The feedback you need the most is the feedback no one will give you.
A Head of Finance of a Rs 4,000 Crore business that I worked with as a Coach a few years ago was concerned why other functional teams found him unapproachable and distant.

He was effective in his role, technically sound and delivered results. Yet something felt off. People respected him yet hesitated to approach him. Meetings were efficient, but conversations were short. He couldn’t understand why.

People found him intimidating. But no one expressed it to him.

This was a blind spot for him. He thought he was being professional. The teams experienced him as closed off and unapproachable.

Here’s the thing about blind spots. Everyone around you can see them clearly. They just won’t tell you.

They don’t want to offend you. So you walk around with something obvious to everyone except yourself.

Once this leader became aware, we worked on small shifts – the nuances of leadership presence.

He didn’t lower his standards. He elevated his leadership presence, simply became more present and aware of how he was landing on others.

Within 60 days, the perception was reversed.

The feedback you need most is the feedback no one gives you. That’s why leaders need a mirror.

This is what a CEO coach does. I ask the questions your team will never ask. I show you what everyone sees, but nobody says. Because the moment you see your blind spot, you know how to fix it.

That’s why CEOs deserve a Coach!

About the Author:

PK Narayanan is a CEO Coach based in Bengaluru, supporting CEOs, Founders and Business Owners Scale-up their Leadership Impact.

#ceo #scaleup #business #leadership #leadershipimpact #leadershippresencecoach

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