Build leaders who can thrive under pressure.
Tensile provides executive coaching for leaders who want to build emotional intelligence — clearer decisions, steadier execution, and capacity under tension.
About
Joe Zakutney
Founder, Tensile Leadership
I spent a decade as an operator at Uber, Snapchat, and DoorDash - building teams, navigating ambiguity, and watching what happens to people, including myself, when the stakes get high enough. The problems I kept seeing weren't strategic failures. They were internal ones: pressure reveals patterns.
So I trained as a therapist to understand the mechanics underneath the patterns I'd been watching. What I confirmed: the ceiling most leaders hit isn't about skill. It's about self-awareness under pressure.
I bring curiosity to every conversation. I'm going to ask the question nobody else has thought to ask, and I'm going to actually want to know the answer.
- Self-awareness under pressure - how you actually show up, not how you think you do
- Decision-making when dysregulated - tools that work when the stakes are high
- Conflict as a performance lever - hard conversations as data, not threats
- Decoupling identity from output - the thing that makes everything else sustainable
I help leaders build what I call Tensile Strength: the ability to hold tension, navigate complexity, and make clear decisions without breaking. If you want to understand what's actually limiting your ceiling, that's what I'm built for.
Read what I actually believeServices
Close the gap between your ceiling and your potential.
High-performance leadership development with clinical depth.
1:1 Executive Coaching
Multi-month individual engagements anchored by EQ-i 2.0 assessment. Structured around behavioral goals and psychological drivers, with clear milestones.
Leadership Workshops
Facilitated group sessions focused on emotional intelligence, execution under pressure, and team dynamics. For off-sites, L&D programs, and leadership development.
EQ-i 2.0
Establishes a precise baseline for how you actually show up, not how you think you do. Tracks measurable growth in self-awareness, emotional regulation, and decision-making under pressure.
Advisory
Strategic advisory for founders and operators on team design, leadership effectiveness, organizational health, and AI integration — including AI advisory services to improve operational workflows and build AI advisory boards.
Who we serve
Built for leaders navigating what's next.
PE & VC Firms
Accelerate leadership effectiveness across your portfolio. Protect investments by preventing leadership failures before they compound.
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Founders & Senior Leaders
Close the gap between your current performance ceiling and your actual potential. For high-performers who've outgrown generic coaching.
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Let's talk about what's possible.
Every engagement begins with a conversation. No pitch, no pressure. If there's a fit, we'll build a plan. If not, you'll leave with clarity either way.
