What High-Performing Leaders Do Differently
If you’re a VP or senior executive looking to elevate your leadership, you’ve likely done the thing most well-intentioned leaders do – you’ve asked for feedback. You pulled aside a colleague, peer or maybe a direct report, and asked, “What am I doing well? Where could I improve?”
That instinct shows humility and a desire to improve. But there’s a catch: Asking for feedback directly almost never gives you the truth you need. People may not want to risk honesty. They may soften the message – or worse, tell you only what they think you want to hear. Even the most well-meaning feedback can miss what matters most: the patterns, perceptions, and unintended impact that you can’t see on your own.
You Need More Than Casual Feedback
This is where partnering with an executive coach—with leading assessments and meaningful stakeholder feedback—makes all the difference.
When I work with senior leaders, I don’t rely on hallway conversations or self-reports. I gather insights through structured, anonymous, evidence-based tools:
- A discovery interview that requires deep introspection
- Top rated assessments
- Key stakeholder interviews
This combination gives you objective, actionable insight into your values, your strengths, how you are perceived and where your leadership can expand.
The Benefits of a Structured Process
Here’s what this approach unlocks:
- Strengths you may be underutilizing. You might believe that strategic mindset is your top asset. But what if your team says it’s your ability to stay grounded during chaos that truly earns their trust?
- Development areas with precision. Instead of vague advice like “delegate more,” this process discovers why delegation breaks down and what shifts will boost your effectiveness and your team’s results.
- Blind spots brought into the light. You can’t fix what you don’t see. These are the subtle behaviors that derail trust, limit your influence, or reduce engagement—yet you may not even know they exist. Understanding these and working to improve in these areas will enhance your leadership.
- A clear path for growth. It’s not just about awareness—it’s about knowing what to do next. You walk away with a focused plan for sustainable, visible behavioral change that enables you to succeed in a more effective way.
Why It Matters at the VP Level
At the Vice President level, you’re not just managing tasks—you’re developing leadership talent and shaping culture, strategy, and performance through your leadership presence. Your influence touches teams across the organization, not just in your business unit or function. And the higher you go, the less honest feedback you’re likely to receive.
That’s why it’s essential to have a confidential, structured, and expert-led process that surfaces the full truth—so you can lead with more clarity, purpose, and confidence.
Coaching That Goes Beyond Self-Reflection
As your coach, I don’t just give you a report. I partner with you to:
- Interpret what the data actually means
- Understand the patterns that work for or against you
- Navigate with greater objectivity
- Design meaningful change with accountability
This isn’t about fixing you. It’s about helping you see yourself with greater clarity—and equipping you to amplify your strengths, develop further in gap areas and lead with greater impact.
Ready for a Better Feedback Process?
If you’re a VP or senior leader looking to go beyond what you can see in the mirror, it’s time to stop relying on casual feedback. Partner with an executive coach who will use specific insight from assessments and stakeholder interviews to enable you to lead better now and at your next level. Let’s build a smarter, more intentional leadership path—together.
Message me if you’re ready to explore what this could look like for you or your leadership team.
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Lance Hazzard, PCC, CPCC, is a Master Certified Executive Coach and Executive Team Coach helping people and organizations achieve success. Lance and Eric T. Hicks, Ph.D., co-authored Accelerating Leadership, published in June 2019. Lance is Executive Coach and President at Oppnå® Executive & Achievement Coaching. More information on the book, Lance and Oppnå® Coaching can be found at the links below: