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Finally.
Here's the leadership manual they forgot to give you.

Explore smart methods, honest conversations, and the necessary tools to grow as a leader.
Learn what it really takes to enable talent and grow your business! I am in the trenches with you and coached over 40+ unique talents in the last decade.

Book a free 15-min video call now to see if this is for you.
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Designed and built for talents like you.

You are not here for a certificate. You are here to grow, to lead with integrity, and to build trust. That's exactly who I built this platform for.
"Charles was pivotal in my transition from consulting in systems engineering and PM to business and management roles."

Waqas
Director Product Management

"Charles is guiding me to identify and integrate the self-management and leadership approaches that align with my personality and life circumstances"

Beate
Senior Marketing Manager

Pick your path to grow faster.

Whatever your current challenge: There's a right format for you to grow and level up.

Personal Mentoring
1:1 or in a group. Real talk. Real progress.
When you need clarity, direction, and someone to hold you accountable.
Courses & Programs
Join our growth programs. Tailored to your needs.
Leap forward with valuable insights that would take you years to learn organically.
The Readiness Library
Learn what matters. When it matters.
Self-leadership, team dynamics, and management tools. Learned at your pace.

Daily lessons

Master the key principles of leadership, communication, and management - explained clearly and practically.

Real challenges

Translate every lesson into action. Apply what you learn, then reflect on what worked and why.

Deep reflection

Meet with me every two weeks to ask questions, test your thinking, and gain perspective in a personal 1:1 session via video call.

A final project

Write your personal leadership blueprint - a practical and honest piece of work that proves to yourself (and others) what you’re capable of.

SteadyUp™

The 6-month leadership track for specialists.

Built for learners who want to show up prepared, before they're thrown into the battle. SteadyUp™ combines core concepts and practical tools with peer exchange, real-life exercises, peer accountability, and personal coaching.

I don't believe in job titles.
I believe in people.

I’ve spent the last decade working with incredibly smart, driven, and often overwhelmed people, especially in tech. I’ve led teams, built systems, solved problems, and made a ton of mistakes.

What I've learned
Every company is an ensemble of unique talents trying to make the most out of what they have. Which means they deserve the best support we can give.

That’s why I believe leadership is not about knowing everything. It’s about listening, guiding, and showing up. Again and again.

Why it matters
Today, I work with emerging leaders, specialists, and founders to help them grow into the roles they’ve earned. 
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Start with curiosity.
Stay for clarity.

Not ready for a course or mentoring? Not a problem, take your time.
I've created free, no-nonsense resources to help you lead, reflect and take action. 

Over the years, I’ve read many books - some helpful, many forgettable. This list includes only those that I would honestly recommend to a young leader in a tech-driven organization who wants to grow personally and professionally. 

(Self-)Leadership
People Skills
Strategy & Systems
Productivity
Culture

Leadership & Self-Leadership

These books help you reflect on your role as a leader - not just in terms of tasks, but in terms of identity, mindset, and responsibility. They’re not about hacks or techniques. They’re about growing into the person your team needs you to be.
“The Practice” by Seth Godin
👉🏻 A powerful reminder that consistency matters more than perfection. Especially relevant for anyone who leads without a title but wants to make change happen in a meaningful way.
“The Motive” by Patrick Lencioni
👉🏻 A short, straightforward fable with one core question: Why do you want to be a leader? This book helps separate ego from responsibility – a must-read for new managers.
“Trillion Dollar Coach” by Eric Schmidt et al.
👉🏻 The story of Bill Campbell, mentor to Google and Apple execs. Shows how trust, respect, and presence can shape entire organizations.
“Dare to Lead” by Brené Brown
👉🏻 Emotional intelligence, vulnerability, and courage – all in one place. A rare book that makes leadership human again without becoming soft or vague.
“Leadership is Language” by L. David Marquet
👉🏻 An unusual take on command, control, and communication. Especially valuable for leaders in complex or fast-moving tech environments.

Self-Management & Productivity

Tech-driven work is never done. These books won’t tell you to wake up at 5 AM – they’ll help you protect your focus, manage your energy, and stay on course without burning out.
“Deep Work” by Cal Newport
👉🏻 A modern classic on creating focus in a distracted world. Especially helpful if your work depends on thinking clearly and delivering consistently at a high level.
“Atomic Habits” by James Clear
👉🏻 Yes, it’s everywhere – for a reason. Clear explains how to build (and keep) habits that actually stick. Simple, science-based, and genuinely useful.
“Essentialism” by Greg McKeown
👉🏻 The antidote to overwhelm. Helps you say “no” to the right things so you can say “yes” to what really matters.
“The Power of Full Engagement” by Loehr & Schwartz
👉🏻 Time management is dead – energy is the real currency. This book helped me rethink how I plan my day, my rest, and my goals.
“Make Time” by Jake Knapp & John Zeratsky
👉🏻 Created by two ex-Google designers, it’s full of lightweight, flexible techniques to make time for what matters. Perfect if you want ideas without dogma.

Systems & Strategy

To lead well in complex environments, you need more than goals and KPIs. These books help you recognize dynamics, feedback loops, and the difference between fixing symptoms and solving root causes.
“Thinking in Systems” by Donella H. Meadows
👉🏻 The go-to introduction to systems thinking. If you’ve ever felt like you were fighting the same fires over and over, this book helps you see why – and what to do instead.
“Good Strategy / Bad Strategy” by Richard Rumelt
👉🏻 Cuts through the noise and buzzwords. Rumelt explains what real strategy looks like – with clarity, logic, and excellent examples from business and beyond.
“The Art of Thinking Clearly” by Rolf Dobelli
👉🏻 A fast read that uncovers dozens of common thinking errors. Great for sharpening your judgment and becoming more aware of invisible biases.
“How to Take Smart Notes” by Sönke Ahrens
👉🏻 Especially useful if you’re reading and learning constantly. A book about note-taking, yes – but more so about how to turn ideas into usable insights.
“Rebel Ideas” by Matthew Syed
👉🏻 Shows how cognitive diversity beats expertise when solving complex problems. A compelling case for curiosity, humility, and inclusive thinking.

Communication & People Skills

Great leaders don’t just speak - they create understanding. These books sharpen how you communicate under pressure, give feedback, build trust, and align people around a shared direction.
“Crucial Conversations” by Patterson, Grenny et al. 
👉🏻 A practical guide for handling emotionally charged conversations. Especially useful for new leaders who want to address tough topics without avoiding or escalating them.
“Never Split the Difference” by Chris Voss
👉🏻 Written by a former FBI negotiator, this book is full of techniques for staying calm, asking the right questions, and guiding difficult discussions. Surprisingly applicable in everyday leadership.
“Thanks for the Feedback” by Stone & Heen
👉🏻 Receiving feedback is a skill – and one of the most underdeveloped in leadership. This book shifts the focus from giving to receiving, and it’s a game-changer.
“The Coaching Habit” by Michael Bungay Stanier
👉🏻 Simple yet powerful questions to stop telling and start listening. A great book to build trust and empower people around you – even if you’re not officially “coaching.”
“On Becoming a Person” by Carl Rogers
👉🏻 Not a typical leadership book – but foundational for anyone who wants to truly understand and connect with others. Timeless insights, written in an accessible and honest way.

Organizational Design & Culture

Even great people can fail in the wrong environment. These books explore what makes organizations work (or not), how culture is shaped, and what role you play in designing better systems for others.
“No Rules Rules” by Reed Hastings & Erin Meyer
👉🏻 A behind-the-scenes look at Netflix’s radical culture. Whether you agree with everything or not, it will challenge how you think about trust, responsibility, and performance.
“Team of Teams” by General Stanley McChrystal
👉🏻 What the military learned about adaptability in complex systems. Surprisingly relevant for startups and fast-growing teams where alignment beats control.
“The Five Dysfunctions of a Team” by Patrick Lencioni
👉🏻 Told as a fable, this one breaks down the core issues that sabotage collaboration. It’s simple – but it sticks. Ideal for reflecting on your own team dynamics.
“An Everyone Culture” by Kegan & Lahey
👉🏻 A deep (and sometimes heavy) read about how companies can become places of adult development. If you care about culture as more than perks, this is gold.
“Drive” by Daniel H. Pink
👉🏻 What really motivates people? (Hint: It’s not money.) A must-read if you want to build systems that tap into autonomy, mastery, and purpose.

Trusted by your peers

Over the last decade, I have coached entrepreneurs, specialists, engineers, and team leads to turn their ambition into real progress. For the sake of making that more transparent to you, I asked some of my mentees & growth partners to describe our relationship and results.

“Charles was pivotal in my transition from consulting in systems engineering and PM to business and management roles.

His strategic insights and practical advice were invaluable and helped me to shape my career.”

Waqas

Director Product Management @ FMC

"Charles offers the ideal balance of empathy, rapport, and expertise. He excels in guiding me to identify the self-management and leadership approaches that align with my personality and life circumstances, and in integrating them into my daily routine."

Beate

Senior Marketing Manager @ CS

“Charles and I share a powerful mentoring relationship that spanned several years.


We’ve become sparring partners and regularly reflect on a wide variety of topics related to leadership and business.”

Alex

Founder & CEO @ 2PM Consulting
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Thoughts for those who shape what matters

Questions, you might have.

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TL;DR - What are you offering here in a nutshell?

If you want to lead or manage, you’ll face a lot of challenges. I’ve faced many of them myself - and turned that into something useful: conversations, courses, tools, and support that actually helps. Whether you need 1:1 sparring, video lessons, or outside inspiration, I'm stepping up to support you to the best of my capabilities. 

Who is this really for?

Emerging leaders and managers - mostly people with less than 5 years of experience in a responsible role. After that, most have already found their way through enough personal and professional challenges. But if you want to accelerate that path and skip some detours, you might need a sparring & growth partner. That’s where I come in.

How do I get started?

You can browse all the free content, take a first step with a free meet & greet, or dive into a course. I recommend not joining SteadyUp™ until you’re sure my way of explaining things resonates with you. What matters isn’t the knowledge itself - but how you absorb and apply it in the most meaningful way.

An Introductory Course to Business Responsibility.

I’ve created an 8-part, no-nonsense email series to help you navigate your leadership or management role.

Plus, you'll receive weekly, leadership-focused articles and announcements.
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