How I Refocused and Redesigned My Role (Without Burning Out)
- Liza Engel
- Jul 13
- 2 min read
I used to believe I could inspire almost anyone to do what I thought was right. With enough passion, purpose, and storytelling, people would follow. Right?
That belief held strong—until it didn’t.
About a year into my role, the market shifted. What once felt magnetic now landed with silence. My usual tools—vision, conviction, connection—no longer sparked action. I felt like I was speaking a language no one could hear.
My leadership was out of sync.
That’s when I stopped pushing and started redesigning and rebuilding.
The Shift: From Persuasion to Sense-Making
Inspiration alone couldn’t carry me anymore. What I needed was alignment. To get there, I had to trade persuasion for understanding. “Meet them where they are” is a common phrase I use - time to listen.
I leaned into data and insights as I mapped my stakeholders, asked better questions, and made space for friction and meaning.
Here’s what changed:
I stopped trying to change minds and started aligning incentives.
I linked the goals of my focus area directly to business outcomes.
I chose to listen before leading—with empathy, not ego.
Small shifts. Big difference.
3 Practical Tools to Rebuild Your Role
Start with what’s working: When everything feels out of rhythm, find one thing that still makes you proud—and build from there.
Become a translator: Leadership today isn’t about being the loudest voice in the room—it’s about being the clearest. Translate complex goals into language people care about.
Align outcomes with theirs: When your goals help others achieve theirs, resistance fades. Alignment replaces tension. Momentum builds.
A Note for the Rebuilders
If your role feels smaller than it used to, or your leadership feels misaligned, you’re not alone.
It doesn’t mean you’ve failed. It means the world has changed.
And when the context shifts, your leadership must evolve too.
Mini-Challenge: Try the Rebuild Audit
Take 10 quiet minutes and ask yourself:
What part of your leadership used to work—but doesn’t anymore?
What assumptions might be outdated?
What is currently working—and how can you build on it?
Start there. That’s your new foundation.
Leadership isn’t about proving you’re right. It’s about creating the proper outcomes for the moment you’re in.
Rebuilding is not a sign of weakness.
It’s a sign of wisdom and resilience.
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