6. Why Leaders aren’t more Honest with Each Other

When I talk about senior leaders not being fully open and honest with each other, it’s tempting to frame that as a failure, a failure of courage or commitment. But the risks involved are real. To be genuinely honest with a peer on a senior leadership team is to risk status, to risk being seen as weak, to risk damaging a relationship you depend on, and to risk a professional identity that has taken decades to build.

This is a rational response, not excessive caution, and Hackman and Wageman’s research confirms this. The way senior leaders are selected, rewarded, and held accountable makes this kind of vulnerability very difficult. Given what’s at stake, of course people can sometimes play it too safe.

To explore this yourself, think of a time when someone gave you a direct piece of feedback that stopped you in your tracks, but which you realised was immensely useful. How did you react at first and why? And if you wanna go further than that exploration, just share that really simple story with colleagues.