Charise Beckett explains why leaders need more than personal determination to navigate difficult seasons. Her approach links clarity with trusted relationships and supportive networks. Through P.O.I.S.E. and Queens Behind the Scenes she shows how connection can strengthen decision making while helping ambitious professionals protect their well-being and sustain meaningful impact.
Charise Beckett is the founder and principal consultant of P.O.I.S.E.™ Leadership Coaching and Consulting, where she helps high-performing leaders align wellness, strategy, and influence for sustainable impact. She is also the creator and host of Queens Behind the Scenes, a podcast spotlighting the real stories of women navigating leadership, legacy, and life. With over two decades of experience across executive roles in both corporate and nonprofit sectors, Charise blends deep strategy, cultural intelligence, and resilience to help leaders thrive at the top without burning out.
Company: P.O.I.S.E.
We are thrilled to have you join us today. Welcome to ValiantCEO Magazine’s exclusive interview! Let’s start off with a little introduction. Tell our readers a bit about yourself and your company.
Charise Beckett: Thank you. I’m excited to be here. I’m Charise Beckett, the Founder and Principal Consultant of P.O.I.S.E.™ Leadership Consulting, and the host of the women’s empowerment podcast Queens Behind the Scenes. I bring over 20 years of experience leading people, culture, and organizational strategy, and my passion has always been helping leaders and teams thrive without sacrificing their well-being.
Through my P.O.I.S.E.™ framework – Precision, Optimization, Influence, Strategy, and Endurance – I work with executives, teams, and organizations to build high performance that’s truly sustainable. And with Queens Behind the Scenes, I’ve created a space for women to hear unfiltered stories of leadership, resilience, and the behind-the-scenes truths of what it really takes to rise and stay whole.
At the core of everything I do is one belief: success should not cost you your well-being. My mission is to redefine leadership and excellence, creating ecosystems where people, especially women, can lead with impact and live with balance.
Can you share a time when your business faced a significant challenge? How did you navigate through it?
Charise Beckett: One of the biggest challenges I faced early on was building my businesses – P.O.I.S.E.™ Leadership Consulting and Queens Behind the Scenes while still holding a demanding executive role. There were moments when the weight of both worlds felt impossible, and the temptation to put my own vision on pause was very real.
What helped me navigate that season was leaning into my own framework. I used Precision to get clear on what truly mattered, Optimization to create systems that saved me time, and Endurance to remind myself this is a marathon, not a sprint. I also learned to delegate, ask for help, and stay rooted in my “why” to build spaces where leaders, especially women, could thrive without burning out.
How has a failure or apparent failure set you up for later success?
Charise Beckett: Early in my career, I launched a consulting firm before I was truly ready. I had the vision, but I didn’t have the patience or the systems in place to sustain it. At the time, I saw that as a failure – it felt like proof that maybe I wasn’t cut out to build something of my own.
But looking back, it was the best training ground I could have asked for. That experience taught me the importance of pacing, infrastructure, and building with intention rather than urgency. When I launched P.O.I.S.E.™ Leadership Consulting and Queens Behind the Scenes, I did it differently. I invested in the right foundations, created frameworks that scale, and gave myself permission to grow at a sustainable pace.
What once felt like failure was really preparation. It sharpened me, and it ensured that this time, I could build something lasting – something that reflects not just ambition, but wisdom.
How do you build a resilient team? What qualities do you look for in your team members?
Charise Beckett: I build resilient teams by modeling and applying the same P.O.I.S.E.™ framework I teach leaders – Precision, Optimization, Influence, Strategy, and Endurance. For my teams, that means providing clarity, optimizing resources, leading with influence instead of control, being strategic about priorities, and reinforcing the endurance it takes to sustain high performance without burnout.
When it comes to qualities, I look for mindset over résumé. I value curiosity, adaptability, emotional intelligence, and integrity. I want people who lean into change as an opportunity, who collaborate with others, and who have the grit to stay steady when things get tough.
Resilient teams aren’t built by accident. They’re built with intention, and for me, that intention is grounded in P.O.I.S.E.™.
How do you maintain your personal resilience during tough times?
Charise Beckett: For me, resilience starts with alignment. I use my own P.O.I.S.E.™ framework – Precision, Optimization, Influence, Strategy, and Endurance as a personal compass. In tough times, Precision keeps me focused on what truly matters, Optimization reminds me to streamline instead of overextending, and Endurance grounds me in the fact that challenges are temporary but growth is lasting.
I also lean into rituals that restore me – whether that’s movement, quiet reflection, meditation, or simply protecting my boundaries. And I remind myself that resilience isn’t about being unshakable – it’s about being able to bend without breaking, and to come back stronger and clearer on the other side.
What strategies do you use to manage stress and maintain focus during a crisis?
Charise Beckett: When I’m navigating a crisis, I lean on both my P.O.I.S.E.™ framework and the practices that keep me grounded as a person. Precision helps me cut through the noise and focus on what’s truly essential, while Strategy reminds me not to react out of panic but to move with intention.
On a personal level, meditation and yoga are non-negotiables for me – they keep my mind clear and my body steady. Time with my family is also a source of strength; it reminds me why I do the work in the first place. And I make space for the things I enjoy – whether that’s moving my body, a good laugh, or just quiet moments because joy is fuel, especially in hard times.
For me, managing stress and staying focused isn’t about ignoring the storm; it’s about creating an inner calm so I can lead through it with clarity and endurance.
How do you communicate with your team during a crisis?
Charise Beckett: I believe communication during a crisis has to be clear, honest, and human. We’re a small but mighty team, which means every person matters and every voice counts. I take into consideration how I would want to be communicated with in those moments directly, with transparency, but also with empathy.
I make sure my team has the information they need, the context behind decisions, and the space to ask questions. I also don’t sugarcoat reality, but I do frame challenges with perspective and possibility. In a crisis, people don’t just need instructions, they need to feel seen, supported, and trusted. That’s the kind of communication I practice and expect from my leaders as well.
What advice would you give to other CEOs on building resilience in their organizations?
Charise Beckett: My advice to CEOs is this: resilience doesn’t come from pushing people harder, it comes from building an ecosystem that sustains them. Start with clarity – make sure your team understands the mission and their role in it. Invest in systems and culture that prioritize well-being, because burned-out people can’t build resilient organizations. And don’t underestimate the power of connection – resilience is amplified when leaders have the right partners, networks, and support around them.
That’s exactly why I built P.O.I.S.E.™ Leadership Consulting to help leaders and organizations create those kinds of ecosystems. We don’t just focus on performance, we focus on sustainability, influence, and long-term impact. When you get that balance right, resilience isn’t something you fight for in a crisis – it becomes part of your organization’s DNA.
How do you prepare your business for potential future crises?
Charise Beckett: I believe preparation is about building today with tomorrow in mind. The way we structure our teams, our systems, and our culture now should give us the foundation to handle what’s ahead. That means creating clarity, investing in strong processes, and making sure people feel supported and equipped to adapt when the unexpected happens.
At the same time, I know that no matter how much we prepare, the economy and other outside variables will always influence how we lead. That’s why I focus on adaptability, scenario planning, and cultivating partnerships that allow us to pivot with confidence when conditions shift.
For me, the goal isn’t to predict every storm – it’s to build an organization resilient enough to move forward, no matter what the weather brings.
What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned about leadership in times of crisis?
Charise Beckett: I believe preparation is about building today with tomorrow in mind. The way we structure our teams, our systems, and our culture now should give us the foundation to handle what’s ahead. That means creating clarity, investing in strong processes, and making sure people feel supported and equipped to adapt when the unexpected happens.
At the same time, I know that no matter how much we prepare, the economy and other outside variables will always influence how we lead. That’s why I focus on adaptability, scenario planning, and cultivating partnerships that allow us to pivot with confidence when conditions shift.
For me, the goal isn’t to predict every storm – it’s to build an organization resilient enough to move forward, no matter what the weather brings.
