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Unseen leadership: failures, emotions and uncomfortable decisions

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In 2018 I founded Causa Local, an organization focused on strengthening Puerto Rico's entrepreneurial ecosystem with financing solutions and business education. But that path didn't start there. It was born out of a personal need: to align my purpose with my career and dare to have difficult conversations, even with myself.

I went from working as an auditor at a Big 4 firm to exploring the world of social entrepreneurship. By collaborating with the microcredit platform Kiva, I discovered how transformative access to capital can be for small businesses.

What started as an experiment in my spare time turned into a full-time passion. Over time, that work evolved into something even bigger: the creation of Causa Local, an organization dedicated to strengthening the entrepreneurial ecosystem through innovative financing solutions and flexible entrepreneurial education.

But the road has not been without challenges. Difficult conversations, failures, moments of uncertainty and uncomfortable decisions have been an essential part of my journey. Today I recognize them as catalysts for my growth.

Here are some of the most valuable learnings that have helped me grow as a leader and as a human being.

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Leadership lessons from difficult conversations

Not everything has to be said, but everything can be heard.

One of the most powerful tools I have learned is to know how to pick my battles. Not everything that bothers or makes us uncomfortable deserves an immediate response. Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is to stay silent, genuinely listen, understand where the other person is coming from, learn what you can... and move on. Emotional self-control is not weakness, it's wisdom. And taking care of your mental health also means knowing when not to waste energy where it's not needed.

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2. Don't assume

One of my deepest wishes is that we stop assuming. In times of change and collective anxiety, empathy must come first. As a wise mentor once told me, "Not to justify, but remember that many people are going through situations we are unaware of. Don't take anything personally and learn if you can." That phrase stuck with me. Assuming can be a subtle way of disconnecting us from others, while questioning, observing and keeping an open mind connects us from compassion.

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3. Empathy and humility are non-negotiable.

We are human beings in different environments, with very different experiences. And although sometimes we want to be right, the most important thing is to have peace. I have learned that acting from empathy - without assuming, without reacting with judgment - is essential to lead with impact. Humility is not weakness, it is strength. And in the midst of a difficult conversation, it is better to listen with humility than to speak from pride.

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4. Don't stay where there is no peace

A space that does not foster la paz, nor support your mental health, should not be a space where one stays. Period. Because staying takes away from you. Nothing good comes out of people or environments that take away from you. I stayed in places out of fear, out of misunderstood loyalty, out of habit. Until I understood that constant discomfort was not part of growth, it was a sign that I needed to move. Moving away from what drains you is also an act of self-love.

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5. Fear is not a good compass.

One of my many fuckups was making decisions out of fear: keeping quiet, accepting criticism that didn't make sense, not dreaming big. Thinking that staying in an environment that didn't suit me was going to end well. Today I know that fear cannot be your guide. Your compass must be your values, your intuition and your desire to grow. You have to bet on yourself, because life is too short to live it from fear.

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6. You don't need to react immediately

When in doubt or uncertainty, listen. Avoid the need to react immediately or always want to have the right answer. Pause and think. You don't have to answer everything. You don't have to answer everything. Over time I have learned that maturity is in the waiting, in the observation, in the space you give yourself before you act. That pause can avoid many conflicts and help you connect with yourself.

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7. Learn to handle people and situations with emotional intelligence.

It is not just about avoiding conflict. It is about learning to manage it with strategy, maturity and awareness. Master the art of managing people and situations, not from manipulation, but from clarity. Being a leader does not mean having all the answers, but having the ability to navigate complex situations without losing yourself in the process. And that can only be achieved by cultivating emotional intelligence on a daily basis.

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Leading is also about looking inward

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After many failures - and those that are surely still to come - I have learned that leading also means looking inward. Confronting the past, recognizing the moments that have marked me and understanding that everything, even the uncomfortable, can teach us something if we allow it.

As a founder and leader of an organization, I have had to work on my mental health from a space of acceptance, empathy and learning. It is not always easy, but it is worth it. Avoiding being reactive has become a daily practice, a tool to carry out Causa Local's mission in peace.

Today I know that it is not always necessary to have an immediate response. That sometimes, pause is more powerful than action. And that true leadership is born when we learn to listen, to handle situations with emotional intelligence and, above all, to take care of ourselves in the process.

At the end of the day, we are the sum of our environment. And if we want to sustain our mission, we must first sustain ourselves.

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