Stepping into a C-Suite role at a major MNC is a game-changer. Many of my clients have spent years preparing for that leap—honing their expertise, proving their leadership, and strategizing their path forward.
Yet, no matter how much they’ve planned, most CXOs I’ve coached say the same thing:
💡 “I wasn’t quite ready for this.”
One of the biggest surprises? The sheer amount of grey at the top.
As a functional leader, decision-making can be relatively black & white—clearer choices, data-backed direction, and well-defined outcomes.
But in the C-Suite? If decisions were that obvious, they wouldn’t reach your desk in the first place.
The higher you go, the greyer it gets.
So, how do you lead effectively when nothing is ever truly clear-cut? Here are three key strategies I share with clients:
1. Embrace the ambiguity, don’t fight it.
Great leaders recognize that uncertainty is part of the job. Instead of seeking absolute certainty, focus on making the best possible decision with the information you have.
2. Connect the dots across the enterprise.
C-Suite leaders must look beyond their function and see the full organizational landscape. The more you integrate insights across finance, operations, and external markets, for example, the better you’ll navigate the grey.
3. Leverage intuition—but anchor it in wisdom.
Intuition at this level isn’t just a gut feeling—it’s based on pattern recognition from years of experience. When data is incomplete (which it often is), trust your instincts, but validate them with diverse perspectives.
What about you? Whether you’re in the C-Suite or making complex decisions at any level, how do you navigate the grey? I’d love to hear your thoughts! 
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