The Elegance Edit: Issue 16

Olga’s Note
Dear Ladies,

Welcome to Issue 16 of The Elegance Edit – your weekly guide to body language, elegance, and timeless style. Each edition offers thoughtful insights to help you feel more poised, confident, and graceful in every part of your life.

Whether you’re currently a manager, or a business owner, or aspiring to be – we’re covering how to bring your elegance and grace to your leadership style. 

Upcoming Events
ELEGANCE REFINEMENT MENTORSHIP

A Transformational Coaching in Grace, Confidence & Modern Feminine Presence live with Olga Kuznetcova

📍 Live on Zoom | 🗓 October 20 - December 9| ⏰ Tuesdays & Thursdays | 6:00 - 8:00PM EST

Limited Spots. Through an application only.

USA ELEGANCE TOUR

A transformative in-person weekend across the U.S., where women learn elegance, confidence, body language and the art of presence.

October 24 - 25: Miami, FL
October 31 - Nov 2: Houston, TX
November 7 - 9: Los Angeles, CA
December 19 - 21: San Francisco, CA

NYC ELEGANCE OF A FIRST LADY

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17
12:3 - 2:30PM: Social Etiquette
3:00 - 5:00PM: Romantic Body Language

raceful Leadership
Poise, Decisiveness, and Kindness in Management

Grace and leadership might not seem like two concepts which pair together.  I witnessed something remarkable in a boardroom only last month. The company was facing a significant crisis. Then the department head gathered her thoughts, and began speaking with such clarity and calm authority that the entire room shifted its energy within moments.

That's graceful leadership. Not the absence of strength, but strength expressed with such precision and care that it elevates everyone around it.

The False Choice Between Kind and Decisive

Modern workplace culture often presents leadership as a binary choice: you can either be liked or be effective, never both. This thinking has created two equally problematic management styles, the aggressive leader who bulldozes through obstacles regardless of human cost, and the overly accommodating manager who avoids difficult decisions to maintain harmony.

Both approaches fail because they misunderstand the fundamental nature of true authority. Graceful leaders recognize that kindness and decisiveness aren't opposing forces. When combined these create the most effective and sustainable form of leadership.

Real strength includes the wisdom to know when to be firm and when to be flexible, when to make unilateral decisions and when to seek input.

The Anatomy of Graceful Decision-Making

Decision-making reveals leadership character more clearly than any other management function. Under pressure, our natural tendencies emerge. Graceful leaders follow a different pattern. They gather relevant information quickly but thoroughly. They communicate their reasoning clearly, even when the decision is unpopular. Most importantly, they take full responsibility for the consequences without deflecting blame onto circumstances or team members.

This process requires tremendous inner confidence. You must be secure enough in your own judgment to make difficult calls, yet humble enough to acknowledge when you're wrong and adjust course. It demands the courage to disappoint some people in service of the larger good, while maintaining enough empathy to deliver difficult news with genuine care.

There's something magnetic about leaders who remain calm under pressure. This composure manifests in small but powerful ways. The leader who listens completely before responding, even during heated discussions. The manager who addresses conflict directly but without personal attack.

Such behavior creates psychological safety for teams. When people know their leader won't panic, overreact, or throw them under pressure, they're willing to take intelligent risks, share difficult truths, and invest more deeply in collective success.

Building Others While Building Results

The most elegant aspect of graceful leadership lies in its ability to develop people while achieving organizational goals. Instead of seeing employee growth and business results as competing priorities, these leaders recognize them as mutually reinforcing.

In last week's Elegance Game, we asked when delivering constructive feedback to a team member, what demonstrates the most graceful leadership approach? The answer (C) Choose a private setting, focus on specific behaviors rather than personality traits, and pair observations with clear guidance on how to improve while acknowledging their strengths.

This provides feedback that helps people improve rather than just highlighting what's wrong and focuses on the sort of long term thinking that builds successful teams.

Graceful leaders understand that their ultimate success depends on building capability throughout their organization, not just demonstrating their own competence.

The Ripple Effect of Graceful Leadership

Leadership style cascades through organizations in predictable ways. Harsh, reactive management creates cultures of fear and defensive behavior. Overly permissive leadership leads to confusion and mediocrity. 

Team members also learn to communicate more directly because they see it modeled consistently. They become more willing to take ownership of problems because they know mistakes will be addressed constructively rather than punitively. They develop better judgment because they're given opportunities to make decisions with appropriate support and feedback.

This ripple effect extends beyond immediate team members. Clients notice the difference in how they're treated. Other departments want to collaborate. Top talent seeks out these leaders and stays longer once they're working together.

Graceful leadership isn't about perfection or having all the answers. The graceful leader is who combines strength with thoughtfulness and stands out not just as more effective, but as the kind of person others genuinely want to follow.

Embody the Elegance You Admire

True refinement is never accidental, it’s studied, practiced and cultivated with intention. That’s why I created the Elegance Refinement Mentorship.

This 8-week coaching program, led personally by Olga Kuznetcova, is for women who want to elevate the way they move, speak, lead, and express themselves in every room they enter to the highest level. Each session is taught by Olga and designed to help you embody quiet confidence in both professional and social life.

Enrollment for Cohort Two is finally open. If you're ready to refine every part of your elegance, apply below:

Olga’s Tips
Elegance Tip of the week

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Olga’s Recommendations
Elegance on Tour

This week's recommendation is a slightly different one. My elegant ladies might know by now, I am taking L'Elegance NY on a US tour. If you’ve ever thought about attending one of my in-person sessions – this is the time. I would be truly honored to meet you, guide you, and grow with you.

Glow Up Weekend: This programme is a commitment for a full weekend, but it will change your perception of your own capabilities. We’ll cover the practical aspects of many of the things we’ve covered in previous editions of The Elegance Edit, as well as some class exclusives like navigating stairs, handling accessories, sitting and standing. While these might seem like miniscule details, these will transform your demeanor and presence.

Tour Dates:

October 24 – 25 Miami, Florida

October 31 – November 2 Houston, Texas

November 7 – 9 Los Angeles, California

December 19 – 21 San Francisco, California

Game
The Elegance Game

In the following week, we will share the answer to this question. Click the answer that you think is right.