Stop Being Misunderstood: Intent vs. Impact for Leaders

Most conflict doesn't start with bad intent. It starts with the gap between what you meant, what you did, and how someone else experienced it. In this episode, Shaun Dyke sits down with Stephanie Au to break down a framework called Intent → Behavior → Impact. They also cover why leaders walk away thinking "that landed great" while their teams walk away resentful, why "advertising your intent" changes everything, and how to take ownership of the felt experience you create at work and at home. Real examples inside: a CEO whose post-COVID return-to-work mandate collapsed engagement, a basketball dad whose dream quietly became his son's pressure, and the moment Stephanie's ex told her, "I don't need a coach. I need a wife." If you've ever walked away from a conversation thinking, "That's not what I meant," this one's for you. Chapters 0:00 Cold open 0:30 Why this episode matters 2:03 Stephanie's engagement (and a $1,000 wedding invite) 3:52 The framework: Intent → Behavior → Impact 7:23 Case study: the return-to-work CEO who lost the room 12:18 Counsel for the sender and the receiver 14:20 How to actually "advertise your intent" 16:21 Parenting and the intent–impact gap 18:42 Why this is a skill, not a switch 20:10 Confirmation bias and the power-distance trap 22:13 Fundamental attribution error 25:30 A sender's playbook: verbal processing & advertising intent 27:32 The curse of knowledge — start small, start safe 31:27 A leader who got it right 33:36 Final takeaway: own the felt experience 👋 ABOUT IN THE ARENA WITH DOORTWO Hosted by Shaun Dyke, Managing Partner at DoorTwo, In The Arena explores leadership through the lens of behavioral science, self-awareness, and the invisible patterns that shape how people lead. All growth starts with self-awareness. 📬 Get our weekly leadership newsletter: https://doortwo.com/signup/ 🏢 Learn more about DoorTwo and our work on our website: https://doortwo.com 🔗 Helpful links • The Arena workshops (Long Beach, CA): https://doortwo.com/the-arena/ • Executive coaching: https://doortwo.com/executive-coaching/ • Instagram: / choosedoortwo • LinkedIn: / doortwo • YouTube: / @doortwo #Leadership #InTheArena #Door2 #IntentVsImpact #ExecutiveCoaching #Communication #SelfAwareness #LeadershipDevelopment #ChangeManagement #feedbackculture Subscribe for new episodes every two weeks.