Last week, I introduced my LEAP Framework™. The work I do with clients is, and has been, guided by the LEAP Framework™ — my proprietary four-stage coaching methodology built on 30 years of leadership experience and refined through 8 years of coaching executives and business owners. LEAP stands for Listen & Learn, Envision, Activate, and Progress. Today we start at the beginning — and arguably the most important stage of all: Listen & Learn.
There’s a leadership myth that needs to be retired: the idea that the moment you step into a leadership role, you need to have all the answers.
The most effective leaders I’ve worked with — in corporate settings, in healthcare systems, and in small businesses — share one counterintuitive trait. Before they act, they listen. Before they strategize, they learn. And before they lead others forward, they get radically honest about where things actually stand. This can be hard – but it’s crucial.
Why most leaders skip this step
The pressure to perform is real. Whether you’re a newly promoted executive, a business owner trying to scale, or a leader navigating organizational change (who isn’t, right?!) and the everyday challenges of leading people — the expectation is that you arrive with momentum. With answers. With a plan.
So you act. And sometimes it works. But often something feels off. The team isn’t aligned. The strategy isn’t landing. The results aren’t moving. Here’s what’s usually missing: a clear-eyed, honest picture of where you actually are.
What listening really looks like
Listening, in the context of leadership, isn’t passive, it’s active. It’s one of the most rigorous things a leader can do, and it must be intentional. It takes effort and humility. It means sitting with uncomfortable feedback, seeking perspectives that differ from yours, and asking questions you don’t already know the answers to.
In the Listen & Learn stage, I work with clients to do exactly this — using diagnostic tools and discovery conversations to surface what’s working, what isn’t, and what’s being avoided. The result isn’t just information. It’s clarity — the kind that makes every subsequent decision sharper and more grounded.
A question worth sitting with
When did you last ask your team — or yourself — what’s really getting in the way? Not in a performance review. In a genuine conversation where the goal was understanding, not problem-solving.
The leaders who grow fastest aren’t the ones who act the quickest. They’re the ones who understand the most.
About the Author
Karen Bentley is an executive coach and strategic partner to leaders navigating growth, complexity, and transition. Drawing on decades of corporate, non-profit, and government leadership experience, Karen helps high-performing executives lead with clarity, confidence, and lasting impact.
