Consistency Wins: How I’m Helping Women Leaders Make Bold Moves in 2026
- Feb 11
- 2 min read
By Cristina Stensvaag
Co-Founder, LeaderReps
In 2025, I made one of the boldest moves of my career: I left behind 17 years of corporate product and operations leadership to co-found a company from scratch.
Having led teams made up of new and experienced people managers, I noticed most leadership programs lacked real-world impact: they offered theory, not true practice. My co-founders and I started LeaderReps to change that by treating leadership as a skill you build through consistent, daily practice.
A Bold Play That Changed Everything
Launching a new company is always a leap. We leaned into the idea that growth doesn’t come from intensity; it comes from consistency. My 2025 move wasn’t a single product launch or viral campaign. It was choosing to go deep instead of wide. We designed every element of our program to make the practice of leadership sustainable and habit-forming.
And it works. This year, we helped first-time managers in fast-growing companies strengthen core skills like giving clear feedback and building trust. Our most recent cohort was made up entirely of women. Watching them grow more confident giving direct feedback reminded me why we started this work in the first place.
Why Feedback Is the Bravest Move You Can Make
Feedback is one of the boldest and most caring things a leader can do. When you give clear, direct feedback, you create teams built on trust and truth.
I’ve seen too many women leaders hold back their feedback, worried about being labeled difficult, emotional, or harsh. But when women step into feedback as an act of clarity and care, everything changes. It builds stronger teams, faster growth, and workplaces where honesty fuels belonging.
At LeaderReps, we teach a simple framework called CLEAR Feedback, which turns what often feels uncomfortable into something empowering. When feedback becomes a daily habit instead of a high-stakes event, leaders grow stronger with every conversation.
From Bold Moves to Daily Habits
Looking back, 2025 was the year we took the leap. 2026 is the year we scale the impact. We’re expanding our practice-based approach to reach more organizations that want to build confident, capable managers.
Our goal is to make leadership growth feel less like another thing to squeeze in, and more like part of your daily rhythm. Because bold business plays aren’t just about launching something new, they’re about showing up to do the reps that others skip.
What’s Next
As we head into 2026, I’m excited by what’s possible. We’re developing new ways to blend coaching, community, and habit-building so leaders don’t just learn great leadership, they live it.
For me, the boldest play isn’t founding a company. It’s proving that leadership, practiced daily, can change lives, starting with the women who lead teams, build companies, and shape cultures for the better.
If 2025 was about courage, 2026 is about momentum. The move that mattered most wasn’t changing careers; it was committing to a mission: to make leadership practice habit-based, and strength-focused, one rep at a time.
Connect With Cristina
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