Ever wondered why top performers sometimes struggle when they step into leadership roles? You’re not aloneand it’s more common than you think.
In this episode of the Breaking the Chain podcast, hosts Nathaniel Chapman and Terentia Brown explore the tricky transition from high performer to leader. Terentia shares insights from her own journey in leadership and development, highlighting a problem she’s often seen in organizations:
We’re always giving people a loaded gun and not teaching them how to use it.
In other words, many high performers are promoted without being taught how to lead effectively.
Many organizations assume that high performers are automatically ready for leadership. From a career perspective, it feels like the natural next step: if you’re doing great work, surely leading a team is next. From the organization’s perspective, promoting top talent seems like a clear win. But without the right guidance and training, this leap can create challenges for both the leader and the team. Nathaniel and Terentia unpack why leadership requires more than just technical skill and why emotional intelligence, communication, and self-awareness are often the hidden ingredients that make or break a leader.
Whether you’re a high performer contemplating your next career move, or a leader thinking about developing talent, this episode offers practical wisdom and real-life stories that will make you rethink the way you view leadership.
Listen to this episode on your favourite platforms:
