profile

Paid Well, Living Hell?

Business Growth & Leadership Tips

Published 3 months ago • 2 min read

Hi, Reader

I once coached a general manager in a regional unit of a global software development company. He had big goals.

"I want our unit to be Number 1 across all other units,” he told me. “I know psychological safety and well-being are important, but we just don’t have the luxury of letting our standards drop."

 

Sound familiar?
​
I hear this a lot from ambitious leaders. They set sky-high expectations for their teams, pushing hard for performance, engagement, and productivity. And sometimes, psychological safety can seem like a distraction—as if focusing on it might soften their edge.
​
But here’s the surprising truth:

Prioritizing well-being doesn’t lower your standards—it raises them.

Here's why:

  • Higher Performance: When teams feel safe and supported, they’re more motivated and productive.
  • Greater Innovation: A culture of psychological safety fosters creativity and risk-taking without the fear of failure.
  • Stronger Engagement: Employees who feel valued bring more energy and commitment to their work.

So, what can you do?

​
• Encourage open dialogue—make it safe for your team to speak up.
• Recognize effort, not just results.
• Model vulnerability—leaders who admit mistakes create a culture where learning thrives.
​
And if you want to go deeper into the habits of high-performing teams, check out my Forbes Council article to learn why focusing on psychological safety is a game-changer for high-achieving teams.

🟠High Standards, High Safety

​

Psychological Safety: The Secret Weapon Against Burnout in High-Performing Teams
"Many leaders believe that focusing on psychological safety can compromise high standards. This article reveals how fostering a psychologically safe environment actually prevents burnout, boosts strategic thinking, enhances creativity, and ultimately drives better business outcomes."

🔶Join the Discussion:

After coaching 200+ executives, I've found 6 habits that drive real impact:

  1. Act Before Ready
  2. Turn Setbacks to Strategy
  3. Focus on What Matters
  4. Think Big, Act Daily
  5. Build Powerful Networks
  6. Own Your Energy

📌The Founder's Dilemma: Old Habits vs. New Realities
“
Your leadership style is heavily influenced by the leadership you have experienced yourself, but what if those experiences are holding you back?"

✴️ Personal Strategy Workshop: Get Inspired and Plan Your Success!

One of the best gift you can give yourself is taking time to think about your future. If you don't plan your future, don't be surprised when you get something you didn't want.

So last Wednesday, we want to design personal strategies.

Here's what people said:

⋆✴︎˚｡⋆"It was inspiring!"

⋆✴︎˚｡⋆"It was great to hear the ambitions of others."

Missed the workshop? Don't worry - we'll have another one soon!

Join us March 26th!

Count down to 2025-03-26T17:00:00.000Z​

Don't miss the next Personal Strategy Workshop. Secure your spot to develop your success plan!

🧡Check out more of our work at...👇

📙

Linkedin

​Learn more →​

🪐

Youtube

​Learn more →​

🔥

X (Twitter)

​Learn more →​

Our replies are OPEN!

If you want to get in touch, hit REPLY. I'm happy to help!

113 Cherry St #92768, Seattle, WA 98104-2205
​Unsubscribe · Preferences​

Paid Well, Living Hell?

by Daria Rudnik, Team Architect and Strategic Clarity Coach

A no-nonsense newsletter for busy leaders who are tired of overwork and want a smarter way to scale their impact. Each edition delivers practical strategies, leadership insights, and team-building hacks to help you build a high-performing, self-sufficient team—so you can increase productivity, boost profits, and reclaim your time. If you’re ready to stop firefighting and start leading, this is for you.

Read more from Paid Well, Living Hell?

Hi Reader 10 years ago, I was in the prime of my career. I had done all the right things: climbed the corporate ladder, built credibility in respected organizations, and earned a seat at the table. I started at Deloitte, eventually overseeing training and development for 800 people across multiple regions. Then I moved into banking, leading learning and development, and later joined a fast-growing telecom startup as VP of Organizational Development. I was speaking at conferences, getting...

17 days ago • 3 min read

Hi Reader A friend of mine was hired last week—because ChatGPT recommended him. No kidding. They didn’t dig through resumes. They didn’t network their way to him. They simply asked ChatGPT deep research to identify top candidates. And my friend’s name came up. That’s the world we live in now. We used to worry about what showed up when someone Googled us. Then it was LinkedIn. And now? It’s AI. Companies are literally asking large language models to assess us. To size up our digital presence....

24 days ago • 1 min read

Hey Reader Earlier this week, I shared a quick update about the book I’m reading, and honestly? I figured it might get a couple of likes, maybe a comment or two. But what I got was completely unexpected. The post blew up—not just with comments, but with real recommendations. People weren’t just dropping titles; they were sharing books that actually matter to them. Stuff that’s making them think differently, work smarter, or just see the world in a new way. Fiction, nonfiction, deep dives into...

about 1 month ago • 3 min read