Leadership instincts can drive success, but experience can become a trap when it keeps you from adapting, listening and changing course.In this episode of Confessions of a CX Executive, I sit down with operations leader and competitive pool player April Erfman to explore an unlikely connection: what performing under pressure at a pool table can teach us about leading when the stakes are high.And no, this isn't really an episode about pool.It's about what happens when the plan doesn't work.April makes the case that instinct gets better through preparation and experience, but instinct alone isn't enough. High performers practice before the pressure arrives. They read the room. They pause when they don't have the answer. They recognize when they're out of position and adjust rather than forcing the original plan.We also get into something experienced leaders don't always like admitting:You don't know everything. And you're not supposed to.That becomes even more important when things go wrong.Different table. Same game.Great strategy doesn’t mean much if it never makes it out of the meeting. I help CX leaders turn the plan into results.If yours is stuck somewhere between strategy and execution, let’s talk. Connect with me on LinkedIn or visit https://www.cxgrowthstrategies.com/work-with-me#Leadership #HighPerformance #ExecutiveLeadership #LeadershipDevelopment #BusinessStrategy #Performance #CustomerExperience