In this episode of Executiveland, Elizabeth Freedman explores two subtle leadership styles that quietly undermine trust at the senior executive level. She unpacks patterns that often come from a place of integrity and commitment, yet can stall followership and enterprise impact: the Debate Gladiator and the Deflector.

Drawing on real executive coaching insights, Elizabeth explains why some senior leaders win arguments but lose influence, and why others unintentionally weaken credibility by avoiding ownership of tough decisions. This episode challenges aspiring C-suite leaders to rethink how they show up when stakes are high and trade-offs are real.

You’ll learn:

• The “Debate Gladiator” trap, why fighting every battle signals limited enterprise thinking
• The critical shift from “no, here’s why it won’t work” to “if it could work, what would that look like?”
• The Deflector pattern, how sidestepping ownership erodes trust and accountability

At the highest levels, leaders are paid to build the whole puzzle, not just defend their piece of it. This offers a clear lens into the internal mindset shift required to move from strong functional leader to trusted enterprise executive.

For more tools, insights, and strategies to lead with clarity and credibility, visit Elizabeth’s website, take the C-Suite Readiness Assessment, and subscribe to Executiveland on so you never miss a new chapter of the unwritten playbook!

Past Episode Mentioned: Ep 10 - The Executive Impact Formula: Master Effortless Executive Influence

Grow Your Executive Impact: Registration for Spring 2026 E-Suite Impact is now open – register before March 31 for preferred early rates. For details and to sign up, please visit https://esuiteleader.com/impact-program

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