Leading Up Without Undermining
How to Challenge Without Breaking Trust
Second Chair leaders often walk the tightrope.
How do you bring challenges, concerns, or better ideas to your First Chair without coming across as combative or disloyal? It’s possible, but it requires both courage and care. Leading up well means remembering your role: you’re there to add value, not to take the wheel.
- That means framing challenges in the language of shared mission, not personal agenda.
- It means asking questions that open dialogue instead of delivering ultimatums.
- It means handling disagreements privately, not letting your frustrations spill in front of the team.
Ask Yourself:
If you’re a Second Chair:
- Is what I want to bring up about me, or about the mission?
- Am I offering a solution and not just pointing out a problem?
If you’re a First Chair:
- Do I view the challenge as a partnership opportunity, or do I see it as opposition?
- How can I create a space for my Second Chair to share tough truths with me?
Leading up is one of the most valuable gifts a Second Chair can give. Done with wisdom, it deepens trust instead of undermining it.
You’re not alone:
Download the Second Chair Clarity Guide, your tool to define and lead from your lane.
Or book a free Discovery Call and we’ll walk through your real-world leadership tensions together.
Two Chairs | One Mission
Where trust grows and leadership multiplies.
