The conversation every manager dreads: “I want to move into leadership.” How do you know if they truly understand what they’re asking for? After all, the skills that make someone excel at their job are often completely different from what makes them effective at leading others.
In this coaching episode, host, Jen Arnold is joined by leadership coach Julie Binter, Founder of Clear The Way Coaching & Consulting, to break down why identifying leadership potential goes far deeper than performance metrics, and how to spot the subtle signs that someone is truly ready to lead.
Julie Binter is the Founder of Clear The Way Coaching & Consulting, focusing on helping leaders and teams “get better at the people stuff.” With over 15 years of experience as a leadership coach and an MA in Organizational Development & Leadership, Julie partners with organizations to develop more effective, emotionally intelligent leaders.
In this conversation, Jen and Julie explore the complex challenge of identifying true leadership potential beyond just performance metrics. We discuss why your high-performing individual contributors might struggle when promoted and the importance of distinguishing between wanting a leadership title versus genuinely wanting to lead people.
We share insights on recognizing red flags in potential leaders, how to spot those “quiet leaders” who might be flying under your radar, and practical assessment strategies before making promotion decisions. We dig into why asking candidates about their motivation for leadership reveals crucial insights, and how you can better prepare promising team members for the leadership challenges they’ll inevitably face.
Leadership isn’t just the next step on a career ladder—it’s a fundamentally different role requiring a unique set of skills and mindset. By identifying the right people for leadership positions, you’re not only setting them up for success, but creating a stronger organization.
Key Highlights
- Why being good at your job doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be good at leading others
- The revealing question to ask: “Why do you want to be a leader?”
- How to spot the informal leaders your team already turns to
- Common promotion mistakes even experienced managers make
- Practical strategies to test leadership potential before promotion
Links Mentioned
Interview with Jordan Birnbaum
Connect with Julie –
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliebinter/
Website: https://www.clearthewaycoach.com/
Full Bio
Julie is the Founder of Clear The Way Coaching & Consulting, a company focused on helping leaders, teams, and organizations “get better at the people stuff”. As a highly accomplished leadership coach, facilitator, speaker, and trusted advisor with over 15 years of experience, she partners with people who want to increase their effectiveness, navigate change, and achieve professional and personal success. She is deeply committed to ensuring everyone can incorporate new knowledge and skills into “real life” and thrive in today’s working environment.
Julie holds an M.A. in Organizational Development & Leadership from Fielding Graduate University and a B.A. in Sociology from University of Minnesota. She’s an ICF credentialed coach, a certified emotional intelligence assessor and facilitator, and holds certifications in several other individual, team, and leader assessments. She brings a diverse perspective from her leadership and learning roles within corporate, public sector, and nonprofit organizations spanning several industries.