“No one sets out to be an ineffective leader. Most of us genuinely want to do good, build something meaningful, and leave people better than we found them. But along the way—often quietly—we lose ourselves. We become addicted to performance, driven by invisible pressures, and distanced from the very people we lead. I know, because I’ve lived it. And I’ve watched some of the brightest, most capable leaders get stuck there too.”

I wrote The Dark Side of Greatness not to add to the noise, but to offer something deeper—an honest exploration of the emotional cost of leadership, and how to navigate it. This book brings together everything I’ve learned from decades of working with executives, boards, founders and teams across sectors. It’s shaped by science, yes—but more importantly, it’s shaped by what I’ve seen and felt alongside leaders in the real world.

If you’ve ever felt the pressure to “hold it all together,” the weight of invisible expectations, or the fear that your success is coming at a personal cost—you’re not alone. This book is a mirror, a map, and a gentle reminder: you don’t have to lead from the dark. You can lead from something far more powerful—awareness.