The Narrative Validation Audit
by Donna Lichaw • Executive Coach and Author at Donna Lichaw Coaching
Former product manager and designer turned executive coach who helps founders and CEOs scale their leadership. She is the author of 'The User's Journey' and 'The Leader's Journey', known for applying product thinking and storytelling frameworks to leadership development.
🎙️ Episode Context
Donna Lichaw explores the intersection of product management and leadership development, introducing the concept of 'Story-Driven Leadership'. She explains how the narratives leaders tell themselves act as operating systems that dictate success or failure. The conversation covers tactical frameworks for identifying personal 'superpowers' and 'kryptonite', reframing imposter syndrome through a functional lens, and applying product discovery techniques to personal growth.
Problem It Solves
Leaders often operate under false internal narratives (e.g., 'I'm too nice', 'No one listens to me') that limit their effectiveness and create self-fulfilling prophecies.
Framework Overview
A framework that treats self-perception as a hypothesis that must be validated through 'user research' with colleagues. It replaces internal assumptions with data-driven reality to adjust leadership behavior.
🧠 Framework Structure
Identify the Story: Explicitly write ...
Conduct User Research: Interview peer...
Analyze the Delta: Compare your inter...
Co-Create the New Ending: If a defici...
When to Use
When you feel stuck in a specific behavioral pattern or receive vague feedback like 'be more strategic' or 'speak up more'.
Common Mistakes
Assuming your internal insecurity matches external reality without collecting data.
Real World Example
A CEO believed he was 'too nice' and 'not taken seriously.' Research revealed his team loved his kindness but felt frustrated when he didn't delegate vision, leading to a shift in how he engaged rather than a personality overhaul.
The most effective stories are the ones that we tell ourselves. They may or may not be true; our brain doesn't know the difference.
— Donna Lichaw