When it comes to transforming corporate culture, Eleni Aslani doesn’t just talk about change, she shows how to make it real. With a keen eye on both performance and humanity, Eleni challenges leaders to confront the hidden costs of burnout, disengagement, and silent meetings. Her philosophy is simple but powerful: true success starts with self-awareness, conscious decision-making, and creating workplaces where people feel seen, valued, and empowered. In this conversation, she reveals how organizations can move from survival to sustainable brilliance, one intentional choice at a time.

“Success starts with self-awareness and protecting your energy. True transformation happens when people feel seen, valued, and empowered.”

You often talk about transforming corporate culture from the inside out. How do you begin that conversation with leaders who may still be skeptical about change?

I never try to convert skeptics – I invite them to calculate the cost of staying exactly as they are.
I’ll ask: “How much energy are you losing to burnout, turnover, silent meetings, and brilliant people who stopped speaking up?”
Culture isn’t a motivational poster. It’s the invisible tax every business pays – whether they admit it or not.
Once leaders see culture not as a ‘soft topic’ but as a silent business drain, the room gets very quiet.
Change doesn’t begin with belief. It begins with awareness – and sometimes with a very honest spreadsheet.

What personal experiences shaped your belief that success starts with self-awareness and conscious decision-making?

I used to deliver results – but sometimes at the expense of myself. I showed up, performed, presented, solved, supported… but left at the end of the day feeling depleted, not fulfilled.
That’s when I learned: success without alignment feels like self-betrayal.
I thought self-awareness was about “knowing yourself.” I later learned it’s actually about protecting yourself – your energy, your values, your mental space.
Now I tell leaders: “Self-awareness isn’t self-indulgent. It’s self-preserving.” Without it, we don’t lead. We just perform until something – or someone – breaks.

At Growth People Pro, you emphasize “transformation over performance.” How do you help organizations balance both without losing sight of their humanity?

Performance is a sprint. Transformation is the marathon you didn’t know you signed up for.
We help organizations redesign the way performance happens – because high results with high exhaustion is not success. It’s survival.
When people understand the purpose of their work, they feel safe to contribute, and see their impact – performance becomes sustainable.
People don’t resist performance. They resist feeling disposable.

How has the global shift toward hybrid and remote work influenced your approach to employee experience and leadership development?

Hybrid work didn’t just move meetings to Zoom – it demanded a new kind of leadership.
When people aren’t under the same roof, leaders can’t rely on presence. They must rely on trust.
You can’t “manage by walking around” anymore. Now you manage by meaning, clarity, and consistent communication.
Employees don’t need digital surveillance. They need emotional safety, clear expectations, and a leader who actually sees them – even through a screen.

Many leaders struggle to prioritize human connection in a fast-paced business world. What small, practical habits can make the biggest difference?

Human connection doesn’t need more time – it needs more attention. Try these:

• Start meetings with, “What do we need to align on before we plan?”
• Replace “Any questions?” with “What may we be overlooking?”
• Make feedback a dialogue, not a verdict.

Magic isn’t in big retreats or fancy team-building games. It’s in the daily rhythm of how you speak, listen, challenge, and support.

Your philosophy, “Choose to Succeed,” suggests success is deeply personal. How do you help clients redefine what success means for them?

I ask women one powerful question:
“What are you no longer willing to trade for success?”
For some – it’s health. For others – their voice, their sleep, their Sunday mornings, their daughter’s theatre play, or their self-respect.
When we stop chasing the standard version of success and start designing our own, we stop competing – and start leading.

From your perspective, what role does emotional intelligence play in shaping the workplaces of the future?

Emotional intelligence is shifting from being a “soft skill” to being a survival skill. AI can analyze data, but only humans can sense tension, build trust, and inspire commitment. In the future, the most valuable leaders won’t be the ones who know everything — but the ones who know how to connect. Because technology can process information. But only humans can process meaning.

Growth People Pro integrates coaching, consulting, and training — how do these elements work together to create lasting impact for teams and organizations?

Consulting solves the problem. Training builds the skill. Coaching builds ownership.
When you combine all three, you don’t just train leaders – you transform how they think, lead, and relate. When leaders shift from awareness to ownership, the system changes- without being forced. That’s when transformation sticks.

You work with leaders ready to break free from outdated systems. What are some early indicators that a leader or organization is truly ready for transformation?

Transformation begins when leaders stop asking, “How do we fix people?” and start asking, “What do we need to change in ourselves and our system?”
They are ready when they’re curious, not defensive. When they’re willing to hear uncomfortable truths. When they invite voices from every level, not just the boardroom. The real indicator of readiness is not an agreement or enthusiasm. It’s openness.

As you look to the future, what excites you most about the evolution of people management and the human experience at work?

We’re finally moving from “managing” people to “empowering” them.
Workplaces are becoming more human-centered, energy-conscious, and values-driven not because it’s trendy, but because people are asking for it.
They don’t just want a job. They want to belong, contribute, and grow.

The future of work won’t be defined by efficiency alone.
It will be defined by meaning, energy, belonging, and becoming more of who we truly are – not less.

And that kind of workplace isn’t just productive.
It’s worth building.