I’m fortunate to coach many senior leaders. You might expect their challenges to be wildly different from others, but in truth, they’re not. Like all of us, they care deeply about doing their best for others, fear making mistakes, wrestle with insecurities, and work hard to evolve into the leaders they aspire to be.
Here are three reminders I find myself offering senior leaders again and again, especially when the pressure is on.
1. Be Explicit and Repetitive
Nothing a leader says once—at a meeting, in a speech, or during a one-on-one—matters much at all. What makes a difference is what’s said clearly and repeatedly.
People are distracted by the last meeting, the latest headline, a sick parent, or a campus controversy. Even if they hear your message, it competes with a flood of other priorities. Even if they remember it, new demands are already rushing in to replace it.
If you want something to stick, be direct. Skip the nuance. Be clear about what you’re saying, why it matters, and what it means for them. Then say it again. And again. By the time you’re tired of repeating it, people are probably just starting to get the message.
2. Let People Feel Seen and Heard
Most senior leaders are incredibly smart. They can see, listen, and process quickly. They can process so quickly that they can hear a frustration, process internally the challenges, obstacles, and unknowns, and then jump right into explaining or problem-solving. It is not that they do not listen or see people, it is that they do not leave people feeling seen and heard.
One of the challenges for senior leaders is to slow down, connect on a human level, relate to emotions and human experiences, and then move forward.
3. Competence Can Be an Obstacle
Most senior leaders earned their roles by being highly competent—great at executing, delivering, and getting things done. Ironically, the competence that got you to the next level can get in the way of you being successful at the next level.
It’s not that competence isn’t needed in senior roles—it is. But the skills that got you here aren’t the same ones that will help you lead here. You’ll need to adapt and learn new skills, new capacities, new capabilities – all of this is hard, time-consuming, and can raise our insecurities about not being good enough. That learning can be slow, vulnerable, and uncomfortable. It’s tempting to default to what you’re already great at and have a history of success, praise, and affirmation.
But in senior leadership, doing the work for others doesn’t just slow progress—it sends a message of mistrust, leads to micromanaging, and leaves you abdicating the roles and responsibilities that rely on you as a senior leader.
Being a Senior Leader
Leadership at the senior level isn’t just about doing more—it’s about doing the right things with clarity, courage, and care. These three reminders can help ground your leadership when things feel chaotic or uncertain. Whether you’re navigating a strategic pivot, supporting a struggling team, or simply trying to lead with more intention, go back to these basics: communicate explicitly and repeatedly, listen so people feel seen and heard, and don’t let the competence that got you here be an obstacle to your success here.
