"Show Me The Data" - When Your CEO Can't See What's Right in Front of Him

You see it. You feel it. You know it's impacting everything.

But how do you quantify the unquantifiable?

The scenario: You're watching culture issues ripple through your organization. You can trace them back to leadership patterns—his communication style, decision-making triggers, the energy he brings to the room.

But when you try to address it? "I need to see data before we invest time in this."

Here's what you're up against:

The CEO Success Paradox • He got here by pushing through doubt and powering past resistance • Data and metrics have been his North Star for every major decision • But personal blindspots don't show up in dashboards • The very analytical thinking that built the business can't solve this problem

Why the data he wants doesn't exist: → Culture is felt before it's measured → His blindspot is literally what he cannot see about himself → People have learned not to bring him feedback that challenges his operating system
→ The real impact shows up as "other people problems" in distant parts of the org

The frustrating truth: You're being asked to prove something that's invisible to the person who most needs to see it.

What you know but can't easily prove: • That tense energy in leadership meetings isn't just "healthy debate" • People are editing themselves in ways that stifle innovation • His "direct communication style" is creating psychological safety issues three levels down • The turnover in certain departments isn't about compensation

Your dilemma: How do you create urgency around something he genuinely cannot see—especially when he's asking for the very type of evidence that doesn't capture the problem?

You're not imagining this. You're not being "too soft" or "overthinking it."

You're seeing the invisible forces that shape everything.

Senior leaders: How do you navigate this? What's worked when you've faced the "show me the data" response to culture challenges?

Write to me and let me know how you’re currently handling this: jim@empoweredfemaleleaders.com.