Why Joy May Be a Leader’s Most Underrated Growth Strategy
What if better leadership begins not with doing more, but with creating space to think, breathe, and lead with joy?
For Marguerite Orane, leadership coach, facilitator, and author of Transform Your Leadership: Eight Essential Practices for Leading with Joy, this belief emerged from experience, not theory. Through Humans of Fuzia (HOF), a global thought-leadership platform exploring leadership, entrepreneurship, coaching, women empowerment, and social impact, her journey offers valuable lessons for coaches and entrepreneurs navigating business growth in 2026.
HOF understands the realities of building and scaling businesses, from acquiring clients to developing leadership capabilities and creating sustainable growth systems. Orane’s perspective challenges a deeply ingrained assumption: that leadership must come with constant pressure and sacrifice.
From Difficult Leadership Experiences to Joyful Workplaces
At 23, Orane took charge of her family business in Jamaica. The experience was deeply challenging, shaped by economic uncertainty and difficult family dynamics.
After completing her MBA at Harvard Business School, she returned to Jamaica with a different vision of work.
Her approach found unexpected validation when a supplier’s sales representative entered her new workplace and exclaimed, “What a happy place!”
That moment reinforced a powerful lesson: workplace culture reflects how leaders treat people, approach decisions, and define success.
For organisations struggling with team accountability, employee engagement, and growth complexity, socially conscious leadership starts with creating an environment where people can perform without sacrificing their well-being.
Leadership Coaching, Time Management, and Sustainable Business Growth
Through her leadership coaching and strategic facilitation, Orane works with senior leaders, including professionals transitioning into new roles. Her six-month coaching programmes emphasise meaningful behavioural change rather than quick fixes.
One recurring challenge she identifies is leaders’ relationship with time. When every task feels urgent, strategic thinking, creativity, and personal well-being suffer.
Her solution begins with intentional time management. Orane keeps her phone outside her bedroom and avoids checking it during the first two hours of her day, making space for yoga, journaling, and reflection.
For entrepreneurs scaling coaching businesses or small enterprises, this offers a practical lesson: sustainable execution requires protecting time for the work that matters most.
Entrepreneurship, Relationships, and Smarter Growth Systems
Orane believes business growth begins long before a sales conversation.
“That is gold for any entrepreneur. Even before you think about starting a business, you think you are building relationships.”
While preparing her latest book, she contacted 102 people and received 45 reviews before publication. Her experience illustrates how trust and genuine relationships can strengthen authority, referrals, and client acquisition.
In 2026, entrepreneurs can apply this principle by identifying their ideal client profile (ICP), refining their messaging, building meaningful professional networks, and pursuing relevant speaking opportunities. Clear sales funnels and scalable business systems can then turn that visibility into consistent growth.
Orane also advocates understanding personal strengths and delegating tasks that drain time or energy. Whether through a capable collaborator or the selective use of AI, leaders can focus on the work where their expertise creates the greatest value.
Execution Tip
Audit your calendar tomorrow. Identify one recurring task that consumes time without using your strengths. Delegate it, simplify the process, or explore an appropriate automation. Protect the time you recover for strategic thinking and relationship-building.
Connect with Marguerite Orane
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/margueriteorane/
- Website: https://margueriteorane.com/
