WHAT is not enough.

LinkedIn Post

WHAT is not enough.

The best leaders also talk about WHY, HOW, and BY WHEN.

I once worked with a highly talented CFO who had recently been promoted into her significant leadership role.

The company had chosen to promote from within rather than recruiting externally, which was a great vote of confidence in her abilities.

She was incredibly bright, understood the business inside and out, and her financial analysis skills were exceptional.

What she needed to develop were the executive skills necessary for the C-suite.

One specific yet crucial skill she needed to master was how to bookend her messages with both context and clear next steps.

She had a tendency to dive directly into the specifics and the numbers. The problem was, people often had no idea what she was talking about.

They needed context.

They needed to understand not just the immediate problem, but why it mattered and how it connected to the organization's broader success.

On the flip side, once an issue had been analyzed, her team and colleagues needed to know what the next steps were and the completion dates.

This executive often found herself assuming everyone was on the same page regarding the problem and the solution. But that often wasn't the case.

She learned to dedicate time at the close of meetings for questions and processing to ensure shared understanding.

Just as importantly, she ensured meetings never wrapped up without clearly defined next steps, timelines, and responsible parties.

This experience highlights what's so rewarding about coaching high-potential leaders. They possess immense ability, but they need to develop and refine a whole set of skills to truly elevate their work and their career.