Being Right Does Not Make You Effective

In my executive coaching work, I have crossed paths with many smart leaders. They tend to be excellent problem-solvers who can figure out almost anything. Problem-solving skills often gets these people promoted and into leadership. And yet, when a strength is overused, it can become a weakness. Or, to quote the title of a book, “What got you here won’t get you there.” The right answer is sometimes not enough. 



I recently coached a mid-level IT professional who was excellent at his job. He had great technical skills and could solve most IT problems. He was smart, and he thought of himself as smart. This, in and of itself, was not a problem. The problem came when he discussed IT strategy with the Executive Team or other peers who had issues. In these conversations, my client was overconfident in his answers. People did not experience him as really listening to the problem. The executive team did not perceive him to understand the big picture.  Because people did not experience him as really listening to the issues or understanding their problems, he struggled to build buy-in to his solutions. His solutions may have been technically sound, but people resisted them making him, at times, ineffective. 

His technical skills were brilliant, but his soft skills were weak. And soft skills are often the hardest. 

My work helps leaders develop soft skills and increase effectiveness.