There’s a kind of feedback that doesn’t help you grow, it tells you you’re wrong for the room.

I received the feedback that left me floored and changed my career trajectory, “You don’t embody the mission.”

In this episode of The Manager’s Mind, Catherine unpacks how good leaders get misread when their version of care doesn’t look like the cultural norm.

You’ll hear what it feels like when feedback confuses style with substance and how to tell when it’s time to stop fixing yourself and start changing the terrain.

If you’ve ever walked away from feedback feeling unseen or misunderstood, this episode helps you read between the lines—and reclaim your confidence.

One Insight · One Tool · One Shift

Insight: Not all feedback is about skill—some is about comfort.

Tool: The Developmental vs. Gatekeeping test: Is it specific, actionable, and linked to an outcome?

Shift: Stop translating yourself for systems that misread your care. Lead from clarity instead.

What You’ll Learn

- The difference between developmental and gatekeeping feedback

- How “cultural fit” disguises bias about leadership style

- Why some leaders are praised for warmth while others are penalized for clarity

- How to know if you’re being developed—or being misread

Listen + Learn

Get this week's Trail Map companion tool for this episode and past episodes HERE

Take the Leadership Pathway Quiz™ to see where you lead from.

Music Credits

Music: “Background Inspiring” by **Dmytro Kuvalin**

Additional Music: by **Abhishek M** — *Serious Dramatic Intense Music* — all licensed via Pixabay

Read the full article →https://www.yourleadershipmap.com/managers-compass/you-dont-embody-the-mission

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