5 Sabotaging Habits You Pick Up Climbing The Career Ladder
Mon Feb 02 2026
If you keep getting rewarded for being the fixer, you may be quietly pricing yourself out of executive readiness. If you are ready to build the right executive signals and move into senior roles, apply here: https://m.masteryinsights.com/application
What is Executive Signal?
Executive Signal is the consistent demonstration of judgment, presence, and strategic focus that proves you can govern rather than do. It shows up when you stop competing for value through operational indispensability and start creating value through vision, decision-making under ambiguity, and building a system that performs without your constant presence. In the executive marketplace, Executive Signal is measured by scalability, decision velocity, and your tolerance for trade-offs, not by how often you jump into the weeds.
Key Concepts
Scalability: the ability to increase leadership impact and organizational output without a linear increase in your personal effort. If the team collapses when you step away, your leadership has not scaled.
Decision Velocity: the capacity to make effective decisions with incomplete information; at senior levels you operate in probability, not certainty, so waiting for near-100% accuracy reads as slowness and risk aversion.
Benevolent Friction: the disciplined willingness to endure disagreement, misunderstanding, or short-term criticism to protect the long-term viability of the organization which is truth over validation.
Failure of Elevation: when you confuse being needed with being valuable, stay addicted to operational competence, and signal an inability to govern because time in the weeds steals time from vision.
In your current role, which is the bigger liability: A) being the fixer who gets pulled into the weeds, or B) waiting for certainty before you move?
Show notes and free resources:
https://CareerRevisionist.com/episode228
Do you want to move up in executive leadership?
Want to elevate your communication skills, leadership abilities and influence in the world around you?
If you're ready to start leveling up in your career and you want to develop all of the skills and professional acumen that will allow you to grow into senior executive positions with confidence, apply here: https://m.masteryinsights.com/application
Answer a few questions to see if you qualify for Dr. Grace's executive coaching program, then book a time to speak with a member of our team.
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Thank You for Listening!
I am truly grateful that you have chosen to tune in.
Visit my Youtube channel where I release new videos weekly on executive career growth, communication, increasing income, and professional development.
Please share your thoughts!
Leave questions or feedback in the comments below.
Leave me a review on iTunes and share my podcast with your colleagues.
With Love & Wisdom,
Grace
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If you keep getting rewarded for being the fixer, you may be quietly pricing yourself out of executive readiness. If you are ready to build the right executive signals and move into senior roles, apply here: https://m.masteryinsights.com/application What is Executive Signal? Executive Signal is the consistent demonstration of judgment, presence, and strategic focus that proves you can govern rather than do. It shows up when you stop competing for value through operational indispensability and start creating value through vision, decision-making under ambiguity, and building a system that performs without your constant presence. In the executive marketplace, Executive Signal is measured by scalability, decision velocity, and your tolerance for trade-offs, not by how often you jump into the weeds. Key Concepts Scalability: the ability to increase leadership impact and organizational output without a linear increase in your personal effort. If the team collapses when you step away, your leadership has not scaled. Decision Velocity: the capacity to make effective decisions with incomplete information; at senior levels you operate in probability, not certainty, so waiting for near-100% accuracy reads as slowness and risk aversion. Benevolent Friction: the disciplined willingness to endure disagreement, misunderstanding, or short-term criticism to protect the long-term viability of the organization which is truth over validation. Failure of Elevation: when you confuse being needed with being valuable, stay addicted to operational competence, and signal an inability to govern because time in the weeds steals time from vision. In your current role, which is the bigger liability: A) being the fixer who gets pulled into the weeds, or B) waiting for certainty before you move? Show notes and free resources: https://CareerRevisionist.com/episode228 Do you want to move up in executive leadership? Want to elevate your communication skills, leadership abilities and influence in the world around you? If you're ready to start leveling up in your career and you want to develop all of the skills and professional acumen that will allow you to grow into senior executive positions with confidence, apply here: https://m.masteryinsights.com/application Answer a few questions to see if you qualify for Dr. Grace's executive coaching program, then book a time to speak with a member of our team. --------- Thank You for Listening! I am truly grateful that you have chosen to tune in. Visit my Youtube channel where I release new videos weekly on executive career growth, communication, increasing income, and professional development. Please share your thoughts! Leave questions or feedback in the comments below. Leave me a review on iTunes and share my podcast with your colleagues. With Love & Wisdom, Grace