See the Whole Board, Not Just the Next Move
Using the Shift Matrix to Sharpen Executive Awareness
C-suite leadership isn’t a game of checkers. It’s chess—multi-layered, strategic, and constantly shifting.
In the language of the Shift Matrix, we begin with Situation—the discipline of assessment. Not just what’s in front of you, but what’s around you. Not just what’s urgent, but what’s essential. Because high-performing executives don’t just react. They read the room, the market, the moment—and lead with intention.
Executive Awareness Is a Skill, Not a Superpower
The best leaders aren’t clairvoyant. They’re just observant. They listen between the lines, zoom out before zooming in, and make decisions with the full picture in mind—not just the most recent fire. And yet, too many executive teams operate like they’re stuck on the factory floor of their own minds. Constant output, minimal reflection. Every meeting becomes about what’s now instead of what’s next. You can’t lead strategically if you’re always three emails deep in your own inbox.
This is where the wisdom of the Stoics enters the room.
“If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.”
—Marcus Aurelius
That’s the root of situational clarity: the ability to observe without panic, assess without assumption, and act without ego.
The Situation Principle: Read Before You React
Here’s what great executives do differently:
- They collect perspectives, not just data. They talk to frontline staff. They sit with customers. They ask, “What are we missing?”
- They challenge the obvious. When everyone’s nodding in agreement, they play devil’s advocate—not to be contrarian, but to stay curious.
- They widen the lens. Instead of diving headfirst into decisions, they ask: “What’s the bigger story here?” or “What does this decision mean six months from now?”
This isn’t overthinking. It’s responsible thinking.
The Stoics believed that true freedom came from the ability to pause, reflect, and then act with virtue. In that spirit, a great executive doesn’t just move fast—they move wisely.
“We suffer more often in imagination than in reality.”
—Seneca
A misread situation? That’s imagination running wild with no grounding. A well-assessed one? That’s strategy rooted in clarity.
Strategic Blind Spots Are Real
Think about the companies that missed the pivot: Blockbuster. Blackberry. Kodak.
They had the talent. They had the cash.
What they lacked was honest, broad assessment.
Now flip it: look at Netflix. When streaming started, they didn’t double down on DVDs. They adapted. They assessed the shift before it was obvious.
That’s what situation-savvy executives do: they stay alert to change before it becomes a crisis.
What This Looks Like in Real Life
A CEO walks into a quarterly review and says:
“Before we go through the numbers, I want to hear from the team—what’s the thing nobody’s talking about but everyone’s feeling?”
That question shifts the room. People get honest. A new product concern surfaces—one that wasn’t in the slide deck. That CEO just bought time, trust, and better decisions.
Strategic assessment starts with listening, not just leading.
Situational Leadership in Action
If you’re in the C-suite, here’s how to build your situational awareness muscle:
- Slow down to scan. Take 15 minutes a week to review not just your projects—but your patterns. What’s consistently getting delayed? Where is tension showing up?
- Ask second-level questions. Instead of “How are sales?”, try “What’s changing in how customers are buying?”
- Create signal loops. Build feedback systems that go beyond the leadership team. Add skip-level conversations, anonymous feedback, and customer insights.
The goal isn’t omniscience. It’s orientation. The executive who can see the whole board doesn’t have to control every piece. They just need to know which move matters most—and when to make it.
The Bottom Line
Your job isn’t to predict the future. It’s to understand your present so well that your next move becomes obvious.
In the Shift Matrix, the Situation step is the foundation. It’s not flashy. It’s not loud. But it’s where true leadership begins—with awareness, humility, and the wisdom to see clearly.
