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woman looking at a gap as an image of hidden career costs of leadership

The Hidden Career Costs of Leadership Gaps (And Why They Go Unnoticed)

The hidden career costs of leadership gaps don’t usually appear as a single failure or dramatic moment. The hidden career costs of leadership gaps show up gradually—missed opportunities, stalled momentum, rising frustration, and teams that never quite perform at their potential. Most leaders don’t ignore growth on purpose. They work hard, care deeply about results, and genuinely want their teams to succeed. But leadership gaps create visible outcomes long before leaders recognize what’s happening—and those outcomes often shape how careers…

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blind spot in the mirror as an image of self-awareness in leadership

Why Self-Awareness in Leadership Is Harder to Build Than Most People Expect

If experience automatically produced self-awareness in leadership, leading would get easier every year. But many capable, experienced leaders find the opposite happens. They work harder. They carry more responsibility. And yet certain problems keep resurfacing—miscommunication, friction, disengagement, decisions that don’t land as intended. This isn’t a lack of intelligence or effort.It’s a misunderstanding of how self-awareness in leadership actually works. Key Takeaways: Why Even Smart, Experienced Leaders Still Miss Things The Two Types of Self-Awareness Leaders Need Self-awareness in leadership…

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diverse leader looking over a balcony as an image of self-reflection in leadership

Why Experience Alone Stops Working at the Next Level of Leadership

Why self-awareness in leadership matters more as responsibility increases Self-awareness in leadership becomes increasingly important as roles get bigger, more complex, and more visible. Early in your career, experience does most of the teaching. You try things. You learn what works. You adjust. Progress feels fairly linear. But at some point — often without warning — experience alone stops delivering the same returns. The problems get more complex. The stakes get higher. And despite working harder, leaders often find themselves…

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person walking on a bridge as a metaphor for moving forward from career moves leaders regret

The Career Moves That People Regret Not Making Earlier

Career Moves Leaders Regret Rarely Look Dramatic in the Moment This quiet stretch as the new year starts to ramp up is when many people start thinking differently about their careers. Not in a goal-setting way.More in a looking back way. It’s when questions surface gently: When leaders reflect honestly, the career moves they regret aren’t usually bold risks they didn’t take. They’re quieter choices—moments they let pass because it felt easier to stay put. Key Takeaways: What people most…

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Leader with pen and notebook considering leadership self-reflection questions

Skip the Resolutions. Ask Yourself These 3 Leadership Questions Instead.

Leadership Self-Reflection Questions Matter More Than New Year’s Resolutions Every New Year, leaders are encouraged to set bigger goals, move faster, and aim higher. And every year, many of those resolutions quietly fade by February. It’s not because leaders lack ambition. It’s because leadership growth doesn’t come from ambition alone. It comes from honest reflection—especially about moments we’d rather move past quickly. That’s why leadership self-reflection questions are often more powerful than any goal list. They don’t add pressure. They…

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An executive practicing self-reflection as he looks out of the window

What the Best Leaders Do During the Quietest Week of the Year | Dec 29

Self-Reflection for Leaders Quietly separates strong leaders from stuck ones. Strong leaders understand something many people overlook: self-reflection for leaders is not downtime. It’s a performance skill. For some leaders, the quietest week of the year feels… strange. Meetings slow down. Decisions pause. Some people are fully offline, while others are half-working from home. For leaders accustomed to a fast pace, this lull can feel uncomfortable—or even unproductive. If you find yourself restless during this quiet time, it may be…

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Lisa D. Foster, Ph.D. ACC  is an independent coach. As an Associate Certified Coach by the International Coaching Federation, Lisa honors and abides by the ICF Code of Ethics.  All coaching sessions and consultations are confidential.

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