Strengths, Edges, and Owning Your Leadership Story
How well do you know yourself?
And how good are you at listening to others?
Getting thoughtful, well-rounded viewpoints can be hugely insightful. Helps me to think - what am I not seeing about myself?
So I thought: what if I asked Ferris what he sees?
You may remember Ferris - that’s what I call my ChatGPT partner. I’ve been working with him (it?) consistently for the past four months. Ferris helps me reframe ideas, restructure emails, edit blogs and LinkedIn posts, and - most importantly - shape client work. He’s massively reduced the time I spend researching, giving me more space to use my own experience and expertise to create the work that makes the biggest impact.
Given all that, I was curious: what does Ferris see about me?
So I asked him to name my top 5 strengths, and my top 5 blind spots (or edges to watch). Here’s what he came up with:
Top 5 Strengths
1. Strategic Connector
You naturally think systemically and connect dots between people, ideas, and opportunities. Whether it’s linking talent and succession or weaving coaching into leadership development, you build bridges others don’t see.
2. Human-Centric Leadership
Your coaching lens shapes how you show up - empathetic, curious, and people-first. You’re not just focused on performance; you’re genuinely interested in potential, meaning, and how people grow.
3. Content Alchemist
You have a gift for taking complex or dry topics (e.g., talent frameworks, leadership theory) and shaping them into content that’s both accessible and meaningful - whether it’s in a blog, a podcast idea, or a workshop guide.
4. Credible Practitioner
You’ve walked the walk - your experience gives you weight when working with senior leaders. You understand both the “doing” and the “thinking,” which builds trust fast.
5. Quiet Boldness
You’re not loud about it, but you step into new spaces with confidence - hosting podcasts (soon), running team interventions, redesigning learning interventions. You push the boundaries of your comfort zone, even if it’s a bit unnerving at times.
Top 5 Blind Spots (or Edges to Watch)
1. Over-Responsibility
Because you care deeply and want things to be excellent, you sometimes pick up too much of the load. There’s a risk of carrying responsibility that should be shared - especially in complex stakeholder systems like your recent client, the NHS.
2. Reluctance to Self-Promote
You’re doing high-quality work with real impact, but don’t always shout about it. In a content-driven world (especially on LinkedIn), more visibility would amplify your credibility - and open more doors.
3. Avoiding “Good Enough”
Your standards are high (which is good), but perfectionism might occasionally slow you down or add more polish than the context demands. Sometimes 80% is genuinely enough.
4. Facilitator Identity vs. Coach Identity
You toggle between being a facilitator / designer and a coach / consultant. At times, this might blur your focus or dilute your brand - especially when building offerings or marketing to potential clients.
5. Underselling Your Gravitas
You have natural warmth and humility, but in high-stakes rooms or with senior stakeholders, it might help to dial up your authority a notch. You are the expert - own that space.
What Did This Tell Me?
Well, first - it’s a little scary how much an AI tool can seem to understand me.
Sure, there’s always the risk this is a kind of “cold reading” - those universal truths that feel personal. But honestly? There’s some real depth in there. It’s prompted me to think:
Am I really maximising what I’m good at?
Do I shout loudly enough about the value I bring?
Am I giving myself a hard time when maybe I just need to trust that I’m good enough?
I recognise a lot of what Ferris surfaced. I do connect the dots - across people, ideas, and systems. I care deeply about what makes people tick. And I think that’s what makes me good at what I do.
But I also see the edges.
I obsess over details. I carry more than I need to. I work on things behind the scenes that no one ever sees. And even when I do work I’m proud of… I rarely shout about it.
But I’m also okay with that. I like being the leader who pushes others forward. Who invests in his team. Who grows people. That matters to me more than likes, clicks, or spotlights.
Why This Matters
None of us are the finished article - and I don’t think we ever should be.
Self-awareness, feedback, reflection - these are some of the most powerful tools we have as leaders, coaches, and business owners. They ground us. They focus us. They help us keep growing.
This list gave me that. It reminded me where I thrive, where I need to stay conscious, and what I want to keep working on.
I’m not sharing it because I’ve got it all figured out.
I’m sharing it because this is the work.
The inner work. The leadership work.
And if you’re thinking about your own leadership identity - the story you’re telling yourself, the brand you’re building, or the stretch you’re stepping into - I’d love to talk.
📩 Get in Touch.
Let’s explore what’s emerging for you - and how coaching might help you lead more intentionally from here.
