The Costliest Mistakes Leaders STILL Make (And How to Avoid Them)

Most leaders don’t get blindsided because they lack skills.

They get blindsided because they waited too long to act.

If you're a revenue-producing leader sitting in a high-stakes seat, the biggest risk to your career right now is not the market , it’s complacency.

In this issue, I'm sharing the Top 5 Executive Career Insights from the last two weeks. These aren’t surface-level tips. They’re hard-earned truths I see playing out with leaders every single day.

If you want to:

💥avoid career-limiting mistakes,

💥build a magnetic brand, and

💥increase your inbound opportunities before you need them, keep reading.

The Kind of Boss You Won’t Work for Again Says Everything About the Leader You’re Becoming

Let’s stir the pot. This month, I asked my network what kind of leadership behavior they’d never tolerate again. The response? Over 14,000 views and comments.

Here’s what topped the list:

• Leaders who can’t make decisions

• Micromanagers

• Credit stealers

• Conflict avoiders

Every leader has opinions. But few turn those insights inward to shape their own leadership brand.

Your leadership brand is not what you say. It’s how people feel when they work with you. It’s what your team says when you leave the room. It’s what decision-makers sense before you walk into the interview.

Ask yourself: What kind of leader do you refuse to work for? And are you becoming the opposite?

Want to future-proof your leadership identity? Start by defining it.

The Real Cost of Inaction (Yes, It’s Six Figures)

This one stings. A high-performing leader recently passed on a limited-time strategy offer I made.

After two hours of my time and a clear plan to navigate an upcoming transition, they passed and came back later asking for a referral.

That’s when I ran the numbers:

Average time to land without support? 4.5+ months

• Income lost during that time? Over $100K

• Time saved with strategy? 1–3 months

• Potential salary uplift? $25K to $125K+

• Investment? Five figures

The math isn’t the problem. The mindset is.

STOP being frugal with money, because it’s costing you LOTS of money.

💥START being frugal with TIME. It’s priceless, and losing it costs you LOTS of money, in addition to other things you don’t want.

In high-pressure moments, hope is not a plan. Leadership means making fast, smart, neutral decisions, not emotional ones.

When you’re being paid like a leader, start deciding like one.

Comfort Is the Biggest Risk to Your Career

Let’s talk about the most dangerous place in your career: The Comfort Zone.

Directors who want to be VPs. VPs aiming for the C-Suite.

None of them get there by making decisions from where they are. They get there by:

• Thinking like their future role

• Investing like a top-level leader

• Acting like the executive they’re becoming

If you keep playing small, the market will believe you.

Make every career decision as the future version of yourself.

That means:

• Run the ROI on coaching and support

• Stop looking at cost alone

• Price out the alternatives

Because the truth is: staying stuck is the most expensive option.

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/christinegravesexecutivecareercoach_executivepresence-careerreinvention-vpready-activity-7351308941961674752-sMiE?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAFnz9kBJfCMGafmPlVgkGMV6g0vBjIw4tg

Visibility Is a Currency. And You’re Probably Underfunded.

If you’re still relying on your resume to do the talking, you’re already behind.

In today’s market, visibility isn’t vanity. It’s velocity. It accelerates inbound interest, opportunity, and influence.

Here’s what I tell every exec I work with:

Your LinkedIn profile should work harder than you do.

Stop waiting for the perfect moment to update your narrative. It won’t come. Start showing up as the strategic leader you are.

In Have Your Next Role Find You, we’ll cover the advanced visibility strategies my clients are using to:

• Generate interviews while employed

• Trigger recruiter outreach without applying

• Build a brand that attracts, not just explains

Register for the executive briefing here: https://lnkd.in/gANaiuSK

Second To Last Thought:

Every leader says they want options. Few are building the kind of presence and positioning that makes those options real.

Don’t just be seen. Be sought after.

See you Friday at noon CST.

Last Thought…Every leader needs inspiration. So here’s some for the rest of your week:

#ExecutiveCareerStrategy #BeInvaluable #LeadershipBranding #ExecutivePresence #GetFoundNotChasing #InDemandLeader #OwnYourCareer