Leadership SIG: What Does It Take for a Leader to Hear the Truth?

In our last SIG meeting, we explored how AI is changing what leadership requires. This month, we turn to a question that becomes even more consequential as change accelerates: How do leaders discover what is really going on in their organizations?

Having authority doesn’t guarantee an accurate picture. Between the culture leaders describe and the culture employees experience, there can be a significant gap. Concerns get softened, disagreements go unspoken, and reassuring messages travel upward. Even well-intentioned leaders can become insulated from the realities they most need to understand.

Join us for a participatory conversation exploring:

• What creates the gap between an organization’s stated values and everyday experience?
• How do leaders unintentionally make themselves difficult to tell the truth to?
• What makes speaking honestly feel safe—and worth the effort?
• What is HR/OD’s responsibility when the reassuring story and the lived experience diverge?

Come prepared to reflect on a situation in which leaders’ understanding differed from what others in the organization were experiencing. No names needed—just your observations and what you learned.

Together, we’ll explore what it takes to become a leader people can tell the truth to—and who acts constructively on what they hear.

*Participating in this session will earn attendees 1.5 International Coaching Federation CCEs.

Discussion Facilitators

Bob Stapleton is President of Live Oak Leadership, a leadership development and coaching practice focused on helping leaders and teams perform at their best in complex, real-world environments. 

In addition to his coaching practice, Bob co-hosts a podcast, Bob ‘n Joyce Talk HR  'n OD, a highly rated podcast on Spotify, Apple and other popular platforms.

Cherisa Zafft is the founder of CoreShift Development. With 25+ years of experience in leadership development, she designs and facilitates programs that strengthen how leaders communicate, build trust, and navigate change—bringing clarity, humor, and practical expertise across healthcare, tech, higher education, and nonprofits.

 About Leadership SIG

The Leadership SIG, launched in June 2015, is a community committed to exploring best practices, processes and new models of leadership required in an ever-changing volatile world.  The very definition of leadership and skills needed to be successful are evolving. Old models and training processes are quickly becoming obsolete at a time when the need for effective leadership development solutions is urgent.

The meetings are interactive discussions of leadership topics. The Leadership SIG facilitators are Cherisa Zafft and Bob Stapleton. 

The Leadership SIG typically meets once a month, usually on the 3rd Wednesday of the month from 4:00-5:30 PM via Zoom .

For questions about this event, please reach out to Bob Stapleton at rstapleton2011@gmail.com or Cherisa Zafft at cherisa@coreshiftdevelopment.com.