Before They Decide

This week, one of my clients shared something interesting.

"The conversations are changing."

"How so?"

"People are bringing me in earlier."

"Earlier?"

"Before decisions are made."

"They're asking for my perspective, not just my execution."

WHAT

Most women assume growth becomes visible when the title changes. I'm not so sure.

I've found that one of the earliest signs often shows up somewhere else… like in conversations.

People start asking different questions. You get invited into different discussions.

They seek your perspective before they need your execution.

In other words, people start relating to you differently before your title catches up.

That's why I pay close attention when clients tell me:

"The conversations are changing."

Because they usually are.

And they often reveal something important long before a promotion, raise, or new opportunity does.

WHY

Many high-achieving women miss this shift because they assume expertise and influence are the same thing but they're not.

Expertise gets you brought in to do the work.

Influence gets you brought in before the work begins.

Expertise earns trust in your ability.

Influence earns trust in your judgment.

Can you see how easy it is to miss this?

Most women are still looking for evidence in their results. Meanwhile, people are asking different questions.

Not:

"Can she do the work?"

But:

"Should we involve her?"

HOW

If you're wondering whether this shift is happening for you, stop looking only at your results.

Start paying attention to your conversations and ask yourself:

What do people come to me for?

To execute?

Or to weigh in?

When am I being invited into the conversation?

After the decision?

Or before it?

What kinds of questions am I being asked?

"Can you get this done?"

Sounds very different than:

"What do you think?"

What would people miss most if I wasn't in the room?

My execution?

Or my perspective?

Until next week,

Jaspreet