What does the extra 20% look like when you’re already a strong leader?
When I look at the results from my Leadership Skills Audit, one pattern stands out.
Most of the leaders who take my Leadership Skills Audit are good. Really good. They build trust. They care about their people. They step in when outcomes start to slip.
But about half of those strong scorers have one area that lags well behind the rest. Many of them score 80% or higher in five out of six areas.
I call this the 80% trap. You have most of what you need to move up. The last piece completes the package.
Key Takeaways
- Most strong leaders aren’t missing much. The extra 20% is usually one area, not an overhaul.
- Among high scorers in my audit, the most common gaps were confidence, alignment, and empathy. Trust was almost never the gap.
- At senior levels, you’re measured by how your leadership scales, not just how well you perform.
- The extra 20% is the hardest part to see from the inside, and it’s often what decides who gets promoted.
Why the Last Piece Matters More
Early in your career, being good at most things is enough. You perform, you get results, you get promoted.
Higher up, the math changes. There are fewer roles. The people deciding are looking for someone with the whole package. One gap can be the reason the next role goes to someone else, even when your reviews are strong.
Your boss may value your reliability. Your boss’s boss values scalability.
That’s why the extra 20% matters so much. Few people get the whole skillset. The ones who do tend to move.
Where Your Next Step Usually Is
Among the strongest scorers, three areas came up most often as the one that lagged. Here’s what the next level looks like in each.
- Confidence. You stay steady under pressure. Your decisions don’t depend on everyone agreeing with you first.
- Alignment. Your team knows what winning looks like, and how their work connects to what the company needs most. They pursue it without waiting for you.
- Empathy. You hear what people aren’t saying. So you get buy-in instead of friction later.
If you’re a strong leader, you probably recognize one of these. Not as a weakness. As your next step.
What the Next Level Is Measured By
At senior levels, you need the whole package. As you rise, there are fewer positions available. Cmpetition gets tougher and the questions start change:
- How clearly does your team align with company priorities?
- How strong is your influence up and across the organization?
- How well could your team function without you?
Your next move depends on whether your team can perform even when you’re not in the room.
Where to Start
- Name your 20%. Look at your last review, or the feedback you keep hearing. Which of the three areas above lags behind the rest? Pick one. Or take the Leadership Skills Audit to find out.
- Ask someone above you. “What would you need to see from me to be ready for the next role?” Listen for the first thing they mention.
- Try it in one place. If it’s alignment, start with one 1:1 this week. If it’s confidence, track your feelings for a week and figure out what makes your confidence wobble. Small moves add up.
Finding the extra 20% on your own is hard, because it’s the part you’re least likely to see. With someone outside the situation, you get there faster, and you don’t have to guess.
Why Now
Next year’s priorities, and next year’s roles, are being shaped this quarter. By February, most of 2027 is already in motion.
If you want to be considered for more next year, now is the time to close the gap.
Plan Your 2027 Leadership Move
If you’re ready for more in 2027, let’s spend 45 minutes on it. I’m offering a limited number of free 2027 Leadership Plan calls on Zoom this fall.
We’ll look at where you’re already strong, name the extra 20% that will move you up, and choose one first move for Q1. Within two business days you’ll get a one-page plan, no commitment necessary.
Limited slots, through December 16.
Book your 2027 Leadership Plan call
Keep Learning
Take the Leadership Skills Audit: find out which area is your extra 20%.
The 80% Trap: more on why doing more stops working at senior levels.
Find out more about the framework here.
FAQ
What is the 80% trap?
It’s when a strong leader has most of what they need to move up, but one area lags behind the rest. Results and reviews look good, so nothing forces the issue, and the gap quietly delays the next step.
What is the extra 20% in leadership?
It’s the one skill area that separates a strong leader from one who’s ready for the next level. For most high performers, it’s confidence, alignment, or empathy, not a complete change in how they lead.
How do I know which leadership skill is holding me back?
Start with patterns: feedback you’ve heard more than once, or the area of your work that feels hardest to delegate. A structured assessment like the Leadership Skills Audit can show you which area lags behind your strengths.
How is the 2027 Leadership Plan call different from a sales call?
You bring where you want to go. We look at what’s working, name the gap, and pick one first move for Q1. You get a one-page written plan within two business days, whether or not you become a client.
