An Essential Leadership Skill: The Consultative Approach

Leading with Expert and a Listening Mindset

Ever worked with a leader who always thinks they’re right… but never really listens?

In the corporate world, leadership isn’t just about confidence. It’s about balancing assertiveness with awareness—leading with both expertise and empathy.

Too much confidence without sensitivity? You alienate your team. Too much sensitivity without confidence? You lose credibility.

At ARC, we help corporate leaders develop a consultative mindset—one that balances confidence in self with sensitivity to others. Through our leadership development programs, we use the Consultative Approach Framework to shape more effective leaders.

This framework helps leaders identify their approach based on two key dimensions: Confidence in Self and Sensitivity to Others

(Highlighting each quadrant one by one)

• Low confidence, low sensitivity? That’s Disconnect—where leaders fail to engage or inspire their teams.

• High confidence, low sensitivity? That’s Arrogance (Expert Mindset)—where leaders dominate discussions but miss team insights.

• Low confidence, high sensitivity? That’s Agree & Follow—where leaders avoid tough decisions to maintain harmony.

• And the ideal zone? Consultative—where expertise meets listening, creating trust and impact.

Great leadership isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about knowing when to lead and when to listen.

Are you leading with a consultative mindset? Let’s make it happen.

Watch Nidhi Chavan(Solutioning Specialist) Explaining the Consultative Approach