A PBS show called Breaking the Deadlock does something surprisingly rare in both politics and business. Watching it recently, it is hard not to think about what business leaders, at every level or organization, could take from its premise.

Over the course of a career spanning multiple mergers and acquisitions — some from the acquiring side, others from the side being acquired — and now through the work of supporting leaders through their own transitions, one consistent pattern has emerged.

Early in my career, our head of sales, Pete, was quick to challenge the team when he heard a comment that felt non-committal. His advice was always straightforward: “Never say maybe. Never say might. Either you will or you won’t.”

The Enneagram helps explain how you think, feel, and act. It impacts how we show up. It describes core patterns in how we operate, make decisions, and react under pressure. 

That gap between intention and impact is where executive coaching does its most meaningful work. The Leadership Portrait℠ is designed to surface those realities early in the coaching process and aligns with the planning.

Perspective has a way of changing how we experience the same moment in business and life. Here’s one of my favorite parables to make the point.