by Caroline Leach | Jul 13, 2026 | Communication, Leadership
Waiting to feel ready is costing you more than you think.
Especially when it matters most.
Years ago, an EVP asked for my thoughts on a communications issue.
I said I’d think about it and follow up.
Fair, right?
After the meeting, my manager pulled me aside.
“When a senior leader asks you a question, they expect a point of view in the moment.”
That stuck.
Because waiting has a cost:
1. You don’t come across as strategic
2. You get overlooked for bigger opportunities
3. And the team misses what you could have added
So why do we hold back?
↳ We second-guess our thinking
↳ We don’t have a perfect answer
↳ We assume everyone else is more certain than we are
(They’re not.)
Here’s what works instead:
Say this:
“Based on what you’ve shared, my initial thought is we should … .”
Add a relevant example.
Then close with:
“I’ll follow up with more detail this afternoon.”
You don’t need a perfect answer.
You need a point of view.
What do you say when you don’t have a fully formed answer?
by Caroline Leach | Jul 1, 2026 | Communication, Leadership
Most updates tell you what happened.
Very few explain why it matters.
Wrapping up spring semester teaching at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism brought this back again.
In strategic planning, everything comes down to one question:
What problem are we solving?
That’s where most updates fall short.
An operational update sounds like this:
“We launched the campaign, finalized the assets, and engagement is up 12% week over week.”
Clear. Efficient.
And incomplete.
A strategic update sounds like this:
“We’re addressing a drop in engagement among busy parents of children under 10. The campaign launched last week is designed to re-engage that group. Early signals are encouraging, with engagement up 12% week over week.”
Same work.
Different level of thinking.
The shift:
From activity → PURPOSE
From reporting → INTERPRETATION
From what happened → WHY IT MATTERS
If you want to be seen as more strategic, start here:
Anchor every update in the problem you’re solving. And how your work moves it forward.
Try this on your next update:
How is your latest work actually addressing the problem?
by Caroline Leach | Jun 8, 2026 | Communication, Executive Communication
You don’t need more prep time.
You need a better way to respond on the fly.
Someone asks a question you didn’t prepare for:
a client, a colleague, a manager, a board member.
Here’s what NOT to do:
1. Say you’re not prepared
2. Ask for more time
3. Ramble while you search for your answer
Instead, do this:
1. Pause. Breathe. Maintain eye contact
2. Ask a clarifying question
↳ “Can you say more about what you’re looking for?”
3. Listen carefully
Then:
Give a headline.
If you could only say one thing, what would it be?
After that:
• Add up to 3 supporting points
• Balance what they want to know and what you want them to know
Then stop talking.
Be comfortable with silence.
If they want more, they’ll ask.
If you genuinely need more time:
• Share your headline and key points first
• Then follow up with more detail
• Give a clear timeline
After the moment passes, reflect:
What went well?
What would you do differently next time?
Senior leaders aren’t necessarily the most prepared.
They’re the most clear under pressure.
You don’t need perfect answers.
You need clear ones.
What’s your go-to headline when you’re put on the spot?
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