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NEW! Join the Practical Leadership Book Launch Team

Be part of something transformative by joining the launch team for Janet Ply's groundbreaking new book, Practical Leadership: A Guide to Building Trust, Getting Results, and Changing Lives.

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Everyone Deserves to Work for a Great Leader

We help high technical achievers become successful leaders.

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Build TRUST

Effective leaders who build trust create the foundation for open communication, team cohesion, and organizational resilience, enabling their teams to take calculated risks, share honest feedback, and perform at their highest potential even during challenging times.
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Get RESULTS

Leaders who consistently deliver results demonstrate their competence and reliability, which builds credibility with stakeholders, motivates their teams through visible progress, and creates the momentum necessary to tackle increasingly ambitious goals.

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Change LIVES

Great leaders transform lives by unlocking potential in others, inspiring them to achieve more than they thought possible, and creating opportunities that lead to personal and professional growth that extends far beyond the workplace.

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Overwhelmed in Your Leadership Role?

Congratulations!  You’ve been promoted into a leadership role. How long did that feeling of happiness and accomplishment last?

Maybe you were promoted because you could solve anything in your area of expertise. Or you got great results. Now you’re expected to lead people, manage conflict, delegate, be strategic - and somehow get “real” work done.

  • You’re in back-to-back-to-back meetings all day
  • You’re putting out fires you didn’t start
  • You’re trying to lead manage people who don’t think like you

And, if you’re really being honest, you’re probably asked yourself more than once, “Am I really cut out to be a leader?”

 

You’re Not Alone and You’re Not the Problem

Of the estimated seven million business leaders in the US, most are winging it. And it’s not working very well.

40%

New Leaders Fail Within 18 Months of Being Promoted

50%

Externally Hired Executives Fail Within 12 Months

33%

Internally Promoted Executives Fail In The First Year

The good news? Leadership isn’t an art, it’s learned. And you can learn how to be a great leader.

I Wrote the Book on Practical Leadership - Literally

I’ve spent my career working with high performers and leading complex change initiatives - and now, I’ve captured the most essential, actionable lessons in my book: 

 Practical Leadership: A Guide to Building Trust, Getting Results, and Changing Lives.

If you ever wished someone would just hand you the playbook, here it is.  No fluff tactics and frameworks you can use right now.

"Janet Ply is the real deal. If you lead people-or you want to—Practical Leadership should live on your desk. Get it, use it, lead better."

Mel Robbins, New York Times-bestselling author of The Let Them Theory and host of The Mel Robbins Podcast

 “Janet Ply has created what so many leadership books promise but rarely deliver—a practical and actionable guide, grounded in real-world experience. With clarity and compassion, she cuts through the noise and gives leaders exactly what they need: a framework that works in the messiness of real organizations. Whether you’re new to leadership or trying to rebuild your confidence after years in the trenches, this book will equip you to lead with greater trust, accountability, and purpose. It’s not just theory—it’s a road map for real transformation.”

Dr. Marshall Goldsmith, Thinkers50 #1 executive coach and New York Times–bestselling author of The Earned Life, Triggers, and What Got You Here Won’t Get You There

Whether you’re coaching your first direct report, navigation team dysfunction, or giving an executive presentation, you’ll find something in this book that helps you lead better by Monday.

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The Practical Leadership Framework

Tactical - Thorough - Proven

A step-by-step system designed to equip leaders with the core competencies more critical for success - from self-awareness and communications to execution and team performance.
Built from decades of “in the trenches” leadership experience and grounded in systems thinking, this framework cuts through the noise to deliver what actually works.

Tactics - no fluff. 

Just a clear practical path to becoming a leader who builds trust, gets results, and changes lives.

Why Work with Us

You didn't climb this far to settle for "good enough" leadership.

At Janet Ply Associates, we work with ambitious professionals like you who refuse to let poor leadership skills become the ceiling on their success.

You've already proven you can deliver results. But now you need more than technical expertise—you need the leadership presence that commands respect, the unshakeable confidence that keeps you composed when the stakes are highest, and the deep trust that empowers you to drive real impact through others.

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What most companies won't tell you...

Here's what most companies won't tell you: They're setting you up to fail. They promote their best performers into leadership roles, hand them a fancy title, and expect them to "figure it out." Meanwhile, your reputation, your team's performance, and your career trajectory hang in the balance.

Leadership isn't magic. It's not about charisma or natural-born talent.

It's a learnable skill set—one that separates mediocre managers from the leaders who shape industries, build legacies, and unlock their full potential.

We've guided hundreds of high achievers through this exact transition. We know the frustration of being excellent at your job but struggling to translate that excellence into leadership impact. More importantly, we know exactly how to bridge that gap.

The question isn't whether you'll become a leader. It's whether you'll become the leader your ambitions demand.

How We Partner With You To Build High-Impact Leadership

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Schedule Your Brainstorming Call

We'll pinpoint the exact leadership obstacles costing you time and results, then create focused solutions where you need them most, so you see immediate improvements in team performance and your own effectiveness.
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Get a Plan Custom To Your Goals

Whether you need 1:1 coaching to breakthrough personal barriers, team training to accelerate group performance, or our Engineer to Executive program to fast-track your career transition, we'll match you with the exact solution that gets you there.
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Leadership Breakthroughs

Leaders gain the confidence to make tough decisions without second-guessing themselves, communicate with the kind of impact that eliminates confusion and builds trust, and lead teams that don't just follow directions but champion the vision. 

Some Kind Words From Our Clients

It's always inspiring to get notes like these from our clients. Join us so that we can bring the same leadership transformation to you.

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Engineer to Executive is more than leadership training.  It’s a full systems that transforms how our technical leaders think, communicate, and lead.  They’re now contributing at a strategic level, not just a technical one.

CTO

Financial Services
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We didn’t need another workshop - we needed a leadership solution.  This program delivered exactly that.  Our team cam away with practical tools and a clear mindset shift.  It’s changed how they lead.  The ongoing coaching and leadership community continues to reinforce their development.

COO

Technology Company
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What Janet has built is different. It’s not a slide deck and some theories - it’s a deeply thought-out process that actually builds leadership competency. Our leaders now show up with confidence, clarity, and business focus.

CIO

Enterprise Software
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The behavior changes in the workshops participants were noticeable after the first day of the workshop and have continued to only get better. I’ve seen more collaboration across teams, people taking initiative to fix problems, and the teams are more focused on delivery. We will be scheduling more workshops and coaching!

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Large Financial Services Company
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This class pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me become more confident in speaking up. Great class!

Technology Manager

Wealth Management Company
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Janet’s delivery of the content and explaining how to apply it to our work was invaluable. She provides tools and frameworks that we can use on a regular basis to help organize and make sense of information that is overwhelming. Exercises on prioritization, goal setting, and communications were spot on.

VP

Data Management Company
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This is the first time I have ever given a training session a perfect 100%! Every minute of every day was extremely valuable and applicable to my day to day. Thank you!

Assistant VP

Financial Services Company
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I believe every employee and leader in our company should take this course. Those of us in leadership positions gained valuable skills to develop and grow ourselves and our teams. Thank you so much!

Assistant VP

Technology Wealth Management Company
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The course subject matter, along with relevant discussion points and examples, was expertly presented. I am leaving the class after 3 days feeling refreshed, excited, and inspired!

AVP & PMO

Financial Services Company
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Download the 7 Common Mistakes Leaders Make - And How to Avoid Them

Because burnout isn’t a badge of honor.

If you’re constantly buried in meetings, solving other people’s problems, and wondering when you’ll actually have time to get your own work done - you’re not alone.
This short guide walks your through the seven most common traps leaders fall into … and what to do instead.