The Loneliest Seat in the Company

The higher you move in an organization, the more people you have around you.

But that doesn’t necessarily mean you have more people you can talk to openly.

Senior executives are expected to provide direction, make difficult decisions, resolve uncertainty, and maintain confidence throughout the organization.

There are times, however, when the person everyone looks to for answers needs a place to work through the questions.

Not every concern belongs in a leadership meeting. Some issues involve people sitting at the table. Others are too preliminary to introduce to the organization. And sometimes an executive simply needs the freedom to challenge an idea, acknowledge uncertainty, or think out loud without creating unnecessary concern.

That is where objective counsel becomes valuable.

Not someone who simply agrees.

Not someone with an agenda or a stake in the outcome.

Someone experienced enough to understand the situation, independent enough to challenge your thinking, and trusted enough to have the conversation candidly.

I’ve found that the best counsel doesn’t necessarily provide the answer.

Often, it helps you arrive at a better one.

It can expose an assumption you haven’t questioned. Introduce a perspective you haven’t considered. Or simply force you to articulate why you believe a particular course is right.

Ultimately, the executive still owns the decision.

But owning the decision doesn’t mean you have to reach it alone.

Strong leaders understand the difference.