When being the smartest person in the room stops being enough

You've been promoted on expertise. You solve problems others can't. But at this level, "being right" isn't the same as "being effective"—and the gap is costing you.

What You'll Work On:

• Shifting from expert identity to leadership identity—without losing what makes you valuable
• Managing the tension between "I know the answer" and "I need to lead the room"
• Building confidence that doesn't depend on having all the data
• Showing up as a leader under pressure, not just the person with the best analysis

You'll recognize this if:

• You get frustrated when people don't see the obvious answer
• You lead with detail when the room needs direction
• Being wrong feels personally threatening
• You're doing the right things intellectually, but not getting the trust or scope you've earned

Built for: Senior technical leaders whose intelligence has always been their advantage—but who sense that something else is now required.

When your intelligence lands as expertise, not leadership

You command respect for what you know. But in the rooms that decide your future—boards, CEOs, cross-functional leadership—presence matters as much as competence. And technical depth that impresses your team can overwhelm the room upstairs.

What You'll Work On:

• Communicating so your intelligence lands as leadership, not just expertise
• Leading with conclusions, not methodology
• Projecting confidence when you don't have complete information
• Reading senior rooms and calibrating how you show up

You'll recognize this if:

• You've gotten feedback about "presence" or "showing up differently"
• Your technical depth is seen as a strength downward but a limitation upward
• You're more comfortable presenting data than commanding a room
• You know you're capable of more than people currently see

Built for: Senior technical leaders stepping into bigger, more visible roles where how you show up matters as much as what you know.