Meera Remani, Executive Leadership Coach, shares a powerful reminder that true success means showing up in life – not just at work
My daughter drew our family today.
I wasn’t in the picture.
“Daddy’s always in meetings,” she said.
That’s how my coaching call started – with James*.
A VP at a Fortune 100 (*name changed for privacy).
His voice cracked as he showed me the drawing.
“I’m winning at work. But I’m losing at life.”
It’s not the first time I’ve heard successful leaders break down.
“They just trusted there would always be time. Until there wasn’t.”
What they regret the most?
Not this:
– “That presentation wasn’t perfect.”
– “Should’ve stayed an extra hour at the office…”
– “I skipped dinner but I should’ve worked through it.”
But this:
– “Dad doesn’t remember my name anymore. I’d been ‘too busy’ to visit.”
– “My kid stopped asking me to play- she knew I’d say no.”
– “I was there, but not present. Now they don’t wait up.”
Here’s what breaks my heart:
– None of these leaders lacked love for their families.
– They just trusted there’d always be time.
– Until there wasn’t.
A CEO told me last week:
“Had everything I wanted. Forgot to live it.”
You can’t abandon deadlines.
But you can choose moments:
– Phones down during dinner (emails can wait)
– Eyes on them, not your screen (they notice)
– “I have 20 minutes right now – let’s play”
—
Two months later, James sent me a new drawing.
He was in it this time.
Front and centre.
You don’t have to choose between success and presence. Just between presence and distraction.
About the author:
With over 20 years of corporate experience and a decade of coaching senior leaders worldwide, Meera Remani specialises in helping professionals unlock their potential, achieve promotions, transition to larger roles, and build fulfilling, impactful careers.
As a certified (PCC) leadership coach and MBA graduate from the prestigious Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Lucknow, Meera honed her skills at global organisations like Amazon and Procter & Gamble, where she led high-performing teams and delivered impactful results. This foundation, combined with neuroscience, positive psychology, and proprietary frameworks, allows Meera to deliver transformative outcomes tailored to each client’s goals.
Meera has worked with leaders from Amazon, Bain, Google, P&G, and GSK, empowering them to master
strategic thinking, executive presence, and influential communication. For more details, please click here.
Meera Remani
Email: meera@meeraremani.com
Be part of a growing global community committed to advancing in-house legal leadership.
Every GC eventually meets a moment where the “right” answer isn’t obvious – or popular. Alexander Shevchenko, Chief Legal Officer at WebPay, shares the mindset...
Learn more about How does a GC make the decisions no one else wants to?
Othman Azzouzi, Head of Legal at Network International in Morocco, shares the lessons he has learned negotiating across markets and cultures. I have spent years...
Learn more about Negotiation dynamics: the subtle power of intent