She shows women that real leadership thrives not in perfection, but in transparency and self-awareness.
Most leadership conversations begin with ambition. Alina Kisina prefers to begin with honesty. In this masterclass for women leaders, the CEO of Borzo discusses something extremely relevant to today’s workplaces: clarity.
“As a leader of the company,” she says, “I’m not afraid to come to my team and tell them I’m tired. I can’t do that today.”
It’s a simple admission, but it immediately grounds the room. The tone shifts towards a more realistic understanding of what leadership looks like in practice, especially for women who are conditioned to show up as steady and flawless every day.
Alina’s approach throughout the masterclass reflects this clarity. There’s no attempt to glamorise responsibility or pretend that leadership is effortless. Instead, she talks about the day-to-day reality of building teams, making decisions, and carrying the weight that comes with being accountable for others.
Speaking about her team, Alina repeatedly returns to the idea of transparency. She believes that acknowledging limits doesn’t disrupt work; it sets healthier expectations. It creates space for teams to step up, step in, and collaborate with intention.
What stands out most is the steadiness in her voice when she discusses the balance between strength and openness. An assured understanding that effective leadership is built on clarity, communication, and the willingness to name what is real.
By the end, the takeaway is not a redefinition of leadership, but a reframing of it:
She offers a model of leadership grounded in self-awareness - Not a new rulebook, but a more realistic one.