There's a big difference between respecting the CEO and unintentionally deferring to them

If you're the senior-most product leader, you are leadership, which means you have more power to fix a lack of direction than you think.

There's a big difference between respecting the CEO and unintentionally deferring to them.

I've heard this from so many VPs and Heads of Product (and felt it myself): "There's no direction. Leadership isn't strategic."

But if you're the senior-most product leader, you are leadership, which means you have more power to fix it than you think.

When retention targets slip or the CEO pulls another "just for this one client," it's tempting to blame lack of resources or indecision whiplash.

But my best moments as a VP of Product came when I took the initiative to form a clear-eyed point of view for where the company needed to go, and to lay out, in clear business terms, the trade-offs of a roadmap detour or a headcount cut.

Believe it or not, this is the vocal partner the CEO wants.

Three beliefs that quietly hold leaders back

There are three common beliefs that sneakily hold product leaders back, even when they have all the right skills. Recognizing them, and taking quick, practical actions in their place, is how you go from a seat at the table to the inner circle.

This post originally appeared on LinkedIn.