Why Do Some Leaders Ace the Interview—and Others Get a Polite “We’ll Be in Touch”?
You leave an interview thinking, “I nailed it—they asked, I answered,” only to get a rejection.
Meanwhile, someone else with a similar resume gets the offer.
The reason? Most leaders don’t lose interviews because of lack of experience. They lose because their stories sound like everyone else’s.
You describe your projects, your teams, your deliverables. But so does every other candidate. At the VP or executive level, competence isn’t enough. You have to show what makes you different, memorable, and valuable.
That’s where the LEAD framework comes in.
Why Generic Stories Cost You the Job
Interviewers hear dozens of similar answers:
- “We delivered the platform ahead of schedule.”
- “I managed a team through a tough stakeholder negotiation.”
Good—but forgettable.
At the executive level, hiring managers are comparing candidates with nearly identical resumes. If your answers are safe and generic, you blend in. Worse, you leave the interviewer guessing:
- Did they really drive change, or just execute the plan?
- Could they handle high-stakes chaos?
- Would they think like an executive, or stay in the weeds?
The candidate who tells sharper, structured, and memorable stories wins.
LEAD: A Better Way to Answer Interview Questions
The LEAD model helps you deliver clear, high-impact answers that stand out in competitive interviews.
L – Launch with Impact
Open strong. Start with the business stakes or the value at risk.
“We nearly lost a $1M client, but by rebuilding trust, we not only kept the account—we grew it to $1.5M. Here’s how…”
This immediately tells the interviewer, “This is a story worth listening to.”
E – Excerpt Only
Give a tight 30–60 second summary. Hit the essentials—challenge, action, outcome. Skip the long step-by-step.
“The challenge was losing client confidence after a failed release. I built a cross-functional response team, restructured our communication process, and within 2 quarters, client satisfaction scores hit a record high. That win unlocked contract expansion.”
A – Assess Interest
Don’t overshare. End your summary by giving the interviewer the option to go deeper.
“That’s the high-level overview. I’m happy to share more details if it’s helpful.”
This shows confidence and executive poise—you can go into detail, but you don’t need to flood them with it.
D – Direct Connection
Finish by linking the story back to the role you’re interviewing for.
“I noticed that strengthening client relationships is a top priority for this role. Would that be one of the first initiatives you’d expect me to lead?”
This shifts the story from your past to their future.
Why LEAD Works
Instead of a generic “competence” story, LEAD positions you as:
- A leader who sees the stakes.
- A communicator who delivers answers with clarity and impact.
- A strategist who connects their past results to the company’s future needs.
It transforms you from “just another candidate” into the person already thinking like an executive on their team.
Action Steps: Make LEAD Your Default
- Write down your top 3 career wins.
- Reframe each one using LEAD:
- Launch with impact
- Excerpt the essentials
- Assess interest
- Direct connection to the role
- Practice answering in under 2 minutes.
- Test your delivery with a peer or mentor: Does it sound memorable and unique?
Notes from Drew
At the executive level, everyone can manage projects. What gets you hired is proving you can lead through complexity, deliver impact, and tie your results to the company’s mission.
The LEAD model helps you do exactly that—clear, concise, and memorable.
So before your next interview, don’t just prepare answers. Prepare LEAD stories. That’s how you stand out—and that’s how you move up.
