Unlocking Potential: The Leadership Imperative of Giving Permission
- Kathy Krul-Manor
- May 7
- 3 min read
In the world of leadership development, we often talk about potential—identifying it, nurturing it, measuring it. But what do we actually mean when we say someone has “potential”?
Is it intelligence? Ambition? Presence? Results?
More often than not, potential is treated as an abstract label—something we see in others but rarely define. The truth is, potential is less about what someone is capable of doing on their own and more about what they are empowered to become in the right environment. And for today’s NextGen leaders, that environment starts with one critical ingredient from the top: permission.
What Potential Really Is (And Isn’t)
Potential isn’t just raw talent or aptitude. It’s the intersection of capability, opportunity, and support. A high-potential leader isn’t simply someone who checks the boxes of skill or performance. They are individuals whose ideas, courage, and impact can transform teams and organizations—when given the space to stretch.
Yet many high-potential leaders—particularly those early in their executive journey—aren’t failing to lead because they’re not ready. They’re holding back because they’re unsure if they can.
Can I push back without being seen as disrespectful?
Can I challenge long-held norms?
Can I lead differently than those before me?
The unspoken rules of leadership—often rooted in legacy thinking—can keep emerging leaders in a state of hesitation. And hesitation is the enemy of potential.
The Quiet Power of Permission
Senior leaders have more influence than they may realize. Not just in strategy and vision, but in shaping the emotional and cultural tone that defines what leadership looks like.
Often, the greatest unlock for a NextGen leader is not more training or coaching. It’s a simple but powerful gesture from the C-suite:
“You have permission.”
Permission to:
Speak truth to power.
Make the tough call.
Set boundaries.
Show vulnerability.
Lead with empathy instead of authority.
Permission doesn’t mean lowering standards or abandoning accountability. It means dismantling invisible barriers that keep capable leaders from stepping into their full power. It means saying, “I see you. I trust you. You don’t have to ask for validation to lead in your way.”
Leadership Without the Legacy Mold
Too often, potential is framed through a narrow lens—modeled after a particular type of leader. Assertiveness, decisiveness, and confidence have long been interpreted through dominant, often masculine-coded behaviors. But leadership in today’s world isn’t one-dimensional.
Unlocking potential requires expanding the definition of what leadership can look like—making room for relational leadership, collaborative decision-making, and purpose-driven influence. These are not “soft skills”—they are strategic capabilities. And they are increasingly the critical traits that define high-performing, inclusive, and future-ready organizations.
Five Ways Executives Can Unlock Potential Through Permission
Name It Aloud – Tell your up-and-coming leaders what you see in them. Often, just hearing “I believe in your potential” can flip a switch.
Create Psychological Safety – Model openness. Invite healthy pushback. Show that disagreement is not dissent—it’s dialogue.
Redefine Boldness – Celebrate courage in all its forms, not just the loudest voice in the room.
Sponsor, Don’t Just Mentor – Put high-potential leaders in rooms where decisions are made. Give them visibility and voice.
Say the Words – “You don’t need my permission, but you have it.” Sometimes, that’s all they need to hear.
The Legacy You Leave
As an executive, your most enduring legacy may not be the strategies you set in motion, but the leaders you helped become. Unlocking potential isn’t about placing more weight on your shoulders—it’s about lifting others.
And the best leaders don’t just open doors. They show others how to walk through them with confidence.
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