4 Perception Patterns
And How to Know Which One Is Blocking You?
Last week, I introduced the 5 Invisible Barriers blocking talented Directors from VP.
The first barrier — the Perception Gap — hit hardest for most readers.
So today, I’m going deeper.
Because “you’re perceived as an executor, not a leader” is too vague to fix.
You need to know which perception pattern is holding you back.
After hundreds of promotion and succession meetings, I’ve seen four patterns repeat over and over.
Each one feels different from the inside.
Each one looks the same from the outside: not ready for VP.
PATTERN 1: THE WORKHORSE
How leadership sees you:
Reliable. Dependable. The person who always delivers.
How you see yourself:
“I’m the backbone of this team. Without me, things would fall apart.”
What you hear:
→ “We couldn’t do this without you”
→ “You’re so reliable”
→ “I know I can always count on you”
The trap:
You’ve become so good at execution that no one can imagine you doing anything else.
Every time you deliver, you reinforce the pattern.
What leadership says in promotion meetings:
“She’s incredible at what she does. But can she lead at the next level? I’m not sure. And honestly — we need her where she is.”
The uncomfortable truth:
Being indispensable in your current role is the fastest way to stay stuck in it.
Your self-check:
When was the last time you said no to a task — and used that time for strategic work instead?
PATTERN 2: THE EXPERT
How leadership sees you:
The smartest person in the room on your topic. The go-to for technical questions.
How you see yourself:
“My expertise is my value. That’s what got me here.”
What you hear:
→ “You’re the expert on this”
→ “What do you think technically?”
→ “We need your input on the details”
The trap:
You’ve built your identity around knowing more than anyone else.
But at VP level, the game changes. It’s not about having the answers. It’s about asking the right questions and enabling others to find answers.
What leadership says in promotion meetings:
“Brilliant technical mind. But every conversation with him goes deep into the weeds. I’m not sure he can zoom out and lead strategically.”
The uncomfortable truth:
Your expertise got you to Director. It won’t get you to VP.
At the executive level, being the smartest person in the room is a liability, not an asset.
Your self-check:
In your last three meetings with senior leaders, did you share expertise — or strategic perspective?
PATTERN 3: THE PROBLEM-SOLVER
How leadership sees you:
The fixer. The one who handles crises. The person they call when things go wrong.
How you see yourself:
“I thrive under pressure. I make things happen when others can’t.”
What you hear:
→ “Can you jump on this?”
→ “We need you to fix this situation”
→ “You’re so good in a crisis”
The trap:
You’ve become addicted to being needed. And leadership has become addicted to using you as a firefighter.
But firefighters don’t get promoted to fire chief. They’re too busy putting out fires.
What leadership says in promotion meetings:
“She’s amazing in a crisis. But I only see her when something’s broken. I don’t know what she’d do if she had to build something from scratch — or lead when things are calm.”
The uncomfortable truth:
Solving problems makes you valuable. Preventing problems makes you promotable.
Your self-check:
What percentage of your visibility comes from crisis response vs. strategic initiatives you created?
PATTERN 4: THE SUPPORTER
How leadership sees you:
A team player. Someone who makes others successful. Collaborative and easy to work with.
How you see yourself:
“I lift others up. I don’t need the spotlight.”
What you hear:
→ “You’re such a great team player”
→ “You make everyone around you better”
→ “You’re so easy to work with”
The trap:
You’ve confused being liked with being respected.
You’ve made yourself so agreeable that no one knows what you actually stand for.
What leadership says in promotion meetings:
“Everyone loves working with her. But I couldn’t tell you what her point of view is. Does she have strong opinions? Would she push back on the CEO if needed? I honestly don’t know.”
The uncomfortable truth:
Nice doesn’t get promoted. Clear does.
VPs need to make unpopular decisions, hold firm under pressure, and advocate for their perspective — even when it’s uncomfortable.
Your self-check:
When was the last time you disagreed with someone senior — out loud, in a meeting?
WHICH PATTERN ARE YOU?
Most Directors have a primary pattern and a secondary one.
PatternCore Belief Leadership Sees
The Workhorse. ”Hard work = success” Reliable but not strategic
The Expert” Knowledge = value” Smart but stuck in details
The Problem-Solver ”Fixing = contribution” Reactive, not proactive
The Supporter. ”Helping others = my role” Nice but unclear POV
Your primary pattern: _____________
Your secondary pattern: _____________
THE REAL PROBLEM
Here’s what all four patterns have in common:
You’re being valued for the wrong thing.
And every day you keep doing what you’re valued for, you reinforce the pattern.
The Workhorse keeps delivering → stays the delivery person
The Expert keeps going deep → stays the technical resource
The Problem-Solver keeps fixing → stays the firefighter
The Supporter keeps helping → stays the nice colleague
The pattern that got you here is the pattern keeping you stuck.
WHAT CHANGES THE PATTERN?
Knowing your pattern is step one.
Breaking it is step two.
And breaking it requires doing the opposite of what feels natural:
Workhorse → Say no. Create space for strategic work.
Expert → Zoom out. Ask questions instead of giving answers.
Problem-Solver → Prevent fires. Build systems, not just solutions.
Supporter → Take a stand. Be known for a perspective.
But here’s the hard part:
Doing the opposite feels wrong. Risky. Uncomfortable.
That’s why most people don’t do it.
THE SHIFT
One client I worked with was a classic Workhorse.
She delivered everything. On time. Above expectations.
And she was exhausted — and stuck.
When I asked her what would happen if she said no to the next “urgent” request, she said:
“They’d think I’m not committed.”
I asked: “What do they think now?”
Silence.
“That I’m... reliable.”
Exactly.
Over the next 8 weeks, she started saying no strategically. She carved out time for a cross-functional initiative that had nothing to do with her day job.
Three months later, she was invited to her first strategic planning meeting.
Not because she worked harder. Because she showed up differently.
IS THIS YOU?
If you recognized yourself in one of these patterns — and you’re ready to break it — that’s exactly what we do in the VP Accelerator.
We identify your pattern. We build a system to shift it. And we hold you accountable to showing up differently.
Reply “PATTERN” and I’ll send you the details.
💬 Which pattern resonated most? Hit reply — I read every response.
To your satisfying career,
Gabriela
P.S. The pattern isn’t your fault. It’s how you survived and succeeded until now.
But what got you here won’t get you there.
The question is: are you ready to let go of what’s been working — to get what you actually want?
I was number three last year—or honestly, all four options applied to me.
Now it’s time to move on and claim what I truly deserve.