What if becoming a better leader has less to do with learning another business skill—and more to do with becoming a better human being?
That question sits at the heart of Claudio Toyama’s leadership philosophy and the mission behind Solstyn Institute. In conversation with Humans of Fuzia (HOF), the global thought-leadership platform exploring leadership, entrepreneurship, coaching, women empowerment and socially conscious business, Toyama shared a perspective increasingly relevant to founders and executives navigating the complexity of 2026.
With experience spanning more than 40 countries and work across 113 countries, Toyama brings a distinctly global lens to leadership. Originally from Brazil and now based near Washington, D.C., his journey has been shaped by cultural diversity, travel, family and decades of leadership practice.
Leadership Coaching That Goes Beyond Performance
The name Solstyn comes from the legendary Viking sunstone—a navigational tool believed to help identify north in difficult conditions.
For Toyama, the metaphor is powerful: leaders need their own “north” when navigating turbulent waters.
“It is not just about becoming a better leader. It is about becoming a better person,” he explained.
His work focuses on executive coaching, leadership development, mindfulness, emotional intelligence and communication—particularly for senior executives with technical backgrounds who suddenly find themselves responsible for leading people.
One client, a technology executive managing 150 people, was still coding by hand. The lesson is universal: technical expertise can build a career, but leadership requires a different operating system.
The 2026 Leadership Challenge: From Individuals to Systems
Toyama says demand is increasingly shifting toward systemic leadership—working with individuals, teams and teams of teams to influence an entire organisation.
That matters as businesses confront AI disruption, growth complexity, accountability gaps and changing client expectations. Leaders must bridge the gap between what clients think they need and what will actually create behavioural change.
“A three-day strategic thinking workshop” may sound valuable, he noted, but lasting transformation rarely happens in three days.
The solution is stronger leadership development, clearer messaging, stakeholder awareness, scalable business growth systems and deliberate team development.
Entrepreneurship Requires More Than Expertise
Toyama also highlights a familiar challenge for coaches, consultants and small-business founders: becoming so absorbed in delivery that business development gets neglected.
His advice is especially relevant to practitioners scaling coaching businesses: invest in authority building, LinkedIn visibility, speaking opportunities, clear Ideal Client Profiles (ICP), stronger sales systems and consistent client acquisition.
For Toyama, even professional certifications can become growth assets. His investment in Leadership Circle certification helped generate new business opportunities by creating a differentiated capability clients actively sought.
Execution Tip
Audit your calendar tomorrow: identify one task only you can do and one task someone else could own. Start delegating before growth forces the decision.
Toyama’s message is ultimately simple: sustainable entrepreneurship is not about doing more yourself. It is about knowing where your leadership creates the greatest impact.
That is precisely the kind of real-world insight Humans of Fuzia brings to coaches, entrepreneurs and changemakers building businesses with purpose.
Connect with Claudio Toyama
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claudiotoyama/
Website: https://solsteninstitute.com/
