Why Smart People Miss the Point in Executive Conversations

Episode Summary Ever walked out of a meeting feeling like something didn't land — even though you were prepared, accurate, and thorough? In this episode, we break down why high-performing women keep answering the wrong question in executive conversations, and what to do about it.

Key Takeaways

• When leadership asks "What do you think?" they're not asking for more analysis — they're asking for your recommendation.
• Most professionals hear questions literally, but executives communicate strategically, compressing bigger asks into smaller questions.
• If you can't hear the translation between what's asked and what's meant, you'll keep over-explaining while someone else gets the opportunity.
• The pushback, the rephrased questions, the follow-ups — those are redirects, not requests for more information.
• This isn't about fixing how you sound. It's about learning how leadership actually communicates and what they're listening for.

Resources

• Power and Prime: powerandprime.com
• Previous Episode: Stop Leading with "We Can't"
• Next Episode: Rules vs. Tradeoffs