"He's humble until he isn't. And then he's arrogant. My job as a coach is to discover the threads that connect all these comments, because, although we may seem a bundle of contradictions, we aren't. Can someone be both humble and arrogant? Todd knew he was having difficulties and asked me, an executive coach, to talk with his team. I met with Todd, the CEO of a Silicon Valley biotech start-up that had excited venture capital firms enough to invest nearly $100M,"
"At first, it all sounded great-until the tone shifted. "It's so frustrating; sometimes he can be so stubborn." "There are times when he shuts down the discussion and doesn't want to hear what I have to say." "He can't admit, or even imagine, he might be wrong." "He's so busy; I need to talk to him, but I hesitate. . . because it probably won't go well.""
Todd led a Silicon Valley biotech startup that attracted nearly $100M in venture funding and used AI to accelerate drug development. His senior leaders praised his confidence, decisiveness, humility, curiosity, and passion. Over time similar traits produced complaints: stubbornness, shutting down discussion, unwillingness to admit error, and unapproachable busyness. Team members described him as humble until he wasn't, then arrogant. The coach sought patterns linking praise and criticism. Executive assessment included life and career interviews to identify drivers, behaviors, and how strengths can turn into blindspots that impair leadership effectiveness without self-awareness and behavioral adjustment.
Read at Psychology Today
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