Bright, Fierce & Fabulous Women Spotlight: Lydie Laperal-Rocha
I’m excited to return with a new interview for our Bright, Fierce and Fabulous (BFF) Women Spotlight series, where I highlight women who have had an impact on me.
This month, I introduce you to Lydie Laperal-Rocha of Key2Int. Lydie is a talented coach, former executive, amazing mentor and now dear friend. We met a few years ago through our French-speaking group of women in business, The Elles Collective.
I recently saw her in California during a seminar she led brilliantly, and it was an opportunity to tap into her wisdom and expertise on leadership, staying grounded in busy seasons, and navigating big transitions…
I hope you’ll enjoy our conversation as much as I did.
Bonjour Lydie ! Please tell us a little about yourself.
I am a spouse, a mother of 3 young adults, a citizen of the world, a long-term executive turned entrepreneur, and an advocate for women-in-business. After spending 27 years in the corporate world building businesses and teams across the globe, I am now an independent Global Leadership Coach.
Many women in my community are navigating big transitions—empty nest, career shifts, new beginnings. How do you help leaders step into a new chapter with confidence rather than pressure?
Learning the power to choose your thoughts is key!
We feel pressure when we focus on expectations and on everything that can go wrong if we don’t deliver.
Instead, I help my clients focus on the opportunities, the new possibilities, the person they want to be (not what they want to accomplish!)… It’s when they step into a different mindset and choose their thoughts intentionally that great things happen.
You know I’m a big advocate for slowing down… but I see many women in midlife juggling a lot right now. What signs do you see when a woman leader is moving too fast—and what’s the first small shift she can make to re-anchor herself?
When we are moving too fast, we focus on the doing, not on the being. That’s when you can observe leaders in overdrive, constantly busy “producing”.
If you take a few moments to slow down, look at things from a different angle, and link it to your priorities, you can often find innovative ways to address situations.
So, a small shift you can use is taking a few deep breaths before starting a new “task” and ask yourself:
Is this absolutely necessary? What would happen if it was not done?
Could it be done differently?
If this allows you to remove or reframe at least 1 out of 10 tasks you do every day or week, that is already a great win.
You work with leaders around the world, yet you’re French. How have your French roots influenced the way you think about leadership, balance, or perhaps “l’art de vivre”?
Thanks for this question, I never thought about it before!
As you said, I have lived in and worked with many countries and cultures. I believe it is this awareness of differences that brings me insights and a richness of possibilities.
But if I could put my finger on one thing that is really French in my leadership, I would say it is the importance of enjoyment and beauty. Creating a work environment that is both harmonious and filled with joyful moments is fulfilling and energizing.
What is one advice (or insight) you think every woman reading this should hear today?
Dare to ask! I see this repeatedly in women: they believe they should have the answers to everything… so they don’t ask for clarifications, suggestions, points of view. Or, they believe their work will speak for itself…so they don’t ask the promotion or salary raise they deserve!
So my best advice for your readers is: “take the shortcut and ASK”.
Lastly, if we were sitting in a café in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence right now, what would you order?
A glass of chilled local rosé wine, with some olives on the side 😊