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Being a trusted advisor isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about the courage to challenge your clients and tell them the things no one else will. That’s the real key to building solid and lasting relationships in the corporate world.Many corporate leaders surround themselves with “yes men”—people who reinforce their opinions, avoid conflict, and tell them what they want to hear. But a trusted advisor does the exact opposite. You’re there to offer an external perspective, to help leaders see what they can’t see themselves, and that means you have to be willing to say things that might make them uncomfortable.I’ll never forget one client who brought me in because his team was falling apart. He thought he knew the problem—he blamed his employees for being disengaged and ineffective. But after sitting in on one of their meetings, it became clear that the problem wasn’t the team—he was. He dominated every conversation, barely letting anyone else get a word in. His team wasn’t disengaged; they were shut down by his need to control every situation.I could’ve played it safe, nodded, and kept him happy. But that’s not what a trusted advisor does. I pulled him aside and said, “I need you to stop talking for the next two hours. Let your team take the lead.” He wasn’t happy. He was furious at first. But he listened, and the result was incredible—his team came alive, started contributing, and solved problems without his interference.That’s what being a trusted advisor is all about. It’s about seeing the bigger picture, pointing out the blind spots, and risking the relationship to help your client grow. You’re not there to be liked but to help them achieve results. Trust comes from knowing that you’ve got their best interests at heart, even if it means pushing them out of their comfort zone.You must step into that role to build genuine relationships with corporate clients. Be the one who tells them what they need to hear, not just what they want. That’s how you build trust—and that’s how you make a real impact.

Becoming a Trusted Advisor: The Key to Building Corporate Relationships

A few years back, I received a call from a Fortune 50 company executive. He was troubled by his team's lack of proactivity, innovation, and accountability. He asked for my help to fix his group. Invited to their strategic retreat, I observed a pattern. The executive, though brilliant, dominated discussions. He quickly dismissed others' ideas, unwittingly stifling their initiative.To address this, I proposed a simple exercise. For two hours, he was to listen silently, noting his own reactions without interrupting the flow of ideas. The result was telling. As he struggled to hold back, the team's energy waned the moment he interjected. This confirmed the impact of his leadership style.<figure id="figure-j4s28r7u5glyh5g9im"><img id="j4s28r7u5glyh5g9im" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1521737604893-d14cc237f11d?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw2fHx0ZWFtX2Rpc2N1c3Npb258ZW58MHx8fHwxNzIwNjk1MTI3fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.0.3&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="team_discussion" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-lg md:rounded-xl lg:rounded-2xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9;" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1521737604893-d14cc237f11d?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw2fHx0ZWFtX2Rpc2N1c3Npb258ZW58MHx8fHwxNzIwNjk1MTI3fDA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.0.3&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9;"></figure>We worked together for three months. We focused on developing a leadership style that listened, empowered, and built on the collective intelligence of his team. A year later, he was promoted. He credited our moment of intervention as pivotal. He learned that true leadership at high levels is about harnessing the power of a unified team, not needing to have the answers to everything.

Leadership Insight: From Micromanager to Empowering Leader

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"Leaders who don't listen will eventually be surrounded by people who have nothing to say"This above quote by Andy Stanley &nbsp;is 100% accurate.I've seen this so many times that I've lost count: A leader who doesn't listen and doesn't understand the enormous impact of that.&nbsp;Most leaders don't truly listen. Real listening is so rare that I've only seen it in about 1 in 20 leaders I've worked with.In companies, listening skills are often considered "soft skills", but there is nothing more important. Nothing.&nbsp;I spoke about this exact topic at the Ultimate Experience conference in Scottsdale, Arizona last week. Since then, I've received a dozen emails from people working with leadership that doesn't listen.&nbsp;The big, largely unseen issue is that the best and most talented people will always leave the organization. The company will be left with those simply there for a paycheck.The result: projects go over budget, scope and timeline. Morale suffers. Innovation declines. Accountability is nonexistent.Then that same company hires expensive consultants and project managers to fix things.But they don't have a project problem. They have a cultural problem.Company culture is the soil in which success or failure takes root.

The Huge Costs Of Leaders That Don't Listen

I've worked in business for 25 years and know that organizations stuck in this crucial distinction have wasted billions of euros. It's the distinction between blaming versus owning. This distinction is critical for anyone, individual or organization, striving for success. It's crucial for progress, happiness, freedom, and innovation. And... it's subtle and easily overlooked, so I invite you to read this slowly until it hits you and you go, "Oh damn."<h3>Going from Austria to Spain</h3>Picture this: You're in Austria, hungry for an adventure in sunny Spain. The only problem? You believe Spain is up north. And guess what? You start driving in the wrong direction. Instead of sipping sangria on the beaches of Barcelona, you find yourself heading further north, nowhere near your desired destination.Frustration sets in, confusion, "Who told me this? Who is to blame?" and often towards ourselves, "I should have checked before," or "I'll never learn," or "I'm dumb," or pick whatever you would do. But here's the deal: this blaming is getting you nowhere but stuck.<h3>Own It</h3>The only thing with absolute power is to challenge the idea you've been operating on. In this case, the "Spain is to the north of Austria" belief. Whip out a map, take a good look, and realize your belief is all messed up. Spain isn't up north; it's down south! So, you've been operating on the wrong belief. this case, is about accepting and owning your mistakes, acknowledging when you've veered off course, and making the necessary corrections. It's important not to blame anyone or anything. This is crucial: recognize your situation without passing judgment on yourself or others, and take responsibility. This is the essential principle of empowerment. Adjust your direction and head south; this is when you'll reach your goals, fulfill your mission, and savor the sweet taste of success.<h3>The Bottom Line</h3>I've witnessed this time and time again. Real progress begins when we refrain from blaming others and take ownership of our actions and choices without making anyone or anything wrong. It's about assessing the outcomes, owning our role, and moving forward with clarity.If you want to achieve your goals, take ownership. This is the-changer. Apply this principle everywhere: in your professional life, in your relationships, as a parent, and in every aspect of your life. Own it. Change the game.

The Gamechanger Principle: Blaming vs Owning

Every organization I work with implements some system to improve things—Agile, design thinking, and programs to improve inclusion and diversity. These are generally good programs. Yet, some of these initiatives lead to great success, while others fail to deliver on their promises. The key lies in the organizational context—the invisible foundation for implementing these systems.<h2>The Role of Organizational Context</h2>Consider this analogy: When planting a pineapple seed, the quality of the seed itself matters little if the soil lacks the necessary nutrients. Last week, I went to buy soil and had two options - a €1.19 bag and a €6.00 bag. When I asked about the difference, the store clerk showed me that the more expensive soil was thick, dark, and rich, with a pleasant earthy aroma, while the cheaper option was dusty, grey, and devoid of life. Naturally, I chose the €6.00 bag because I knew my pineapple seed would thrive in that nutrient-rich soil, whereas it would struggle and likely fail in the poorer-quality soil, no matter how good the seed might be.In the same way, the seed you are trying to implement—be it Agile, Lean Six Sigma, or any other management system—is only as successful as the soil it is planted in, namely the organizational context. Although the system itself may be sound, if the underlying conditions within the organization are not conducive to its implementation, the initiative is likely to falter, no matter how well-designed it is.<figure id="figure-79r0teay6jlyh4xk8p" class="selected"><img id="79r0teay6jlyh4xk8p" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/2013784763/photo/young-girls-running-in-a-high-school-cross-country-5k-race.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=waUW9fKmkDNuaQqgwM4c0skWZohL0bYsoyDrtyDotMU=" alt="Young girls running in a high school cross country 5K race" title="Young girls running in a high school cross country 5K race" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-lg md:rounded-xl lg:rounded-2xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="null" data-positiony="null" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/2013784763/photo/young-girls-running-in-a-high-school-cross-country-5k-race.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=waUW9fKmkDNuaQqgwM4c0skWZohL0bYsoyDrtyDotMU=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure>Are you intentionally creating a powerful context? If not, why not?

Newsletter

Becoming a Trusted Advisor: The Key to Building Corporate...

Leadership Insight: From Micromanager to Empowering Leader

The Huge Costs Of Leaders That Don't Listen

The Gamechanger Principle: Blaming vs Owning

The Secret to Organizational Change Programs: Understandi...