Have you ever walked into a meeting with an executive and thought, "I've got this," only to be completely thrown of course?
We've all seen this happen. The meeting starts calm and collaborative, and all of a sudden, the temperature shifts. The exec that was nodding along is now rapid firing questions, pressing for answers, and getting straight to the point.
It's not that their personality changed mid-meeting, it's their mode.
Even the most reliable executives can change their tune in an instant, moving from expressive to analytical, or even amiable to drive. It all comes down to the pressure in the room. If you're not ready for the shift, it can throw off your entire presentation.
Preparation alone isn't enough for executive conversations. You need to be adaptable and recognize when a tone shifts, or the pace increases. Being agile is the difference between keeping your influence and losing control.
Everyone has a personality. This is who they are. Mode on the other hand is how. How are they are showing up in this moment.
We like to think of an executive's mode as the combination of their assertive energy and collaborative energy. This energy tends to shift quickly based on context, audience, or business pressure. An exec that was once collaborative and relaxed might show up with a completely different tone with no warning.
Getting familiar with these shifts allows you to adapt your approach on the fly. This way you can meet them where they are–not where you wished they'd stay.
You know you are working with an amiable executive when collaboration is high and assertiveness is low. When an executive is in the mode the tend to value connection, harmony, and personal impact to their team. Conversations with them lean towards relationships–how does this decision affect the people, culture, and morale. You might hear them say something like this:
"I appreciate all the effort your team has put in. This project will save time and mean a lot to my staff"
An executive in this mode is future-forward. They are big-picture things who thrive on energy and ideas. Bringing high levels of collaborative and assertive energy to the room. The challenge? They can lose steam fast if the conversations drifts into operational details or data-heavy slides. An expressive executive uses language like:
"This is exciting–let's talk about what it could look like a year from now!"
This mode wants to see the data. They are not driven by emotions they are driven by numbers. Their energy is low in collaboration and low in assertiveness. They are calm and collective while their minds are working fast–checking logic, structure, and proof. They are the ones who will stop the meeting and say:
"Let's revisit those projections. I want to see what assumptions are driving those numbers."
Execs in this mode want results. And they want them fast. Drivers are decisive, direct, and outcome oriented. When you see an executive switch to driver mode, it's usually because stakes just got higher. Pressure from the board, a tight deadline, or a risk that needs mitigation just got thrown into the mix. It's not uncommon to hear this:
"Get to the point. What's the impact if we don't do this now?"
Now the skill here isn't just knowing which mode you are dealing with–it's recognizing the shift.
That amiable executive can change gears into drive mode in seconds when the CFO walks into the room. The moment an expressive visionary sense risk? Analytical mode takes over. The faster you can recognize the shift, the faster you can adjust your pace, language, and focus.
This agility separates those who "just get though a meeting" and those that lead it with presence and influence.
It rare for an executive conversation to go according to plan. That's why preparation alone isn't enough.
Great influence comes from great adaptability. The ability to read the mode, adjust your tone, and align your message in real time is what earns trust and drives decisions forward.
Because when the room shifts, the best leaders don't fight it.
They shift with it.
Interested in learning how to lead more effective executive engagements? Let's talk!