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You’re in the exec meeting. You finally have the floor and share a story you’ve chosen carefully, something that proves a point, that shows what’s really going on.
But halfway through, a colleague jumps in: “Oh, that reminds me of when we…”
And suddenly, it’s their story. Their airtime.
Your point vanishes into thin air.
So frustrating, isn’t it? “Why do they always have to hijack the story just to make themselves look smart?”
Honestly, it stings. It can feel like they’re trying to undercut you.
But are they?
Here’s what might be going on:
In leadership teams, airtime is currency.
It signals relevance, influence, status.
So when someone hijacks your story, it’s not necessarily to undercut you. Often, it’s a move to prove they belong. It’s insecurity wrapped in performance.
And if we’re honest, it’s not even unusual.
Every one of us has done it at some point.
You hear a story, it triggers one of your own, and you can’t resist. You jump in to contribute, to connect, to show you’ve got something valuable too.
Seen through that lens, the hijack is less about malice and more about need. The need to be heard. The need to be seen.
So what do you do?
You don’t win by fighting for airtime harder. You win by using your airtime to turn the spotlight around.
Instead of keeping it on yourself, you point it forward.
Onto the team. Onto the path ahead.
Making them feel seen. Nurturing a sense of belonging.
As long as airtime feels like it’s about individuals, people will fight for it. But when you turn it toward the group, the fight disappears.
Because when people feel the spotlight includes them, they stop grabbing for it.
Keep lighting the path!
PS: Join us tomorrow for an exclusive live session on How to Lead with Clarity, even when “the system” doesn’t seem to want it.
