The leadership cost of being the one who “gets it” first
There’s a particular experience that high performing leaders know intimately but rarely talk about
It’s the experience of being the one who gets it first:
You see the pattern before others see the data
You sense the risk before it becomes visible
You understand the implications before the conversation catches up
You recognise the misalignment before it becomes conflict
You anticipate the downstream impact before anyone else realises there is one
This isn’t intuition. It isn’t luck. It isn’t overthinking
It’s the natural by product of operating in roles that sit at the intersection of strategy, delivery, technology, customer, and organisational dynamics
But here’s the part no one names. Being the one who “gets it” first comes with a leadership cost. One that can leave you feeling out of sync with the organisation, misunderstood by peers, and prematurely responsible for problems that haven’t yet been acknowledged
Let’s unpack why this happens, how it shapes your leadership identity, and what it takes to lead effectively when your thinking consistently runs ahead of the room
The pattern: you see what others don’t see yet
For many senior leaders, insight arrives gradually. For you, it arrives early. You’re often the first to notice:
When a strategy is misaligned with reality
When a decision creates unintended consequences
When a team is heading towards burnout
When a dependency is quietly slipping
When a stakeholder is signaling resistance
When a risk is forming beneath the surface
When the narrative doesn’t match the execution
You’re not trying to be ahead. You just are:
Your vantage point gives you access to information others don’t have
Your pattern recognition is sharper than most
Your system awareness is more developed
Your leadership instincts are more attuned
This is a strength, but it’s also deeply isolating. This is because when you see things early, you see them alone
Why product and transformation leaders “get it” first
Your role sits in the organisational terrain where complexity accumulates. You’re exposed to:
The gaps between strategy and execution
The friction between functions
The emotional undercurrents of change
The operational realities leaders don’t always see
The customer signals that contradict internal assumptions
The technical constraints that shape feasibility
The political dynamics that influence decisions
This vantage point accelerates your insight. You see the whole system, not just your part of it
And because you see the whole system, you see the cracks before they widen:
You see the opportunities before they’re obvious
You see the risks before they’re acknowledged
You see the misalignment before it becomes conflict
This is why you “get it” first
Not because you’re smarter, but because your role gives you access to the truth earlier than most
The emotional cost: you feel out of sync with the room
When you consistently see things early, you start to feel a subtle dissonance. You feel:
Ahead of conversations that stay at the wrong altitude
Frustrated by debates that miss the real issue
Misunderstood when you raise concerns others can’t yet see
Dismissed as “overthinking” or “too cautious”
Impatient with slow recognition of obvious patterns
Responsible for problems no one else is ready to acknowledge
This isn’t arrogance. It isn’t impatience. It isn’t negativity. It’s the emotional cost of early insight
You’re living in a future the organisation hasn’t arrived at yet. And that gap can feel lonely
The identity cost: you become the “voice of reality” instead of the “voice of possibility”
When you’re the one who gets it first, people start to rely on you for:
Risk identification
Early warnings
Pattern recognition
System awareness
Problem reframing
Stakeholder sensing
These are valuable contributions, but they can also trap you in a narrow identity. You become the person who:
Spots the issues
Names the risks
Raises the flags
Anticipates the problems
This is important work, but it’s not the full expression of your leadership
You’re not just the person who sees what could go wrong. You’re also the person who sees what could go right
But when the organisation leans too heavily on your ability to “get it” early, they can unintentionally position you as the guardian of reality instead of the architect of possibility
And that limits your visibility, your influence, and your perceived range
The opportunity cost: you’re ready before the organisation is
When your insight runs ahead of the room, you often find yourself:
Proposing solutions before others agree there’s a problem
Offering strategic reframes before the conversation is ready
Seeing the enterprise implications before leaders are aligned
Operating at an altitude the organisation hasn’t asked for
Thinking in systems whilst others think in tasks
This creates a mismatch between:
The level you’re contributing at
The level you’re positioned at
The level the organisation is ready to receive
You’re ready for a different conversation, but the system is still catching up
This is not a capability issue. It’s a timing issue
How high impact leaders lead when they “get it” first
They pace their insights to the room’s readiness
This doesn’t mean dumbing down your thinking. It means sequencing it. You ask:
“What is the room ready to hear right now?”
“What’s the next step, not the whole solution?”
“What framing will create movement without overwhelm?”
You lead the room forward, not away from it
They translate early insight into shared understanding
Instead of saying “this won’t work,” you say:
“Here’s the pattern I’m seeing”
“Here’s the risk that’s forming”
“Here’s the downstream impact we haven’t discussed”
“Here’s the decision we’ll need to make later and why”
You bring people with you
They avoid becoming the sole holder of truth
You intentionally create shared ownership by asking:
“What are you seeing?”
“What’s your read on this?”
“What’s the risk from your perspective?”
You distribute insight instead of centralising it
They balance realism with possibility
You don’t just name what’s true. You name what’s possible. You say:
“Here’s the risk, and here’s the opportunity”
“Here’s the constraint, and here’s the path through it”
“Here’s the misalignment, and here’s the shift that unlocks value”
You expand the conversation, not just ground it
They position their early insight as strategic leadership, not operational caution
You frame your contribution at the altitude you want to be recognised at. You say:
“From an enterprise perspective…”
“At the portfolio level…”
“The strategic implication is…”
“The decision architecture we need is…”
You show the organisation the level you’re operating at
If you’re the one who “gets it” first, you’re not being difficult, you’re ahead of your time
This moment isn’t a burden. It’s a signal. A sign that:
Your leadership instincts are maturing
Your system awareness is expanding
You’re ready for work that matches your altitude
You’re not out of sync. You’re out in front. And the gap you’re feeling is simply the space between the organisation’s current reality and the future you can already see
If you’re the one who “gets it” first and want to lead at your true altitude, then let’s work on this together. Here are three ways:
Influencing for Impact: This practical 2-day workshop is for you if you want to influence a decision maker, influence a change in customer or colleague behaviour, or influence someone to buy something from you
Executive and Leadership Team Coaching: Work directly with Lai-Ling to problem solve for your specific situation in a confidential setting. This is for you if you want to develop and execute on a game plan that is 100% tailored to you
Leadership Development: Invest in the product and transformation leaders in your company with leadership development that is customised for their role. This is for you if you want your people to learn about people and politics