OPENING One Friday, thousands of people at a major tech company opened their email to learn their job no longer existed. No warning. No personal conversation. No explanation. Access to company files revoked. Please see yourself out the door. 30% TEAM CUTS, 100% OF THE EXPECTATIONS Teams are being cut by 30% while goals remain unchanged or increase. Hallways that were once buzzing with collaborative energy are now filled with downcast eyes and siloed teams quietly competing for relevance- each one frantically trying to appear like they "get AI" while privately building the airplane mid-flight. Before We Go Further- A Word on What It’s Like at the Top None of this is happening in a vacuum. The leaders making these decisions are operating under immense pressure that is genuinely historic in scale- and they’re betting the farm. Alphabet, Microsoft, Meta, and Amazon alone are projected to spend nearly $700 billion on AI in 2026, a 60% increase over already record-setting 2025 levels. These are not calculated bets. They are existential commitments made in real time, in a race with no clear finish line and competitors who are just as well-funded and just as desperate to win. The talent capable of building truly differentiated AI is finite and fiercely contested. The board is watching. The market is watching. And the pressure to move- now, fast, decisively- is unlike anything most leaders have navigated before. When the stakes are this high and the timeline feels this short, the instinct to pull decision-making close, move fast, and communicate later is entirely pre Three Small Rituals to Develop Leadership Presence Skip to content Identify Your Strengths That AI Can't Replicate: A Complimentary Assessment About Services Executive Coaching Services Team Building Workshops DiSC Workshop Resources Praise Blog & Podcast The Happy Leader Podcast Blog Contact × About Services Executive Coaching Services Team Building Workshops DiSC Workshop Resources Praise Blog & Podcast The Happy Leader Podcast Blog Contact Three Small Rituals to Develop Leadership Presence Nearly 25 years ago, I was an entry-level sales rep at Eli Lilly, sitting in a large annual sales meeting. The CEO at the time, Sydney Taurel, took the stage. I don’t remember what he said. What I do remember, almost three decades later, is how he made me feel. Calm. Impressed. Intrigued. He had presence. A grounded confidence. He was humble without being small and authoritative without being forceful. Watching him made me want to work harder.  Not out of fear or pressure, but because I trusted who was steering the ship. That moment stayed with me. And it taught me something that I apply daily in my work with leaders: How you show up as a leader is just as important as knowing what to do. It’s important to develop leadership presence. Table of Contents Toggle Leadership Presence Is Felt Before It’s Heard Why Leadership Presence Matters More in Today’s Environment Three Simple Rituals to Improve Leadership Presence Presence Isn’t About Doing More What Leaders Can Do This Week Leadership Presence Is Felt Before It’s Heard Maya Angelou famously said, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Think back to your most memorable bosses. They were likely memorable because of the magnitude of emotion they ignited in you, whether positive or negative. The tricky piece about this is that our emotion is largely based on interpreting others’ actions. In a world where you can’t control the filter that other people apply to interpret your actions, what behavior can you anchor to and improve your odds that your leadership will leave a positive impact? To answer this, let’s look at what neuroscience can teach us. Neuroscience supports the idea that before people consciously process your words, their brains are already scanning for cues: Am I safe here? Is this person steady? Can I trust their judgment? The brain reads emotional signals before intellectual content . Therefore, paying attention to your tone, pacing, body language, and energy will help you communicate the right information long words any words are spoken. This is why two leaders can deliver the same message and get very different results. And yet, leadership presence is often the least trained capability. Organizations invest heavily in strategy, execution, and technical expertise. Far fewer teach leaders how to regulate themselves under pressure, embody calm during uncertainty, or communicate confidence without force. To gain a leadership edge, you can focus on developing the right nonverbal cues by tuning into your intention and mindset prior to an important interaction. Presence is subtle but its impact is enormous. It’s important to be intentional in how you develop leadership presence. Why Leadership Presence Matters More in Today’s Environment Today’s life science and tech leaders are operating in an environment defined by: Constant change AI acceleration Hybrid and remote teams Change fatigue High cognitive load In these conditions, teams are often operating with a high level of stress. Energy is contagious.  When a leader looks calm and collected, it impacts a sense of peace and confidence on the team. When leaders are reactive, rushed, or visibly overwhelmed, teams mirror that state. When leaders are grounded and intentional, teams feel steadier, even when answers aren’t clear. Leadership presence isn’t about charisma or extroversion. Many people confuse extroversion with the ability to carry a room. It has nothing to do with your comfort with conversing with others. Rather, it’s about state management – your ability to stay centered so others can stay focused. That’s an important distinction as you think about how to develop leadership presence. Three Simple Rituals to Improve Leadership Presence Improving leadership presence doesn’t require a personality overhaul. It requires small, consistent practices that help you regulate your nervous system and show up more intentionally. Here are three leadership rituals I often share with senior leaders to develop leadership presence: 1. The 90-Second Reset (Mindset) Before an important conversation or meeting, pause for 90 seconds and take slow, steady breaths. Why it works: When you’re stressed, the amygdala, the brain’s threat detector, takes over. This reduces access to the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for decision-making, empathy, strategy, and perspective. Slow breathing helps settle the stress response and brings your thinking brain back online to help develop leadership presence. Calm leaders think more clearly. Their teams feel the difference immediately. 2. Name the Moment (Presence) Silently label what’s happening for you: “I’m feeling rushed.” “This conversation matters.” “There’s tension here.” Why it works: Research shows that naming emotions reduces their intensity. This process, sometimes called “affect labeling,” helps regulate emotional responses and prevents reactivity. Leaders who can self-regulate create psychological safety without saying a word. Getting into a regular practice of self-regulation is an important way to develop leadership presence. 3. Lead with One Clear Intention Before meetings, ask yourself: What’s the one thing I want people to feel or leave with? Clarity? Confidence? Alignment? Ownership? Why it works: Intention focuses attention. Attention shapes behavior. Leaders who lead with intention stop reacting to the room and start guiding it. Presence Isn’t About Doing More None of these rituals take more than a minute. Practiced consistently, they change how people experience you. That’s the real shift: leadership presence isn’t about adding more to your plate. It’s about changing how you show up to what’s already there . Strong leadership doesn’t come from doing more. It comes from showing up differently. What Leaders Can Do This Week If you want to strengthen your leadership presence, try this: Choose one of the three rituals above. Practice it consistently for a week. Notice how people respond. Not just what they say, but how the room feels. Managing your energy is a technique that requires consistent time and attention.  This year I’m committing to daily meditation, often just for a few minutes, using the Insight Timer app. My goal is to stay connected to the peace and presence I was able to cultivate over the winter holiday- when all work was turned off. Leadership presence is a practice. And like any practice, it gets stronger with intention and repetition. If you’re experimenting with something new to improve how you show up as a leader, share your intention with others. Sharing an intention increases the likelihood that you’ll follow through. And if you want support building leadership presence, individually or across your leadership team, that’s work I do every day. Contact me to learn more here . Because in the end, people may forget the details of your strategy but they will remember how it felt to work with you. Share via: Facebook LinkedIn Email Print More Home About Executive Coaching Services Team Building Workshops DiSC Workshop Testimonials Contact Swim Against the Current® provides executive coaching to support organizations and Team Building Workshops | Swim Against the Current Skip to content Identify Your Strengths That AI Can't Replicate: A Complimentary Assessment About Services Executive Coaching Services Team Building Workshops DiSC Workshop Resources Praise Blog & Podcast The Happy Leader Podcast Blog Contact × About Services Executive Coaching Services Team Building Workshops DiSC Workshop Resources Praise Blog & Podcast The Happy Leader Podcast Blog Contact Team Building Workshops We specialize in work with executive teams down to middle management. The work we do here reverberates to the rest of the organization to transform groups into teams, boost productivity, increase retention, and build an organizational culture where everyone thrives. Book A Call Our Team Building Workshops are Trusted by clients in organizations such as: Exploratorium pfizer novartis dell Google Johnson & Johnson Kaiser Apple Stanford Pinterest Assembly Biosciences PROCEPT Biorobotics Cloudera DCL Logistics iRhythm Bogle Family Vineyards Next Previous The Benefits of Team Building Only 31% of US employees report feeling engaged 50% are looking for or actively seeking a new job The most recent data above that came out of the 2025 Gallup State of the Global Workplace report was alarming. In our current corporate environment focused on Ai adoption and calling employees back to the office, we're taking our eye off the fundamentals that allow employees and teams to thrive. Things like building trust and understanding, transparent communication, clarity, alignment, and a dedication to a shared goal are still the building blocks that allow longterm, sustainable results to follow. These attributes don't happen organically merely by putting people in the same room- they require concerted effort. This is where workshops can make a difference between an organization who operates through reaction vs. an organization who can be proactive and intentional . When your leaders step outside of a workshop led by experts, the insights and clarity they gain will reverberate throughout the organization and have a positive impact on your bottom line. "We’ve had the pleasure of working with Amy Sanchez over the past two years, and her approach has always felt like a true partnership. She takes time to listen, ask thoughtful questions, and align on goals before guiding us forward. Amy has facilitated two team offsites using DiSC assessments, which was very well-received by participants, and led to stronger, more cohesive teams. Her one-on-one coaching has also had a meaningful impact, boosting individual confidence and leadership. Amy brings a combination of strategic insight, emotional intelligence, and executive presence, and has earned the trust and respect of employees at all levels. She has become a valued and trusted partner in our people development efforts."   Joe Tedrick, Head of HR at Kezar Biosciences   Workshops Designed For You And Your Team - Collaborative - Process We start by understanding your team and workshop goals and help diagnose where the kinks may be. We'll provide a recommendation about how to create the change you seek in a way that will lead to lasting results. Our recipe can include workshops, training, and coaching. We're expertly trained to do it all. Your ROI is a primary focus. - Customized - Workshops Based on your unique needs, we can deliver a ready-to-go workshop or customize one specific to your team's needs. We have mastered the art of designing and delivering customized workshops that keep people engaged, create safety and space for the right conversations, and result in tangible steps forward. - Lasting - Change Our workshops combine self-awareness, meaningful discussions, and action steps designed to drive positive change. We won't swoop in and out and expect you to create lasting change- we'll be your partner as long as you want- whether it's a customized DIY roadmap or continued work with your teams to help you create the transformation you seek. Get Started What You Can Expect After Working with Swim Against the Current “It seems like we created really positive momentum that is palpable. There is a new sense of empowerment and ownership at the Director level and they have started to show up as an integrated team which is really fantastic to see. I would say the initial results (of the workshop you led) exceeded expectations.” — Minni , Chief People Officer, Procept Biorobotics “The team loved the workshop and they loved you, Amy. Thank you.” — Dave , President, DCL Logistics “After collecting feedback from the team, every single person said you and the workshop you led was very good or exceeded expectations.” — Joe, Senior Director, HR, Kezar Life Science A Proven Methodology With Your Needs in Mind Discovery work informs the workshop design so they are catered to your team's specific needs We’ll start with a complimentary discovery conversation to uncover your team or organization’s desired outcome. A high-level team building workshop plan will be designed to meet your corporate team building needs. Once approved, your facilitated workshop or speech will be delivered live or remote. I also include actions to keep the learnings alive well beyond the event. Assessments to Enhance Awareness We are certified in several assessments, including DiSC. We typically start with these assessments to enhance awareness of self and others through data-driven insights. "Shortly after the workshop, we saw an increase in employee-led projects across the company, more ERGs organizing events, and more cross-team collaboration, simply because more people understood their roles in leading efforts." - Angel C., Product Marketing manager, Cloudera BOOK Now A Bay Area Speaker to inspire your group A great way to provide value to your group or organization is by bringing in a Bay Area speaker who understands your event and organizational goals, knows the local area and the dynamics of Silicon Valley, and who can engage your audience through a memorable presentation. Amy has spoken at events large and small throughout the course of her 20+ career, from 1,500 person sales conferences to small intimate gatherings of top leaders. Her speeches can be catered to a live Bay Area event or a remote gathering, depending on the needs and goals of your unique audience. Learn More About Me Three of my most-requested keynote speeches are Managing Stress To Optimize Success How to Build an Inspiring Leadership Career Roadmap How to be the Leader Everyone Wants to Work For BOOK ONE Some More Happy Clients "After collecting feedback from the team, every single person said you and the workshop you led was very good or exceeded expectations." - Joe, Senior Director, HR, Kezar Life Sciences "It seems like we created really positive momentum that is palpable. There is a new sense of empowerment and ownership at the Director level and they have started to show up as an integrated team which is really fantastic to see. I would say the initial results (of the workshop you led) exceeded expectations." - Minni, Chief People Office, PROCEPT Biorobotics "Workshop was great! The team seemed to have bonded a lot over the workshop. Everyone has been a lot more vocal about working styles and preferences this week. Seems there has been a lot of little things that people weren't voicing before, but the workshop opened everyone up!" - CEO, Bay Area Biotech Company "There is no single phrase I can use to describe the impact that Amy had on the attendees to the workshop; she is a rock star, she is passionate, literally puts the team on her shoulders, and teaches you how to run with it!" Latinx@Cloudera, wanted to sponsor a workshop to empower all employees to reach their full potential; We found Amy and she took the monumental task of building a custom workshop and optimizing it for a live room AND remote offices, and then she delivered it in one event! She is the biggest champion of remote employee enablement Why Leadership Teams Break at the Scaling Stage - Swim Against the Current® Skip to content Identify Your Strengths That AI Can't Replicate: A Complimentary Assessment About Services Executive Coaching Services Team Building Workshops DiSC Workshop Resources Praise Blog & Podcast The Happy Leader Podcast Blog Contact × About Services Executive Coaching Services Team Building Workshops DiSC Workshop Resources Praise Blog & Podcast The Happy Leader Podcast Blog Contact Why Leadership Teams Break at the Scaling Stage I’ve seen the same pattern show up again and again inside growing companies. In the early days everything works because a few smart people sit close together making decisions quickly. Communication is informal. Energy is high. People step in wherever needed.  “Wearing all the hats” it’s often called.  It’s exciting and intentionally a bit chaotic. Then the company grows. Revenue climbs. Headcount doubles. New leaders arrive. Suddenly the leadership team that once felt aligned begins to feel strained.  Informal alliances tend to start forming.  “Old guard vs. new guard” it’s often called. Meetings take longer. Decisions stall. Departments begin protecting their own priorities. Established leaders who were once confident start to feel overwhelmed, frustrated, and missing the good ol’ days when decisions were made in the hallways.  Newer leaders immediately see the gaps and want to start fixing them.  They want more structure and accountability, to mimic what they saw work in past companies.  Old guard feels threatened, disrespected and wants to preserve traditions that existed before the newbies arrived, who are clearly trying to ruin the culture.  Meetings are polite but no one addresses the real issues in any meaningful way that will drive cross-functional solutions.  That’s because the leadership team doesn’t trust each other.  Pockets of them do.  But they don’t all trust each other.  And so communication is broken.  Nothing is technically “wrong.” Yet the leadership team begins to feel heavier and slower at the exact moment the company needs it to move faster. I see this most often at the transition from Series A to Series B. It is one of the most important leadership shifts a company will ever navigate. And it is where many teams quietly begin to break. Table of Contents Toggle The Leadership Shift Between Series A and Series B The Hidden Cost of Decision Bottlenecks Delegation Failures That Slow Growth Why Cross Functional Tension Increases as Companies Grow How Strong Executive Teams Simplify as They Scale What Leaders Often Experience During Scaling A Question Worth Asking Successful Scaling Habits for Leaders and Teams The Leadership Shift Between Series A and Series B At Series A, leadership is mostly about building. The founding team is still deeply involved in the product, the sales motion, and the early customer base. Leaders stay close to the details because the company is still discovering what works. Speed matters more than structure. At Series B, the game changes. The company is no longer discovering whether the product works. Now it must scale the organization that delivers it. This requires a completely different kind of leadership. The founders and early executives must move from operators to orchestrators. For many, this is a completely new lane that they’ve never experienced before.  Some are PhD’s who have never learned leadership skills, aside from what they listen to on their podcasts, or practice informally with their teams.  Some are founders who are brilliant engineers, scientists, or otherwise wildly smart in some unique endeavor and created a product that has generated impressive consumer demand. But stepping out of the day to day and mastering leadership fundamentals is foreign and although they know it, it’s often hard to admit and even harder to ask for help. After all, they’ve been successful. But now the game has changed and they’re not yet quite ready to admit that they need to evolve to remain effective. Instead of solving every problem themselves, they must create clarity and exhibit behaviors that allow hundreds of decisions to happen without them. Many leaders and teams underestimate how difficult this shift can be. The habits that created early success often become the exact behaviors that slow the company down later. And in the worst cases, the board makes the decision to replace those at the top when this gap became painfully obvious. (For more information about how executive coaching can help these leaders, click here ). The Hidden Cost of Decision Bottlenecks One of the clearest signals that a leadership team is struggling during scale is the decision bottleneck. At first it seems harmless. A leader wants to stay involved because they care about quality. They want to help because they know the business better than anyone. They review one more document. Join one more meeting. Approve one more decision. But over time something subtle happens. The organization learns that decisions must travel upward. Teams begin waiting for approval rather than solving problems.  Talented individuals are unintentionally taught to follow instead of lead.  A culture of “wait to be told what to do and how to solve” is created. Momentum slows. Leaders often feel like they are working harder than ever. Yet the company moves more slowly. In once company I worked with, nearly every cross department decision was quietly routed through the CEO. Not because the CEO demanded it. Because the organization had learned that if they waited long enough, the CEO would step in and solve it. When conflicts arose between department heads, they would call the CEO to complain about the other.  He was pulled into the middle of conflict disputes.  And decisions.  And to check in on goal completed, that were inconsistently reached. The CEO was exhausted. The team was disconnected. The company was stuck in constant escalation.  And middle management was perceived as passive. Once the CEO decided to get out of the weeds, the leadership team redesigned how decisions were owned. Authority was pushed back down and execution accelerated almost immediately. They also invested in building strong leadership team behaviors.  They improved trust, began engaging in constructive conflict, established commitments, and had an accountability system.  After their concerted efforts to change, results started to skyrocket.  The year after I worked with them, revenue grew 18%. Not because people suddenly became smarter. Because they developed behaviors and systems that allowed them to act in alignment with the company’s more focused, strategic goals.  And they were off to the races.  Ten people fueling growth, making decisions, and owning goals.  Not just one.  That’s the multiplier effect. Delegation Failures That Slow Growth Delegation is often misunderstood during scaling. Most leaders think delegation means assigning tasks.  In reality, it means transferring ownership. Ownership includes the authority to make decisions, the accountability for results, and the clarity around what success looks like. Without those three pieces, delegation becomes supervision. Many scaling organizations unknowingly create this pattern. A leader hires strong people but still feels responsible for every outcome. They stay close to the work to protect results. Team members sense the lack of autonomy and begin checking in constantly.  They can’t move without approval. The leader becomes the center of the operation. From the outside it looks like commitment. Inside the organization, it limits agency and caps growth. Strong leadership teams solve this by clarifying four things early. What does success looks like? (What’s our unifying company goal?) How do we get things done? (What are the ideal team behaviors?) Who owns the Terms of Use - Swim Against the Current® Skip to content Identify Your Strengths That AI Can't Replicate: A Complimentary Assessment About Services Executive Coaching Services Team Building Workshops DiSC Workshop Resources Praise Blog & Podcast The Happy Leader Podcast Blog Contact × About Services Executive Coaching Services Team Building Workshops DiSC Workshop Resources Praise Blog & Podcast The Happy Leader Podcast Blog Contact Terms of Use This Terms of Use Agreement (“Agreement”) constitutes a legally binding agreement made between you, whether personally or on behalf of an entity (“user” or “you”) and Swim Against the Current and its affiliated companies (collectively, “Company” or “we” or “us” or “our”), concerning your access to and use of the www.swim-against.com website as well as any other media form, media channel, mobile website or mobile application related or connected thereto (collectively, the “Website”). 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Company does not assert any ownership over your Contributions; rather, as between us and you, subject to the rights granted to us in this Agreement, you retain full ownership of all of your Contributions and any intellectual pr The Happy Leader Podcast with Amy Sanchez | Swim Against the Current Skip to content Identify Your Strengths That AI Can't Replicate: A Complimentary Assessment About Services Executive Coaching Services Team Building Workshops DiSC Workshop Resources Praise Blog & Podcast The Happy Leader Podcast Blog Contact × About Services Executive Coaching Services Team Building Workshops DiSC Workshop Resources Praise Blog & Podcast The Happy Leader Podcast Blog Contact The Happy Leader Podcast Hear stories and leadership tips from Amy Sanchez, executive coach to some of the most innovative leaders and teams in Silicon Valley. The Happy Leader will help you navigate the most common leadership challenges so you and your team can amplify what matters most- happiness. Listen To Us: Wherever You Want Whenever You Want Apple Podcast Spotify Amazon Music Youtube Music Deezer Tune In Listen Now Podchaser Overcast Episodes Available To Support Your Leadership Efforts on the Go Who Should Hire An Executive Coach By Amy Sanchez | February 4, 2025 Getting the most beneficial collaboration out of your team isn’t just good for the team—it’s good for you and your company as well. Effective collaboration helps team members share diverse ideas, pool knowledge, and work toward common goals, which leads to better problem-solving and improved outcomes. Read More about Who Should Hire An Executive Coach How to Decrease Holiday Stress as a Leader By Amy Sanchez | November 26, 2024 Getting the most beneficial collaboration out of your team isn’t just good for the team—it’s good for you and your company as well. Effective collaboration helps team members share diverse ideas, pool knowledge, and work toward common goals, which leads to better problem-solving and improved outcomes. Read More about How to Decrease Holiday Stress as a Leader Manager’s Guide: Coaching to Drive Behavior Change By Amy Sanchez | November 12, 2024 Getting the most beneficial collaboration out of your team isn’t just good for the team—it’s good for you and your company as well. Effective collaboration helps team members share diverse ideas, pool knowledge, and work toward common goals, which leads to better problem-solving and improved outcomes. Read More about Manager’s Guide: Coaching to Drive Behavior Change Annual Planning By Amy Sanchez | October 29, 2024 Getting the most beneficial collaboration out of your team isn’t just good for the team—it’s good for you and your company as well. Effective collaboration helps team members share diverse ideas, pool knowledge, and work toward common goals, which leads to better problem-solving and improved outcomes. Read More about Annual Planning How to Deliver Difficult Feedback By Amy Sanchez | October 8, 2024 Getting the most beneficial collaboration out of your team isn’t just good for the team—it’s good for you and your company as well. Effective collaboration helps team members share diverse ideas, pool knowledge, and work toward common goals, which leads to better problem-solving and improved outcomes. Read More about How to Deliver Difficult Feedback How to Foster Better Team Collaboration By Amy Sanchez | September 17, 2024 Getting the most beneficial collaboration out of your team isn’t just good for the team—it’s good for you and your company as well. Effective collaboration helps team members share diverse ideas, pool knowledge, and work toward common goals, which leads to better problem-solving and improved outcomes. Read More about How to Foster Better Team Collaboration Master the One-on-One Meeting By Amy Sanchez | September 3, 2024 One-on-one meetings between leaders and their direct reports are essential for the success of both the team and the manager. These meetings create a dedicated space for meaningful communication, allowing managers to understand their employees’ challenges, aspirations, and motivations. Read More about Master the One-on-One Meeting Improve Leadership Team Performance By Amy Sanchez | August 20, 2024 In any organization, leadership behavior significantly influences the overall culture and effectiveness of the organization. But oftentimes, this predominant style can go unrecognized for years until the organization decides to tune in. Read More about Improve Leadership Team Performance Boomer to Gen Z – Clashing Leadership Styles By Amy Sanchez | July 9, 2024 In today’s diverse workplace, managing multiple generations effectively is crucial. Each generation brings unique experiences, values, and work styles, which can lead to misunderstandings and conflicts if not properly addressed. Read More about Boomer to Gen Z – Clashing Leadership Styles Empower Your Team to Take Initiative By Amy Sanchez | June 18, 2024 As a leader, there is no shortage of priorities. And when you feel like your team is waiting for you to tell them what to do, or how to move projects forward, it can add to your stress and overwhelm. The good news is, introducing small but impactful changes to the way you manage your team can open up pockets of time that previously didn’t exist allowing you to find extra time. Read More about Empower Your Team to Take Initiative 1 2 3 Next » Home About Executive Coaching Services Team Building Workshops DiSC Workshop Testimonials Contact Swim Against the Current® provides executive coaching to support organizations and leaders through successful growth in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. Let's Connect Book a Call 2026 © Swim Against the Current® Privacy Policy Terms of Use Executive Coaching Services | Swim Against the Current Skip to content Identify Your Strengths That AI Can't Replicate: A Complimentary Assessment About Services Executive Coaching Services Team Building Workshops DiSC Workshop Resources Praise Blog & Podcast The Happy Leader Podcast Blog Contact × About Services Executive Coaching Services Team Building Workshops DiSC Workshop Resources Praise Blog & Podcast The Happy Leader Podcast Blog Contact Executive Coaching Services The Scarcest Resource is Time When you've climbed the corporate ladder and get closer to the top, often it doesn't feel as fulfilling as your college-self thought it would. The behaviors that got you here now start to undermine you and the feeling of "having to do it all" continues to increase. What if instead you felt more in control, less stressed, and enjoyed the ride instead of running to the next "to do?" What if you could implement systems, delegate more, and get the low impact work off your plate so you can focus more on the work you enjoy? We see it happen with every client we work with. Let's Chat Amy Sanchez and I spent almost a year together. She had a profound impact on my professional development and career trajectory! Her personalized approach, tailored to my individual strengths and areas for growth, was exactly what I needed to break through my self-imposed limitations. Amy helped me implement the key learnings from our sessions and immediately impact my results and gave me confidence to navigate the higher level problems. Amy's ability to customize her program to address my specific needs and challenge me was certainly commendable. By helping me recognize and overcome blockers, fostering vulnerability, and instilling trust in my own abilities, Amy empowered me to tackle obstacles head-on and embrace the strengths that I've developed over my career. Moreover, her emphasis on addressing the mental and physical aspects of the workplace separately underscores a holistic approach to personal and professional development. By recognizing and addressing these unique aspects, Amy was able to enhance my problem-solving skills and achieve faster, more effective results. It's clear that Amy's coaching made a significant difference in my professional life, and I hope this review speaks volumes about the value she brought to helping me advance my career. 5 Stars for Amy! Brent, SVP for Bill.com You Don't Need More Leadership Hacks, You Need Transformation You’ve probably tried leadership books, motivational podcasts, or even generic coaching programs. And while they might give you a quick boost, the results never last. That’s because they only scratch the surface. They don’t address the deeper issue unique to you. Without that, the stress always returns, the self-doubt lingers, and the confidence fades just when you need it most. This isn't about consuming more information. It's about transformation. Imagine walking into tough conversations with calm assurance, making decisions without second-guessing, leading with energy that inspires your team, and building a career that fuels your life rather than consumes it. That’s the kind of change we thrive off igniting. Built on Credibility and Expertise Our reputation is built on the success of the leaders we’ve guided. With decades of combined experience and certifications from renowned institutions like Google, Novartis, Stanford, and Apple (as well as many growing start-ups), our coaches have helped hundreds of executives unlock their full potential. Our track record of excellence and the trust of high-performing leaders speak to the quality of our services. Trusted by clients in organizations such as: Exploratorium pfizer novartis Google Johnson & Johnson Bogle Family Vineyards Apple Stanford Assembly Biosciences PROCEPT Biorobotics Kezar Life Sciences Cloudera DCL Logistics iRhythm Next Previous Coaching for Senior Leaders Our executive coaching services are specifically designed for senior leaders, usually director-level or above, including CEO’s. The challenges at the senior level are unique and different from any other career stage, and our coaches have expertise to meet you where you are. It truly can be lonely at the top but we ensure it won’t feel that way. I am so grateful for the opportunity to work with Amy at a pivotal point in my life and career. With Amy’s approach to coaching, I felt heard, understood and our work gave me the confidence and clarity to see the many options I had in front of me to grow my career. She helped me define what success means to me and see how that definition has shifted over my life - especially after becoming a mother. Her kind, optimistic, and authentic approach helped me understand the control I had in how I worked. I left every session optimistic and looked forward to the next time we would meet. Amy’s coaching has truly been transformative, and I’ve recommended her to many friends and colleagues. Katie, Head of Marketing, Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Is Executive Coaching Right for You? Discover if our coaching aligns with your leadership aspirations and challenges. 1. You’re Climbing the Ladder but The View Leaves Much to Be Desired The higher you rise, the more sacrifices you feel you have to make to maintain success. What you imagined your reality would look like once you reached a senior role does not represent reality. You miss the excitement that once accompanied your career. How We Help: We help you reconnect with a vision of what you want your life to look like and identify the strengths that got you here to propel you to a more fulfilling reality. 2. Work-Life Balance Feels Like a Myth You're constantly juggling responsibilities with no time to recharge. Life can feel like groundhogs day, with little or no time to rest and the pieces are all moving so fast, there’s never enough time to think and strategize professionally or personally. How We Help: We help you decrease stress by helping you get clear on what matters and help you reprioritize your plate so you are able to be very intentional, and effective, with your time. 3. Self-Doubt Is Creeping In Despite your achievements, you find yourself questioning your abilities or comparing yourself to others. How We Help: We help eliminate the “noise” by giving you tools to allow you to define and embrace your own unique leadership style, which won’t look exactly like anyone else’s, but will feel like the missing piece in the puzzle. 4. You’re Far Too in the Weeds You feel like you’re constantly putting out fires and are going far too into the weeds than you know you should but if you don’t do it, it won’t get done right. How We Help: We work with you to determine how to build out your team and delegate or deprioritize so you can invest more time in strategy and networking, to set yourself up for future success. I’m Ready for Change Join Over 750 Leaders Who’ve Improved Their Leadership Approach With our coaching, you’ll find clarity, confidence, and strategies to thrive professionally and personally. Don’t take it from us, hear from leaders who have worked with us in the past Your Roadmap to Leadership Transformation Four Steps in Our Executive Coaching to Help You Thrive in All Aspects of Life Step 1: Discover What Fuels You Identify Your Strengths while Reducing Stress Start your journey with an Energy Leadership Assessment and a personalized intake process. Gain powerful insights into how you view the world under stress and in your natural state. Uncover what energizes you and what no longer serves you so you can shed the stress and anchor to your strengths. Step 2: Leverage Your Strengths Identify Your Strengths and Maximize Impact Map out your top strengths and align them with how you approach work and life. We explore how you delegate, communicate, and recharge and optimize it all. You end up with a personalized roadmap that puts your strengths to work while creating space for what truly matters. Step 3: Set Your Focus Privacy Policy - Swim Against the Current® Skip to content Identify Your Strengths That AI Can't Replicate: A Complimentary Assessment About Services Executive Coaching Services Team Building Workshops DiSC Workshop Resources Praise Blog & Podcast The Happy Leader Podcast Blog Contact × About Services Executive Coaching Services Team Building Workshops DiSC Workshop Resources Praise Blog & Podcast The Happy Leader Podcast Blog Contact Privacy Policy This privacy policy has been compiled to better serve those who are concerned with how their ‘Personally Identifiable Information’ (PII) is being used online. PII, as described in US privacy law and information security, is information that can be used on its own or with other information to identify, contact, or locate a single person, or to identify an individual in context. 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We do not speci How Gratitude Can Improve Leadership Effectiveness Skip to content Identify Your Strengths That AI Can't Replicate: A Complimentary Assessment About Services Executive Coaching Services Team Building Workshops DiSC Workshop Resources Praise Blog & Podcast The Happy Leader Podcast Blog Contact × About Services Executive Coaching Services Team Building Workshops DiSC Workshop Resources Praise Blog & Podcast The Happy Leader Podcast Blog Contact How Gratitude Can Improve Leadership Effectiveness Gratitude as a Leadership Strategy Mark Zuckerberg isn’t known for harping on the insight that gratitude can improve leadership effectiveness. But the one time that we know he tried it, it worked. Years ago, long before Facebook became Meta, Mark Zuckerberg wanted a key team member to move from New York to Silicon Valley. She was talented, trusted, and deeply embedded in work that mattered. He wanted her close to headquarters. But this employee wasn’t a 20-something free agent with a suitcase and a dream. She had a newborn. A spouse with a career. A network and community anchored 3,000 miles away. Mark could have insisted.  He had the authority and had frequently used it before. But he didn’t. Instead, he sent an email filled with genuine appreciation and highlighted: ✨ the value she brought ✨ the insight she contributed ✨ the impact she had on the company He didn’t pressure her. He didn’t deliver any ultimatums. He just sent praise grounded in truth. And that’s what convinced her to move across the country. This is not an endorsement of Mark Zuckerberg’s leadership model — Careless People offers plenty of insights into his downfalls as a leader. But the moment itself is worth exploring because it reveals something essential: Gratitude can improve leadership effectiveness. It’s not a soft skill eclipsed by driving results. It shouldn’t be confused with a “nice to have” leadership quality. It’s definitely not a mere fluffy, feel-good leadership add-on. It is a strategy that works incredibly well for the giver and the receiver.  In life and leadership. Why Gratitude Is Effective in Stressful Situations The corporate executives I support, particularly in Silicon Valley and biotech, deal with unrelenting demands such as tight budgets, aggressive deadlines, reorganizations, AI-driven change, and overworked staff. In that type of pressure- cooker, leaders frequently default to authority and speed.  That can sound like: “Get this done today” “You need to come into the office.” “I’m not asking you, I’m telling you.” This type of command and control approach does incite action. Employees will do what they’re told because you’re the boss and their paycheck depends on you. But the motivation comes from a place of “oh crap, my boss is mad I need to do this or else.” In short, it comes from a place of fear. Responding to authority from a place of fear never leads to good long-term outcomes. Humans, as we’ve seen throughout history, will eventually revolt. This revolt in the workplace is often silent and subtle… until it’s not. When measured, it presents as decreased engagement, a higher turnover (lower retention), and a decline in trust. According to Psychological Safety and the Critical Role of Leadership Development by McKinsey & Company, February 2021, only 32% of respondents who had a challenging leader reported having a positive team climate (compare this to the 72% who reported a positive team environment when their leader often offered support and consultation).  Gratitude, as a leadership approach, is a great place to start if trying to tweak the way in which you ask your employees to get their jobs done.  Gratitude leads to a feeling of appreciation.  And that can go a long way in the workplace. According to Harvard Business Review (Notes of Appreciation Can Boost Individual and Team Morale” by Whitney Johnson and Amy Humble, 2022 ) employees who feel appreciated are: more likely to exceed expectations more willing to collaborate less likely to burn out significantly more loyal In other words: gratitude fuels the performance outcomes leaders are trying to force through pressure…. and drives so much more. Gratitude can improve leadership effectiveness . The Neuroscience Behind It Anyone who has ever tried to motivate a young person has experienced the differences in the demand vs. gratitude dichotomy first-hand.  While many adults in corporate America have been trained in emotional regulation, children react through raw emotion and provide a valuable glimpse into which approach works best long-term. This can be mapped to how we are wired from birth or, in other words, the neuroscience behind our response. When you express genuine appreciation, two things happen: Stress hormones drop. Cortisol decreases which opens up cognitive capacity. Connection increases. The brain releases oxytocin, known as the chemical associated with trust and openness. Gratitude creates a virtuous cycle: Gratitude → Trust → Commitment → Performance Demands create the opposite: Pressure → Compliance → Resentment → Detachment It’s not hard to see which one sustains high performance over time. Gratitude can improve leadership effectiveness. A Real Example from the San Francisco Bay Area A senior leader I coached in a fast-growing biotech company was struggling with team fatigue during a pivotal quarter. The science was complex and the deadlines were tight. Tension on the team was high and the future was unpredictable.  In short, it was a pressure-cooker.  After this leader recognized the intensity at which she had been driving her team, she was open to trying something new. She started by implementing a simple shift: Instead of starting meetings with a laundry list of items to cover, she started meetings with 60 seconds of gratitude recognizing a person or team and what, specifically, they did that deserved recognition. After doing this weekly for six weeks, here’s what happened: Team meetings became more constructive Decision-making sped up Cross-functional friction decreased Gratitude didn’t fix everything. But it changed the tone of her team meetings and the tone changed team outcomes. If you want to test out how gratitude can improve leadership effectiveness with your team, check out some tips below. What Leaders Can Try This Week To build a culture where performance and gratitude reinforce each other, try these easy but meaningful tactics: 1. Begin one meeting with appreciation and gratitude Recognize a person or team and be specific about what they did. Highlight the impact of their effort: “Because of what you did, here was the positive impact…” 2. Replace one demand with a dialogue Instead of “I need you to do xyz” Try: “Here’s why this matters and what do you need to make this feasible?” 3. Acknowledge effort, not just outcomes You want your team to feel safe innovating but innovation requires risk.  Express gratitude for smart risk-taking behavior to motivate others on the team to do the same. 4. Make gratitude a leadership mindset, not a moment As part of your weekly planning or end-of week debrief, consider the question: “Whose work made my job easier this week?” Once you know who that person is, tell them! 5. Track the ripple effect Most leaders are surprised by how quickly team behavior shifts when they start to make these subtle but impactful changes focused on gratitude. Leaders often report feeling better themselves. There is something freeing about taking time to focus on what’s been accomplished versus what still needs to get done. Soon you’ll see how gratitude can improve leadership effectiveness. Why Gratitude Matters in Leadership To sum this all up, demands drive compliance but also the unintended feeling of resentment. In contrast, gratitude drives commitment and often creates a very loyal and motivated team. In the long run, gratitude will trump demands any d Blog | Swim Against the Current Skip to content Identify Your Strengths That AI Can't Replicate: A Complimentary Assessment About Services Executive Coaching Services Team Building Workshops DiSC Workshop Resources Praise Blog & Podcast The Happy Leader Podcast Blog Contact × About Services Executive Coaching Services Team Building Workshops DiSC Workshop Resources Praise Blog & Podcast The Happy Leader Podcast Blog Contact Blog Why Focusing on People Will Give AI Tech Leaders a Competitive Advantage By Amy Sanchez May 12, 2026 The industry that once promised wealth, status, and job security is now generating something else entirely: fear. Here’s what’s going wrong, why it matters, and why focusing on people again will give AI tech companies a competitive advantage. I haven’t spoken to a single senior tech leader in the past six months who would describe… Read More about Why Focusing on People Will Give AI Tech Leaders a Competitive Advantage Why Leadership Teams Break at the Scaling Stage By Amy Sanchez March 12, 2026 I’ve seen the same pattern show up again and again inside growing companies. In the early days everything works because a few smart people sit close together making decisions quickly. Communication is informal. Energy is high. People step in wherever needed.  “Wearing all the hats” it’s often called.  It’s exciting and intentionally a bit chaotic.… Read More about Why Leadership Teams Break at the Scaling Stage Three Small Rituals to Develop Leadership Presence By Amy Sanchez January 21, 2026 Nearly 25 years ago, I was an entry-level sales rep at Eli Lilly, sitting in a large annual sales meeting. The CEO at the time, Sydney Taurel, took the stage. I don’t remember what he said. What I do remember, almost three decades later, is how he made me feel. Calm. Impressed. Intrigued. He had… Read More about Three Small Rituals to Develop Leadership Presence Where Smart Leaders Are Investing in 2026 Hint: It’s Not All Ai By Amy Sanchez January 13, 2026 As we settle into 2026, many senior leaders are already back in the familiar rhythm: packed calendars, constant decision-making, and the pressure to get priorities right—fast. It’s easy to get swept up in the fast moving current of corporate life without taking the time to really think through strategic initiatives and smart areas to invest… Read More about Where Smart Leaders Are Investing in 2026 Hint: It’s Not All Ai Year-End Leadership Reflection: 7 Questions That Inform Next Year’s Success By Amy Sanchez December 9, 2025 I recently attended my annual year-end debrief and planning retreat with fellow coach entrepreneurs. We started with a leadership year-end reflection exercise to debrief 2025 and some of my findings were… surprising. While I focused a lot of my mental energy on thinking about work, it was the non-work events that influenced me the most… Read More about Year-End Leadership Reflection: 7 Questions That Inform Next Year’s Success How Gratitude Can Improve Leadership Effectiveness By Amy Sanchez November 25, 2025 Gratitude as a Leadership Strategy Mark Zuckerberg isn’t known for harping on the insight that gratitude can improve leadership effectiveness. But the one time that we know he tried it, it worked. Years ago, long before Facebook became Meta, Mark Zuckerberg wanted a key team member to move from New York to Silicon Valley. She… Read More about How Gratitude Can Improve Leadership Effectiveness How Great Leaders Keep Top Talent During Times of Uncertainty By Amy Sanchez November 17, 2025 The workplace is shifting — fast. If you’re a leader in biotech or tech, you’re likely feeling the ripple effects: reorgs, AI-driven change, tighter budgets, new expectations, and teams stretched to capacity. And the data makes the picture even clearer: If you’ve felt the subtle hesitation in 1:1s… the quieter Zoom calls… the increase in… Read More about How Great Leaders Keep Top Talent During Times of Uncertainty How To Navigate Year-End Pressure Without Burning Out Your Team By Amy Sanchez November 12, 2025 The last quarter of the year is crunch time. Budget deadlines. End-of-year board meetings. Annual planning. Ambitious Q4 targets. The holiday calendar.  It seems there is always year-end pressure to meet mounting goals. Sound familiar? For leaders in tech and biotech, the final 6-8 weeks of the year often feel like the ultimate test of… Read More about How To Navigate Year-End Pressure Without Burning Out Your Team The AI Fear Gripping Silicon Valley- and How Leaders and Companies Can Respond By Amy Sanchez August 12, 2025 If you lead in today’s business world, you already feel it — AI isn’t just knocking on the door, it’s kicked it wide open and rearranged the furniture. July 2025 was particularly brutal for the tech industry. Just over 46,000 people were laid off with Intel, TCS and Microsoft leading the pack in making cuts. … Read More about The AI Fear Gripping Silicon Valley- and How Leaders and Companies Can Respond Transformational Leadership: The Most Effective Way to Motivate Your Team By Amy Sanchez December 11, 2023 When you’re a leader, it can be really frustrating when your team is executing on the tasks at hand but members aren’t taking the initiative.  Instead, they are waiting for you to tell them what to do.  When this happens, it can feel like the world is on your shoulders and you are in the… Read More about Transformational Leadership: The Most Effective Way to Motivate Your Team 1 2 3 … 6 Next » Ready to uncover the right next step in your career? Sign up for my career management email course Read more about how we’ll use your info. I'm Ready "Amy asked questions that challenged me, pulling me out of my comfort zone and guided me. This was exactly what I needed, without realizing it. I came away tools to better manage my day to day and propel me forward. I recommend her to anyone who is seeking clarity, whether it be professional or personal. Read more. " Kerrie, Sales/Marketing Home About Executive Coaching Services Team Building Workshops DiSC Workshop Testimonials Contact Swim Against the Current® provides executive coaching to support organizations and leaders through successful growth in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. Let's Connect Book a Call 2026 © Swim Against the Current® Privacy Policy Terms of Use Executive Coaching Testimonials & Reviews | Swim Against the Current Skip to content Identify Your Strengths That AI Can't Replicate: A Complimentary Assessment About Services Executive Coaching Services Team Building Workshops DiSC Workshop Resources Praise Blog & Podcast The Happy Leader Podcast Blog Contact × About Services Executive Coaching Services Team Building Workshops DiSC Workshop Resources Praise Blog & Podcast The Happy Leader Podcast Blog Contact Executive Coaching Feedback Reviews From Leaders I’ve served over 1000 leaders and this much I know is true… Individuals and organizations are bringing their full selves to work on a daily basis, yet they’re facing challenges — be it at the personal or corporate level — that leave them feeling unfulfilled, uninspired and out of alignment with their professional goals and values. Yet, time-and-time again, my clients have shown up to examine their circumstances, look inside, and make strides in their career that create a positive impact on them, the people they touch, and the world at large. I’m fortunate to have had the opportunity to serve the leaders who have kindly shared these coaching testimonials after experiencing our e xecutive coaching services so that future leaders can get a glimpse of what it would be like to work with me. If this resonates with you,I look forward to exploring how I can help you or your organization. Start a Conversation Begin Your Journey Client Outcomes from Executive Coaching Jacob stepped into a new leadership role and gained new confidence and clarity about what his leadership mission was, how he wanted to motivate his team, and why he was uniquely qualified for the role, leading his department to new levels of success. Kelcy set her sites on a COO role. She earned it and then shortly after, moved into a CEO role. After being stuck in a toxic work environment, William secured a new role, with a promotion to the c-suite, and negotiated an additional $100K signing bonus along with a more favorable stock allocation. Simrah was great at delivering results but was being held from promotion because she had "sharp elbows." She made behavior changes that improved her relationships, and her peace of mind, and was rewarded with a promotion. And many, many more... Let’s Connect Explore What’s Possible Client Executive Coaching Testimonials From Stuck to Inspired Amy Sanchez and I spent almost a year together. She had a profound impact on my professional development and career trajectory! Her personalized approach, tailored to my individual strengths and areas for growth, was exactly what I needed to break through my self-imposed limitations. Amy helped me implement the key learnings from our sessions and immediately impact my results and gave me confidence to navigate the higher level problems. Amy's ability to customize her program to address my specific needs and challenge me was certainly commendable. By helping me recognize and overcome blockers, fostering vulnerability, and instilling trust in my own abilities, Amy empowered me to tackle obstacles head-on and embrace the strengths that I've developed over my career. Moreover, her emphasis on addressing the mental and physical aspects of the workplace separately underscores a holistic approach to personal and professional development. By recognizing and addressing these unique aspects, Amy was able to enhance my problem-solving skills and achieve faster, more effective results. It's clear that Amy's coaching made a significant difference in my professional life, and I hope this review speaks volumes about the value she brought to helping me advance my career. 5 Stars for Amy! Brent SVP at Bill.com I am so grateful for the opportunity to work with Amy at a pivotal point in my life and career. With Amy’s approach to coaching, I felt heard, understood and our work gave me the confidence and clarity to see the many options I had in front of me to grow my career. She helped me define what success means to me and see how that definition has shifted over my life - especially after becoming a mother. Her kind, optimistic, and authentic approach helped me understand the control I had in how I worked. I left every session optimistic and looked forward to the next time we would meet. Amy’s coaching has truly been transformative, and I’ve recommended her to many friends and colleagues. Katie Head of Marketing and Portfolio Customer Experience, Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Working with Amy Sanchez over the course of our executive leadership coaching sessions was truly transformative, not just for my career, but for how I lead and show up as a person. I sought clarity, confidence, and authentic leadership presence, and left energized with renewed purpose, a powerful toolkit, and a clear path forward. Amy's exceptional coaching blends incisive analysis with genuine empathy, creating a supportive, insight-driven space. She skillfully guided me to examine long-held patterns, leverage strengths like strategic vision and people-centered leadership, and address blind spots such as perfectionism and low self-promotion. Her practical techniques helped me trust my instincts as a leader and shift from a "do-it-alone" mindset to one empowering both myself and my team. By the end, I gained critical clarity on what energizes me, aligned my professional endeavors with my deepest values, and developed a robust toolkit for navigating uncertainty. I am now confidently poised for my next executive leadership role, equipped with a clear vision and actionable strategies. I am deeply grateful for Amy’s partnership and enthusiastically recommend her to any senior leader ready to unlock their full potential, navigate career transitions with confidence, and lead with greater clarity and lasting impact! Michael Senior Director, Head of Translational Medicine, R&D, HilleVax I cannot overstate the impact that Amy has had on my professional growth. From our very first session, I felt understood and challenged in a way that was both supportive and motivating. Amy’s ability to listen, ask the right questions, and distill complex challenges into clear, actionable solutions is exceptional. She helped me sharpen my executive presence, navigate complicated team dynamics, and lead with greater clarity and authenticity. Each session left me with practical strategies I could immediately apply and the downstream impact to my confidence was truly impactful. What sets Amy apart is her balance of empathy and rigor. She creates a safe space while holding her clients to a high standard, pushing them to become the best version of themselves. I wholeheartedly recommend Amy to anyone ready to elevate their leadership impact. Shivan Executive Director, Travere Therapeutics Amy is a tremendous coach, I wholeheartedly recommend her coaching program. I had a great experience, the value add is noticeable in unimaginable ways. In particular, brainstorming self improvement and business improvement with actionable results. If you value improving yourself, then reach out and see how Amy can help you achieve your goals! Lucas Director of Statistical Programming, Kezar Life Sciences Swim Against the Current's coaching program has been nothing short of life-changing, both professionally and personally. 1. Executive Challenge: When I began coaching with Amy, my goal was to elevate HR’s role within my organization while strengthening my leadership skills. I needed support transitioning from mid-level to senior leadership, all while keeping my long-term career aspiration of securing an executive role in focus. Balancing these priorities and maintaining personal alignment felt daunting, but Amy’s program made this challenge achievable. 2. Coaching Approach: What truly sets Amy apart is her unmatched combination of professional expertise and emotional intelligence. Her ability to identify needs and align them with outcomes is remarkable. The program provided a structured yet flex Year-End Leadership Reflection: 7 Questions To Ask Skip to content Identify Your Strengths That AI Can't Replicate: A Complimentary Assessment About Services Executive Coaching Services Team Building Workshops DiSC Workshop Resources Praise Blog & Podcast The Happy Leader Podcast Blog Contact × About Services Executive Coaching Services Team Building Workshops DiSC Workshop Resources Praise Blog & Podcast The Happy Leader Podcast Blog Contact Year-End Leadership Reflection: 7 Questions That Inform Next Year’s Success I recently attended my annual year-end debrief and planning retreat with fellow coach entrepreneurs. We started with a leadership year-end reflection exercise to debrief 2025 and some of my findings were… surprising. While I focused a lot of my mental energy on thinking about work, it was the non-work events that influenced me the most this year. The events that shaped me made me crave activities that more positively contribute to my mental health and personality needs. That means less time in front of a computer and more time connecting in-person and building relationships. Based on the above, I blew up my marketing plans for 2026 (that kept me behind a computer) and replaced them with more activities that catered to what I truly need… But my 2026 would have looked entirely different had I not taken time to reflect. Which got me thinking about how I can best help you all and here’s where I landed. We spend so much time in companies talking about strategy, timelines, org charts, product features and roll-out plans. But when the rubber meets the road, it’s how we feel & act in these conversations that matters most. To truly unpack what causes us to act a certain way as a leader, it’s important to carve out time to reflect. That’s why year-end is the most important (and most overlooked) leadership reset point of the year. Before setting new goals, it’s important to pause and reflect on the past. When you reach a senior level in your career, your past often has all the answers you need to inform a healthy, wealthy and wise future. But don’t take it from me. First, let’s look at the reality of what the numbers say is really happening in corporate America. Table of Contents Toggle Why a Year-End Leadership Reflection is important 7 Year-End Leadership Reflection Questions That Will Inform Next Year’s Success Year-End Leadership Reflection Creates Clarity What Leaders Can Do As The Year Comes to a Close Ready to Make 2026 Your Most Impactful Year Yet? Why a Year-End Leadership Reflection is important Gallup’s 2025 State of the Global Workplace report highlights a trend many leaders are personally experiencing: Only 31% of employees are engaged 50% of employees in the US experience daily stress, the highest regional rate globally Manager engagement has declined sharply in the last year It turns out, the constant emphasis on the what and not the how is missing a pretty large, gaping hole. How we’re showing up to work leaves a lot to be desired. And it’s no surprise given all we’ve had to navigate recently. In 2025 alone, there was no shortage of change thrown at us. There was the rapid AI adoption, shifting generational employee expectations, a call back to the office after settling into remote work, and let’s not forget the constant administrative change that came from the government (DEI, tariffs, loosening Ai guidelines, oh my!). Add in hiring freezes, restructuring, and productivity pressure, and there’s no surprise why the stats above exist. This is why the year-end matters so much, especially in a year like this. Yes, it’s been a challenging and ever-changing landscape that we’ve navigated this year. And the truth is, we can’t control the rapid change. But we can control how we choose to respond. True understanding starts with first creating awareness around what’s causing our current state of being. Awareness then leads to informed goal-setting. So let’s help you unpack what you experienced and how you reacted to those experiences over the past 12 months. To help you find the right prompts, I’ve prepared seven questions below that should start to scratch the surface to help you better understand how your year shaped you, what worked and what you can focus on changing as the calendar turns another year. 7 Year-End Leadership Reflection Questions That Will Inform Next Year’s Success To help you prepare for leadership success next year, spend time thinking about the answer to these seven questions. What energized me this year? Energy is the very ingredient that impacts the way that others perceive you. Taking the time to notice what fuels you highlights where your strengths and passion naturally create impact. What consistently drained me? Concurrently, it’s important to examine the other side of the equation by identifying what people, tasks or environments consistently drained you. Your energy leaks tell you where boundaries, delegation, or new systems are needed. Where did I hesitate when I needed to make decisions? Indecision is an invisible cost and one that can needlessly suck up time and prevent you from other opportunities that you could have otherwise pursued. Identifying patterns where hesitation trumped your ability to make decisions can highlight important gaps and structural friction. Which conversations did I avoid that would’ve saved time? We often avoid difficult conversations because we just don’t want to deal with the stress or potential fall-out. We may also deprioritize important conversations when we don’t feel like we have the time. This question will help you determine if that strategy worked for you… or not. When was I at my best? When was my team at its best? Why? High performance doesn’t happen on accident. There are key factors that contribute to exceptional personal and team performance. Reflecting on times when all cylinders were firing will help you identify what those factors were- so you can intentionally include them in the future. What actions actually moved the business forward? Most leaders have long to-do lists. But do those to-do lists actually yield results? This will help you distinguish movement from impact so you can prioritize accordingly moving into the New Year (and deprioritize accordingly also). Who do I need to become to lead differently next year? This is the most transformative question. Before you change your goals, you may need to change your habits, mindset, or presence. Leadership development begins with identity. This is your chance to tap into that piece of you that informs how you lead daily. This is the deep, inner work that is the most transformative and long-lasting. Year-End Leadership Reflection Creates Clarity When you spend time thinking through these seven questions, they will do more for you than create personal insight. They can directly influence team alignment, communication, and execution. When leaders pause to reflect, they can: • Communicate more clearly • Reduce friction caused by misunderstanding and harsh wording • Make faster, better decisions • Create psychological safety • Model calm in an ever-changing environment • Focus their teams on what actually matters The final bullet is especially important because many employees, and middle managers in particular, are operating under high stress with little support. A leader who takes time to understand their strengths and blind spots and operates with an awareness of both can provide the clarity the team needs to weather stormy conditions. What Leaders Can Do As The Year Comes to a Close Here’s a simple way to start your own reflection: ✔ Block 60 minutes on your calendar – no Slack, email, or multitasking. Silence notifications. ✔ Answer each of the seven questions honestly – Resist the urge to polish or edit. Just answer with the first thought that pops into your head. Format doesn’t matter here, we’re you’re just teasing out crucial insights while juggling a busy schedule. ✔ Choose one shift for Q1 202 Where Smart Leaders Are Investing in 2026 Hint: It’s Not All Ai - Swim Against the Current® Skip to content Identify Your Strengths That AI Can't Replicate: A Complimentary Assessment About Services Executive Coaching Services Team Building Workshops DiSC Workshop Resources Praise Blog & Podcast The Happy Leader Podcast Blog Contact × About Services Executive Coaching Services Team Building Workshops DiSC Workshop Resources Praise Blog & Podcast The Happy Leader Podcast Blog Contact Where Smart Leaders Are Investing in 2026 Hint: It’s Not All Ai As we settle into 2026, many senior leaders are already back in the familiar rhythm: packed calendars, constant decision-making, and the pressure to get priorities right—fast. It’s easy to get swept up in the fast moving current of corporate life without taking the time to really think through strategic initiatives and smart areas to invest in 2026. If you haven’t paused yet to intentionally decide what deserves your time, energy, and budget this year, now is the moment. Because here’s the reality: leaders make hundreds of decisions every day. When priorities aren’t clear, those decisions default to urgency, habit, or the loudest voice in the room—not strategy . That’s why thoughtful annual planning isn’t a “nice-to-have.” It’s a leadership advantage. To make this easier, I created a N ew Year’s Planning Exercise designed to help leaders clarify priorities across business and life—without overthinking it. You can answer some or all of it. No grading. No perfection required. Just clarity. Table of Contents Toggle 2026 Investor Priorities: Tides Have Shifted The 2025 Spending Mistake Many Companies Made Where Smart Leaders are Investing in 2026 Where to Invest in 2026: Questions Every Leader Should Ask Solutions at Swim Against the Current What Leaders Can Do This Week 2026 Investor Priorities: Tides Have Shifted One trend that began in 2022 and continues to accelerate is a fundamental shift in investor expectations. Revenue discipline is back. The era of growth-at-all-costs is over. Capital is no longer cheap. Boards and investors are paying closer attention to how leaders allocate resources, not just whether numbers go up and to the right. This means executive teams are under more pressure than ever to: Spend intentionally Justify investments Demonstrate real ROI The question leaders are quietly asking is: Where is the smartest place to invest right now? The 2025 Spending Mistake Many Companies Made Last year, many organizations made decisions based on short-term gains or shiny trends rather than clear strategy. AI is the most obvious example. Companies poured millions—sometimes far more—into AI tools without fully understanding: The actual business need How the tools aligned with strategy Whether teams were trained to use them effectively The result? 95% of AI projects failed . The issue wasn’t the technology. It was the lack of leadership clarity, change management, and capability building around it. Which brings us to an uncomfortable but important truth for 2026. Stop investing in Ai too quickly and without a strategy. Think about you investments more holistically. Where Smart Leaders are Investing in 2026 Taking a playbook that has never failed in the past, investing in people is what smart, investment-savvy leaders are prioritizing. Humans still: Set strategy Make decisions Navigate conflict Build trust Drive execution In other words, humans are still the backbone of organizational performance . When leaders invest in communication, leadership effectiveness, and team dynamics, the returns show up everywhere: Stronger execution Higher engagement Better retention More resilient teams during change This is especially true in life science and technology companies, where: Change fatigue is real Teams are stretched thin Middle managers are under-supported High performers are quietly burning out AI may optimize tasks. But leadership capability determines whether the organization actually succeeds and scales. Where to Invest in 2026: Questions Every Leader Should Ask Before finalizing budgets or green lighting new tools, pause and ask: What skills does my leadership team need now to execute our strategy? Where are communication breakdowns costing us time and trust? Which managers need support to lead—not just produce? What capability gaps will slow us down if we ignore them? The leaders who answer these questions early in the year scramble less later. They plan their people investments with the same rigor they apply to financial ones. Solutions at Swim Against the Current If 2026 is the year you want more focus, stronger execution, and less leadership friction, here are the ways we support leaders and teams: Executive Coaching For senior leaders who want to increase impact, navigate complexity, and lead with confidence—without losing sight of their values. Team Workshops Highly interactive sessions that improve communication, efficiency, and trust. Many workshops leverage DiSC® and The Five Behaviors of an Effective Team® to create practical, lasting change. Leadership Training Designed for high-performing individual contributors and managers stepping into leadership roles. Focus areas include strategy, role clarity, decision-making, and motivation. 360 Reviews Because clarity is kind. These assessments help leaders understand their strengths, blind spots, and growth opportunities—without guesswork. What Leaders Can Do This Week If you want a strong start to 2026, begin here: Block 30 minutes to define your top 3 priorities for the year Identify one people investment that would meaningfully improve results Download and complete the New Year’s Planning Exercise Small, intentional steps now prevent reactive decisions later. If you’d like help thinking through the right investment—for yourself or your team— reach out to me to have that conversation. The answer is different for every organization. There are a few key questions you’ll want to ask to determine which area of people investment would yield the highest ROI. 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Let's Connect Book a Call 2026 © Swim Against the Current® Privacy Policy Terms of Use Facebook LinkedIn Email Print More Networks Share via Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Mix Email Print Copy Link Powered by Social Snap Copy link Copy Copied Powered by Social Snap Contact Us | Swim Against the Current Skip to content Identify Your Strengths That AI Can't Replicate: A Complimentary Assessment About Services Executive Coaching Services Team Building Workshops DiSC Workshop Resources Praise Blog & Podcast The Happy Leader Podcast Blog Contact × About Services Executive Coaching Services Team Building Workshops DiSC Workshop Resources Praise Blog & Podcast The Happy Leader Podcast Blog Contact Let’s Connect Contact Amy Sanchez to learn more about her executive leadership coaching and team building workshops . For Leaders If you’re navigating a complex leadership challenge, stepping into a larger role, or at a pivotal moment in your career, this conversation is designed to help you think more clearly and move forward with intention. Click below to schedule a conversation with Amy. Discovery Session Application For Organizations If you’re looking to strengthen your leadership team, navigate complexity, or invest in the development of your leaders, please complete the form below and Amy will follow up to schedule time. If you would prefer, you can reach out directly to [email protected]. No spam or sales pitches . For speaking engagements, podcast interviews, press inquiries, or other requests, please use the form below. All messages will receive a response within two business days. First Name* Last Name* Email* Phone Number Organization* Title* Organizational Goal* Date Needed* Additional Information “Amy helped me discover such important lessons about who I am and what I want to achieve. After working with her, I feel confident that I know what I am meant to do, what my career goals are, and how I am going to achieve them. I have a much deeper understanding of the factors of a job that matters most to me, and I even have a vision of what I’d like my ‘retirement’ to look like and a plan to get there.” -Lesley, VP of Marketing at a tech company Home About Executive Coaching Services Team Building Workshops DiSC Workshop Testimonials Contact Swim Against the Current® provides executive coaching to support organizations and leaders through successful growth in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. Let's Connect Book a Call 2026 © Swim Against the Current® Privacy Policy Terms of Use