nikolas’ notes

How to Produce at an Elite Level - A Guide to Deep Work

-> Read the Guide

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Playbooks that help you scale your leadership.*

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*Free for founders who work with me.

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Get them here

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We need to be very careful about the concepts we let into our minds. They will start dictating our lives.

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The Idea of "work-life balance" is one of those concepts.
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Let me propose to you a better way to think about balance: The four relationships.

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I worked on this model for the last two years. It’s my first time sharing it outside my coaching with founders.
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I hope this model will reduce your perceived „guilt“ of being unable to be in balance.  

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Here it is -> Link

What happens after 3 months of founder coaching:

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- You learn where your blind spots are
- You question your definition of success
- You become aware that leadership is a skill that needs training
- You understand that your organization’s strategy is not ambitious enough
- You realize that you spend most of your time working on unnecessary things

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What happens after 6 months of founder coaching:

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- You work from your zone of genius
- Your mission is shared and inspires your people
- You love and embrace your unique way of leading
- You have space to work on and not in the organization
- You take time off to grow as a human being in all aspects of life
- Your leadership team owns high trust/ high performance without your input
- Your understanding of success includes your loved ones and personal growth

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The 6-month list looks a lot better, right?

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Here is the reality.

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It takes a 3-month journey to get to a 6-month one.

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Some people get there faster. Most don’t even start.

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My goal is to get you there and ENJOY the process.

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Most people spend their life doing what they hate doing.

Being good at something doesn't mean that you enjoy it.

Here is a framework that will help you do what you love.

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Most people feel like their life controls them.

But there is a way to take charge again: 

The Zone of Genius.

This model will help you reflect on how you want to use your time.

Take back control. Here is how...

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A) Audit your calendar

How much time do you spend working on things that you enjoy?

Note which task you spend in the following zones:

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1) Zone of Incompetence

Things that other people could probably do better than you.

2) Zone of Competence

Things you do just fine, but others are as good as you.

3) Zone of Excellence

Things you are excellent at, but you just don't love doing.

4) Zone of Genius

Things you are uniquely good at in the world that you love to do - you love them so much that time and space disappears

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B) Delegate

You will notice that you will spend too much time doing things you are good at but hate doing.

Because you are so good - everyone will push you to take over those tasks.

Delegate those.

Being good at something does not mean you need to do it.

Dont be sorry. People are different. There are others that love doing those tasks.

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C) Make space to explore your genius

When do you notice that you enter a zone of flow?

What are tasks that make you forget the world around you?

Ask your friends what they think your zone of genius is.

Narrow it down.

Take bold steps to reshuffle your life.

Experiment:

How would my life look like if I would spend 60% in my zone of genius?

Dedicate three months to work on what you love doing.

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Why should I work from my zone of genius?

a) You are unique:

No one will be ever as good as you in being who you are

b) Diversity works:

even if you hate doing it - there might be some crazy nut out there that loves it. To each his kink.

c) Self-reflection unleashes growth:

if you listen carefully, reflect and adjust new perspectives will open up

d) deep work wins over the superficial:

Focusing on one ambitious goal with your strength the sky is the limit.

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I created a digital worksheet, that I use with the change-makers I coach. Write me and I will send it to you.

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Shitty leadership teams fail because of the following five reasons:

Inattention to results: Dysfunctional leadership teams aren't attentive to shared results because everyone is focusing only on their specific area and holding on to status and ego.

Avoidance of accountability: They are not getting shared results because they aren't holding each other accountable. This leads to low standards.

Lack of Commitment: They don't hold each other accountable because there is a lack of commitment to the purpose. Roles and responsibilities remain ambiguous instead of clear.

Fear of Conflict: There is no commitment, because they are afraid to go into constructive conflict over the best ideas and outcomes. The result is an artificial harmony.

Absence of trust: There is a fear of conflict because team members are not trusting that it's possible to be vulnerable around each other. There is a sense of danger that leads to invulnerability.

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Want to know more.

Read the leadership fable ‘The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team’ by Patrick Lencioni. It's a great read.

More on this model in my two-day High Trust/High Performance Leadership Workshop.

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How to Recognize If You Are a High Performer: The “Leitmotif Principle” or the Three Traits of High Performers

Life can be magic. Or it can be accidental.

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Most high performers I work with display three traits following a hidden principle that guides their life:

They have a relentless point of view, seeing their life as their story.

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I call this the “Leitmotif principle”, which shows “authorship” by guiding their lives by three traits.

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People who follow the leitmotiv principle see their life through this lens:

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• You’re the hero of your own narrative, not because you’re infallible, but because you willingly step into roles that require you to confront and overcome immense challenges.

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• Your life unfolds as a series of trials, each challenge, and hardship representing another chapter in your ongoing story.

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• The people around you become significant characters in this narrative, and every obstacle is an opportunity for growth—not just for yourself but for everyone involved.

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High performers avoid a common trap that writer Milan Kundera perfectly describes:

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"You can’t blame a novel for being fascinated by the mysterious happenings of co-incidences, making a coherent story. But you can blame humans for being blind to their occurrence in everyday life." 


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He points out that most people fail to see the meaning.

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I noticed that if you are a “High Performer, “ you don’t fall into this trap:

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You see destiny where others see coincidence. 


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A story unfolds before your eyes: You are driven by your “Leitmotif.”

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I can spot a “high performer” because she exhibits three traits better than the rest of the room. Here is how you can spot if you are a high performer:

1. You Position Yourself at the Epicenter of the Problem

You don’t shy away from challenges; instead, you actively seek them out. You place yourself in situations where the stakes are high, often becoming the “eye of the storm” in a metaphorical tornado.

This isn’t about creating problems for drama’s sake but choosing almost insurmountable battles. The sheer scale of these problems ensures that solving them requires not just your effort but also the mobilization of teams, resources, and often the rethinking of existing paradigms.

By embracing the chaos, you orchestrate solutions others might deem impossible. Centering yourself on the problem allows you to become the axis around which everything else revolves, ensuring you remain in control of both the narrative and the outcomes.

2. You relentlessly Focus on What Is Within Your Control

Amid challenges, you maintain an extraordinary focus on what you can control. While others might be paralyzed by opinions, judgments, or uncontrollable variables, you hone in on actionable items within your sphere of influence.

This focus isn’t just a survival tactic; it’s a strategic approach. By zeroing in on controllable factors, you mitigate the overwhelming nature of problems and maintain clarity and direction.

This trait, sets apart those who achieve great things from those sidetracked by external noise. It’s a form of mental resilience critical for navigating the unpredictable terrain of leadership.

3. You Regulate Your Ego in high-stakes situations like no other

The most subtle yet powerful trait you can possess is the ability to regulate your ego.

You grasp that clinging to a fixed identity or a particular narrative about yourself can be limiting. You’re able to set aside your ego when necessary, allowing you to adapt to new information, pivot strategies, and build trust within your teams.

By detaching from your ego, you foster open-mindedness and cultivate a culture of trust and cooperation. It’s a leadership superpower that enables you to navigate complex interpersonal dynamics without being hindered by pride or rigid self-concepts.

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The Leitmotif: These principles need nurturing

When these three characteristics come together, they form the leitmotif—the recurring theme in your life story:

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• You Position Yourself at the Epicenter of the Problem
• You relentlessly Focus on What Is Within Your Control
• You Regulate Your Ego in high-stake situations like no other

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Most high-performers are not aware that they exhibit these traits innately.

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While these traits might seem inherent to most extreme high performers I have worked with, they need cultivation. If they are not being nurtured, they can wither.

The Leitmotif Principle isn’t just a framework for understanding high performers; it’s a blueprint for any CEO aspiring to achieve significant impact. I recommend putting them up center in your own journey:

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• By placing yourself in challenging situations, focusing on what you can control, and regulating your ego, you can cultivate these qualities through experience, training, and reflection.

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• By embracing these characteristics, you can craft your own powerful narrative, stepping into the role of the hero in the ongoing story of your life.

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• By internalizing these principles, you continue to lead with purpose, resilience, and adaptability—qualities that define success and inspire those around you to reach their highest potential.

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Inspirations: This writing emerged following long conversations with Engin Ayaz (CEO  ATÖLYE) and Bernd Kessel (CEO Kessel & Kessel), whose thinking inspired these principles.

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