Q&A with Dr. Janet Ahn

Q&A with Dr. Janet Ahn, Founder of Prilla & Co.

Dr. Janet Ahn is the founder of Prilla & Co, a boutique behavioral science advisory that partners directly with CEOs to elevate C‑suite effectiveness. Ahead of her keynote at the Fifth Third Leadership Symposium on November 12, she answered a series of questions from the symposium team about leadership, influence, and leading through uncertainty.

Q1: What is your favorite leadership lesson?

Dr. Janet Ahn:
This is a surprisingly hard question for me, because I wish I could leave you with something profoundly inspirational—an “aha” moment. But my answer is actually very simple:

You have to be more explicit than you think you need to be.

And by that, I don’t mean overcommunicating or repeating yourself unnecessarily. I’m talking about being very clear about:

• Your standards
• Your expectations
• Your desired outcomes
• And why things are changing in the business

When leaders assume that people will “just get it” or understand implicitly, they leave a gap. That gap gets filled with stories and narratives in people’s minds—and that’s where confusion and organizational misalignment come from.

So my favorite leadership lesson is: just be really clear. Far clearer than you initially think is necessary.

Q2: What is one leadership myth you wish people would stop believing?

Dr. Janet Ahn:
A myth I hear over and over is:

“You’re not a leader if you don’t hold a formal leadership title or role.”

That couldn’t be further from the truth.

There’s an important distinction between:

• Power – the ability to control resources
• Status – the ability to influence

You can have tremendous influence without a formal leadership title or direct reports. An individual contributor can shape thinking, drive decisions, and impact culture.

No matter what role you’re in, there is a leadership role you can play and real impact you can have in your organization.

Q3: As you work with leaders across industries, what continues to surprise you?

Dr. Janet Ahn:
It’s less “surprising” and more perplexing.

Right now, the public narrative—at least in what I see in my own feeds—often paints leaders in a negative light. And to be clear, I’m not denying that there are toxic managers and leaders out there; they do exist.

But what gets overlooked is the vast majority of leaders I encounter:

• Good
• Humble
• Honest
• Showing up every day
• Trying to do what’s right for both the business and their team

The perplexing part is the gap between the loud, negative stories that get a lot of attention and the quieter reality of so many good leaders doing meaningful, responsible work every day. That disconnect is what stands out to me.

Q4: Without giving away too much from your keynote, what are you especially excited to share with the audience?

Dr. Janet Ahn:
One core idea I’m excited to explore more deeply on November 12 is this:

“You always have more control than you think.”

One of the worst things that can happen to a leader is slipping into the mindset that:

• Things are happening to them, not because of them
• They’re unable to self-direct
• They can’t act freely or autonomously
• They almost become a victim of their own circumstances

Even in difficult, volatile environments, there is always something you can own and control—your mindset, your choices, your behaviors, the way you lead others through the moment.

I’m particularly excited to unpack what it means to reclaim that sense of agency as a leader, no matter how challenging your context is.

Q5: Why should people sign up for the Fifth Third Leadership Symposium?

Dr. Janet Ahn:
I have two simple reasons.

1. Come because it’s going to be fun.
That alone is a perfectly good reason to go anywhere. This event will be energizing, engaging, and enjoyable.

2. Come to be part of something bigger than yourself.
If you’re leading people through change, uncertainty, or transformation—and realistically, that’s all of us right now—this symposium is for you.

You’ll find:

• Concrete ways to protect yourself and your team during turbulent times
• A community of leaders who are navigating similar challenges
• The sense that you don’t have to do this alone—you can do it together