Over the next few weeks, publicly traded companies will begin releasing their Q2 earnings reports and hosting earnings calls with analysts and shareholders. And so, the cycle begins again…
By “cycle,” I’m referring to the awkward, uncomfortable dance that plays out in businesses everywhere: a manager, without real business acumen, reads a few lines from the press release or earnings deck, pulls together a half-baked summary, and tries to sound like a visionary leader by “sharing insights” with their team.
It’s not pretty.
The problem comes when someone on the team, often a high-potential future leader, asks a question. Something like:
- “How does the decline in free cash flow affect our department budget?”
- “Why is EBITDA growing while revenue is flat?”
- “How do these expense cuts help the business?”
If you freeze, change the subject, or throw out buzzwords without substance, you’ve missed a golden leadership opportunity. And worse, you’ve exposed a knowledge gap that your team can see from a mile away.
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