<p>There's a moment many leaders hit after stepping into a role where they lead other leaders — it shows up as quiet confusion.</p><p>You're still good at the work. Your judgment hasn't disappeared. If anything, you can see issues more clearly than before. And yet, something feels off.</p><p>The same strengths that used to carry you now create friction. Decisions land more heavily. People wait more. Meetings feel slower — or strangely tense.</p><p>In this episode, Ian Browne explains what's actually happening when competence stops being currency and becomes ambient. He explores why your strengths start to misfire, how speed becomes a signal you didn't intend to send, and the competence trap that constrains the system around you.</p><p>If you've been privately wondering "If I'm still capable, why does this feel harder than it should?" — this conversation will show you the role has simply changed shape.</p><p>What You'll Learn</p><p><strong>When competence becomes ambient:</strong></p><p>Why being good at the job is no longer visible leverage at this level</p><p>How your ability stops solving problems and starts shaping behavior</p><p>The shift from currency to assumed baseline</p><p><strong>Why strengths start to misfire:</strong></p><p>How stepping in early creates deference you didn't ask for</p><p>Why the room adjusts to you without you realizing it</p><p>The difference between effort-based pressure and structural pressure</p><p><strong>Speed as an unintended signal:</strong></p><p>How quick thinking can make others feel hurried</p><p>Why resolving uncertainty too early atrophies leadership muscles</p><p>What "steadiness" actually means when you lead other leaders</p><p><strong>The competence trap:</strong></p><p>Why excellence can narrow the leadership around you</p><p>How the better you are, the more constrained the system can become</p><p>Why gravity has increased even though nothing formally changed</p><p><strong>What this level actually requires:</strong></p><p>How your presence shapes how pressure moves through the system</p><p>Why how you apply competence matters more than how much you have</p><p>The awareness that becomes the real work once competence is assumed</p><p>Key Insights</p><p>"Nothing you're good at has stopped being useful. It's just stopped being visible leverage."</p><p>"You're not being challenged more because you're failing. You're being leaned on more because you're reliable. That's why the pressure feels different."</p><p>"At this level, speed becomes a signal. If you move quickly, others feel hurried. If you resolve uncertainty too early, others stop holding it."</p><p>"The better you are, the more constrained the system can become. Not because you're domineering — but because gravity has increased."</p><p>"For many leaders, the relief comes when they realize: Nothing has gone wrong. The job has simply changed shape."</p><p>Resources Mentioned</p><p><strong>Leader of Leaders Diagnostic</strong> See where your influence may be creating clarity — and where it may be creating unintended drag. Acts as a mirror, not a test. → [<a target="_blank" href="https://tally.so/r/vGrElX">Link in show notes</a>]</p><p><strong>Read the full article on Substack</strong> This episode explores Ian's article on the competence trap. Get the complete piece with additional insights on deliberate leadership. → <a target="_blank" href="https://ianbrowne.substack.com/">Link</a></p><p>What's Coming Next Week</p><p>Next episode: <strong>"Why Over-Functioning Creates the Dependency You're Trying to Avoid"</strong></p><p>What happens when you try to solve structural pressure by working harder — and the specific moment when stepping in stops being helpful and starts weakening the system around you.</p><p>If this episode resonated, you'll want to hear how to break the pattern before it becomes chronic.</p><p>About Ian Browne</p><p>Ian Browne is the founder of Braver Leadership and author of the upcoming <em>Leading Leaders Handbook</em>. He specializes in helping experienced professionals navigate the transition from managing work to managing leaders — using behavioral science and the BRAVER™ framework to build regulated presence without requiring a personality transplant.</p><p><strong>Subscribe to the weekly newsletter:</strong> Every Saturday, Ian publishes in-depth articles on the leader-of-leaders transition. No corporate fluff. No psychobabble. Just the reality of this level. → Subscribe at <a target="_blank" href="http://ianbrowne.substack.com">ianbrowne.substack.com</a></p><p><strong>Connect with Ian:</strong></p><p>Website: <a target="_blank" href="http://braverleadership.com">braverleadership.com</a></p><p>LinkedIn: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ianbrowne-uk/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/ianbrowne-uk/</a></p><p>Substack: <a target="_blank" href="http://ianbrowne.substack.com">ianbrowne.substack.com</a></p><p>Subscribe to The Leadership Pause</p><p>New episodes every week exploring the first 100 days of leading other leaders.</p><p><strong>Apple Podcasts</strong> | <strong>Spotify</strong> | <strong>Substack</strong> | <strong>YouTube</strong></p><p>If this episode helped you see the role more clearly, share it with someone who's privately wondering why being good at the job suddenly isn't enough. They'll recognize themselves in it.</p><p>Transcript</p><p>[Full transcript available at <a target="_blank" href="http://ianbrowne.substack.com">ianbrowne.substack.com</a>]</p><p><strong>Episode Length:</strong> ~15 minutes<strong>Published:</strong> [Date]<strong>Season:</strong> [Season number if applicable]</p><p>Producer Notes</p><p><strong>Why this episode matters:</strong> Most leaders experience this shift but misinterpret it as personal doubt or loss of confidence. Ian names what's actually happening: competence hasn't disappeared, it's just stopped being the primary input. The role is asking for something different — and until that's named, leaders stay stuck wondering what's wrong with them.</p><p><strong>Who should listen:</strong></p><p>Leaders who are good at the work but feel friction they can't explain</p><p>Anyone privately asking "If I'm still capable, why does this feel harder?"</p><p>Leaders noticing decisions stacking up and people deferring more than before</p><p><strong>Share this episode if:</strong> Someone capable is struggling to understand why their strengths are creating drag instead of momentum. This gives them language for the shift — and shows them nothing has gone wrong.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://ianbrowne.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_1">ianbrowne.substack.com</a>