The Leadership Portrait℠ Explained: Perception Meets Reality
How well do you really know yourself as a leader – or how others experience your leadership?
Most leaders operate with partial information. Performance metrics, annual reviews, and feedback loops tell part of the story. But what this rarely captures is perception and what people see. How you show up when you’re inspiring others, under duress or when you’re asked to lead through significant change.
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. The report and process, included in all business-level engagements, are based on a proprietary methodology.
Interviews are conducted with a cross-section of people who work with the leader. Examples include peers, direct reports, fellow leaders, vendors, and others who have experienced the leader in real business situations. Each conversation lasts 30 to 45 minutes.
Stakeholders are asked to speak to two things. First, the strengths and leadership gifts the individual brings to the organization. Second, the behaviors, patterns, or leadership styles that may limit impact over time. At the leader’s discretion, a third custom question can be added. All input is anonymized other than the business sponsor.
These conversations are not performance reviews. They are intended to be perspective-based. In other words, how others perceive you. In gathering different perspectives, this is where the blind spots can show up.
Confidentiality is central to the process. The report belongs to the leader. It is not shared with the business sponsor unless the leader chooses to do so. This boundary allows the coaching work to stay honest, developmental, and human.
What differentiates The Leadership Portrait℠? Its value lies in how the feedback is solicited. There are no generic, templated online surveys. These are one-on-one interviews. From there, themes are identified, insights are synthesized, and direct quotes are embedded throughout the report.
Perception shapes reality. How well do we really know ourselves at work? The Leadership Portrait℠ doesn’t claim to have all the answers. It simply asks better questions and in a format that works. For many leaders, it’s a very positive process that tends to be both eye-opening and the start of real change.
Onwards!
About The Author
Chris Chaia is the founder of Onwards Consulting, an executive coaching and strategic marketing consulting firm, serving leaders and organizations navigating growth and change. She is also the architect and publisher of The Business of Coaching 2025, a global research study on the practices, habits and behaviors of coaching entrepreneurs.
