What if the biggest barrier to leadership growth isn’t lack of skill — but lack of honesty with ourselves?

In this episode of Leadership: The Secret Sauce, Matt Dodson and Dave Lipski sit down with leadership coach and researcher Abhijit Bhattacharya to explore the role of self-honesty, presence, and discomfort in real transformation.

Abhijit shares his personal turning point — walking away from a secure path that didn’t align with who he truly was — and how that experience shaped his work helping leaders make better decisions, especially when clarity is low and stakes are high.

Together, they explore why many leaders unknowingly pursue borrowed aspirations, why coaching is less about tools and more about presence, and how trust and hope form the true foundation of leadership in today’s world.

In this conversation, you’ll discover:

1. Why coaching is a safe space for discomfort — not comfort

2. How radical self-honesty shapes better leadership decisions

3. What leaders must relearn about trust and hope after COVID

4. Why presence matters more than frameworks in coaching conversations

5. The difference between real human relationship and AI simulation

6. How silence and reflection create deeper insight

This episode is a powerful reminder that leadership transformation doesn’t come from more information. It comes from the courage to face what is true.