Welcome back to the Look and Sound of Leadership, an ongoing series of

executive coaching tips designed to help you be perceived in the workplace

the way you want to be perceived. I'm Tom Henschel, your executive coach, and today we're talking

about in-sink communications. Sergei attacked the task of becoming a corporate executive the way he

attacked anything new with rigorous scientific curiosity. An MD

with two PhDs, Sergei had started a chemical company that had been bought by a pharmaceutical giant.

Now under contract to that corporation, Sergei was determined to succeed as an executive, but it wasn't always

coming easily.

One piece of feedback I'd heard from a pier was,

Everyone knows Sergei is a genius. We just don't know what the

hell he's talking about. From one of his direct reports I heard, we try not to ask him

any questions because we know the answer could go on for like 20 minutes

Sergei was realistic about the feedback

I've never been good at getting my ideas across.

Because English is your second language? I asked.

Sergei had been born in Kiev.

He laughed.

I'm not good in Russian either.

That's why I work alone so much.

But working alone here doesn't serve me well, does it?

No, I agreed.

As an executive, the only way you can get your work done is through other people.

...