Fast Company Daily Why “because I said so” doesn’t work for leaders anymore
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Aug 29, 2025 Michelle Koopman, CEO and Founder of CXO Coaching, shares her insights from a stellar career as a senior operator and entrepreneur. She critiques traditional command-and-control leadership, emphasizing that clear and empathetic communication is the cornerstone of effective leadership. By sharing her experiences, she illustrates how leaders can foster team alignment and transformation through purposeful dialogue that connects with deeper values, leading to higher engagement and more successful outcomes.
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Influence Trumps Title In Complexity
- In complex environments influence beats formal authority because people move when they understand intent.
- Persuasive communication relies on clarity, empathy, and purpose rather than hierarchy.
Be Surgically Clear About Outcomes
- Speak with surgical clarity: state the desired outcome, why it matters, and how success looks.
- Use simple, repeatable language and drop jargon so teams know how to contribute.
Director Who Replaced Slides With Simple Statements
- A senior director swapped dense slides for simple statements and examples to mobilize cross-functional teams.
- Once the message was clear, resistance dropped and people finally knew how to contribute.