Picture a senior leadership team debating a key strategic initiative. Around the table, you’re probably imagining confident, decisive voices—people who project polish, command attention, and always have the answers. I've found that the very behaviors that help establish executive presence early in a career often backfire as leaders advance into the C-suite. Here are the three traps to watch for.

Defy Ventures is a nonprofit that runs entrepreneurship training programs inside correctional facilities. Their flagship program, CEO of Your New Life, equips incarcerated people—called Entrepreneurs in Training, or EITs—with business skills, personal development tools, and a belief in their own capacity to build something meaningful. The program’s recidivism rate is under 10%, compared to a national average above 40%.

➡️ Here's a wake-up call: Only 53% of board reporting is considered moderately effective. If you're an executive aspiring to board roles...