Monaco’s international community gathered for a thought-provoking leadership talk at the Club des Résidents Étrangers de Monaco on Tuesday, January 20, where executive coach Gavin Sharpe challenged some of the most entrenched assumptions about success and authority.
Addressing residents and business leaders, Sharpe drew on his dual background as an entrepreneur and advisor to senior executives to examine the hidden obstacles that can quietly limit even high-achieving leaders. He explored a range of common pitfalls, from perfectionism and micromanagement to the tendency to overload top performers, before turning his focus to what he described as the most deceptive trap of all: success itself.
According to Sharpe, repeated success can distort self-perception, encouraging leaders to overestimate their effectiveness and rely too heavily on past wins as proof of competence in all situations. This mindset, he warned, can become a blind spot that hinders growth rather than enabling it.
A key theme of the evening was vulnerability. Sharpe argued that innovation and creativity often suffer when leaders cling to control or avoid showing uncertainty. He urged senior figures to set the tone by admitting mistakes and asking for help, a suggestion that resonated with the audience and prompted a moment of collective recognition.
Sharpe also highlighted how excessive involvement in day-to-day decisions can erode trust and collaboration within teams. As leaders rise, he noted, they often struggle to step back, even when doing so would empower others and improve outcomes.
The discussion closed on the issue of isolation at the top. Sharpe observed that as responsibilities increase, the mechanisms that once supported development — honest feedback, challenge and reflection — frequently fall away. This gap inspired him to co-found the Monaco Business Circle alongside Savills Monaco, a not-for-profit initiative designed to support senior leaders in the Principality, with proceeds donated to charity.
Ultimately, Sharpe reframed leadership itself, arguing that it is not defined by title or position, but by influence. Anyone who shapes how others think or act, he concluded, is a leader — and therefore susceptible to blind spots.
