He blinked, caught off guard. “What do you mean? I’m a senior leader in a pretty large company. I’ve delivered results, built teams, driven growth. For many years.”
I nodded. “That’s what you’ve done. But why should anyone be led by you?”
His expression shifted. “I just assumed the answer was obvious.” He exhaled. “Hm… Now I’m not so sure.”
That uncertainty became our starting point. In our next sessions, I invited him to explore it. Not by analyzing leadership in theory, but by experiencing it differently.
One day, I asked, “What would your team say about you when you’re not in the room?” He frowned. “That I always have a plan.” “And if, for once, you didn’t?” He hesitated. Then admitted, “Maybe they’d trust me more if I showed I don’t have all the answers.”
Curious, I suggested we test that assumption. In a role-play, he told a fictional team member, “I don’t know, but I trust us to figure it out.” Afterwards, I asked, “What did you expect?” “Doubt.” “And what did you get?” He exhaled. “Engagement.”
In another session, I proposed an experiment. “What if you walked the office, not as a leader, but as an observer? No fixing, no responding, just noticing.” He tried it. Later, he reflected, “I never realized how much people adjust to me. How much I shape the room, without saying a word.”
Then came the tougher question: “How do you handle it when a top performer starts slipping?” He leaned forward. “I’d support them.” “And challenge them?” A pause. Then a slow nod. “I see what you mean.”
Finally, I asked, “What makes you different from every other leader in your industry?” He started listing achievements. I raised an eyebrow. “That’s what you’ve done. But who are you?” That one took time. But when he found the answer, I could see it settle in.
In our last session, he leaned back and said, “Now I know why they should follow me.”
I smiled. “And how does that change things?”
His smile was knowing. “I guess we’re about to find out.”
And you? Ever asked yourself, "Why anyone should be led by You?"
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If you want to also find out and unlock your leadership potential, feel free to ping me on LinkedIn or visit my website. I′m an executive & leadership coach. Advisor to C-suite executives, senior leaders, and entrepreneurs. A former executive board member and leader at Amazon, Chewy, L’Oréal, REWE, and others.
