Rigid vs Flexible: The Power of a Flexible Mental Model For High Performers

By
Hannah Kissel
June 2, 2026
8
min
Listen to the episode
Green circle with black stylized sound waves representing the Spotify logo.
Spotify
Icon of a person with concentric circles representing a podcast or audio broadcast.
Apple Podcasts
Red YouTube play button icon with a white triangle in the center.
Youtube

About the episode

The most dangerous thing a high performer can do? Stick to a bad plan just because they "said they would." We are taught that consistency is a virtue. We are taught that changing our minds is a weakness, a sign of indecision, or a failure of control. In corporate environments, being "Rule Book" (as Hannah was affectionately nicknamed at LinkedIn) is a badge of honour. But there is a massive difference between commitment and rigidity. In this episode, Hannah gets brutally honest about a massive U-turn she just made in her business. She'd announced one thing, put the plan in motion, and then, after looking at the data, her personal capacity, she chose to change her mind. If you're a high-performing executive who uses rigidity as a trauma response to feel "safe," this episode is for you. The bottom line: The strength of your leadership is not measured by your ability to stay the course — it's measured by your ability to pivot when the course is no longer serving you or your business.

Heading 1

Heading 2

Heading 3

Heading 4

Heading 5
Heading 6

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur.

Block quote

Ordered list

  1. Item 1
  2. Item 2
  3. Item 3

Unordered list

  • Item A
  • Item B
  • Item C

Text link

Bold text

Emphasis

Superscript

Subscript

Key Takeaways:

  • Rigidity is often a control mechanism.
  • Flexible mental models are your biggest competitive advantage.
  • "Rule Book" is a limiting identity.
  • The "cost of entry" for high growth is flexibility.
  • Re-evaluation is data-driven, not impulsive.

Hi there, I'm Hannah

Executive Coach, podcaster, speaker, writer, and builder of big f*cking Dreams. My mission? To help ambitious professionals build self-acceptance, self-trust in their careers.

Smiling woman in light suit sitting on sofa holding a microphone for podcast or recording.

The Ultimate Career Confidence Course

Discover how to show up with more confidence in high-pressure meetings, advocate for yourself at work, and be the leader you know you can be.

Get the free course

More from

Hannah Hotline

Start Listening today

Read Hannah Hotline in The Daily Telegraph

We've gone analog! You can find Hannah Hotline, Hannah's career advice column and podcast, every other Tuesday in The Daily Telegraph, one of Australia's largest newspapers.

Smiling woman with wavy hair sitting on a beige armchair with a light-colored dog on her lap.