It’s spooky season—that time of year when everything from the neighbor’s yard to our inboxes is full of ghosts, ghouls, and people trying to scare us into buying pumpkin spice candles.

But the scariest thing for leaders?
Not monsters.  Not markets.  It’s losing their way.

Because truly effective and impactful leadership—the kind that endures—demands something far rarer than brains or talent.  It takes grit:  That magical blend of passion and perseverance that keeps us moving toward a purpose even when the fog rolls in, the lights flicker, and every shortcut looks tempting.

Psychologist Angela Duckworth defines grit as the “passion for long-term goals, like loving something and staying in love with it” married with perseverance to long term goals. 

That’s not just poetic, it’s profoundly practical.  Purpose-driven leaders understand this at a deep, soul level.  They’ve found their North Star, and even when the night gets dark, they don’t stop walking.

The Dark Swamp of Despair (and Other Fun Leadership Landmarks)
Duckworth describes what every achiever faces sooner or later: “the dark swamp of despair.”  It’s that place where enthusiasm fades, results lag, and your brilliant initiative starts to look like Frankenstein’s monster, stitched together and stumbling forward mostly out of stubbornness.

Sound familiar?

That’s where grit shows up.

It’s what keeps you practicing, refining, and showing up again when the world says, “Maybe it’s time to move on.”

But here’s the twist:  Grit doesn’t exist in a vacuum.  It feeds on purpose.  Without a sense of “why,” perseverance turns into mere endurance.  And endurance without meaning burns leaders out faster than a jack-o’-lantern left in the Texas sun.

Purpose Is the Fuel; Grit is the Engine
Purpose-driven leadership gives grit its direction.  It transforms hard days into meaningful days and obstacles into opportunities to live out our values.

When leaders reconnect with purpose—whether it’s developing others, serving a community, or shaping a vision larger than themselves—they find the motivation to get back up, again and again.

And when teams see their leader moving forward with conviction and heart, it spreads. Purpose-driven grit is contagious. It’s what turns a group of individuals into a unified force capable of remarkable things — and keeps them inspired long after the novelty wears off.

Your North Star is Still There
So this month, as the nights get longer and the calendar gets busier, take a quiet moment to look up.  Remind yourself why you started.  Name your North Star.  Then, no matter how many ghosts of doubt or goblins of distraction come knocking — keep going.

Because leadership isn’t about never getting lost.  It’s about remembering what you’re walking toward.

Celebrating the end of 64—and the beginning of 65
On September 30, I celebrate what most people call my 64th birthday.  Friends will wish me a happy one, my family will sing to me, and I’ll likely enjoy some cake.  But recently, while watching a video (below) featuring Dot Fisher-Smith, a 96-year-old artist and activist, I realized something powerful:  I’m not just celebrating my 64th birthday, I’m marking the completion of my 64th year and the beginning of my 65th.

Think about it:  When a baby turns "one year old," it's the completion of that first year of life.  But, it's also the beginning of the second year.  Maybe I'm just really  slow, but maybe you haven't quite thought of it this way either.

It’s a subtle shift in perspective, but it really struck me.

This tiny reframing—birthday as “completion day” rather than simply “age marker”—stopped me in my tracks.  I felt both a sense of awe and a deeper appreciation for the years I’ve lived and the possibilities that lie ahead.  And it reminded me:  So much of leadership, growth, and life itself is about perception shifts.

The Power of Perception Shifts
Throughout my life, I’ve experienced dozens of shifts in perception.  Some were sudden and life-altering, like divorce, career changes, or becoming a father again.  Others were gradual, born of research, reflection, or conversations that nudged me to see the world differently.  Still others came through feedback and the sometimes uncomfortable mirror others hold up for us.

These shifts reshaped how I viewed myself, others, beliefs and belief systems, and what was possible.  They were invitations to grow.

Leaders experience this too.  Consider the executive who, after years of doing most of the talking in meetings, suddenly recognizes the power of listening.  Or the manager who, after receiving candid feedback, realizes their “helpfulness” sometimes undermines the autonomy of their team.  Or the professional who sees that the very strength that helped them succeed early in their career is now the barrier to their next level of effectiveness.

In each case, nothing in the external world changed overnight, but their perception did.  And with that shift, behavior and results followed.

Seeking Awe in the Ordinary
Dot and the video’s narrator both speak about “awe” and that's something that really resonates deeply with me.  Awe and wonder are bundled together as one of my core values.  

Awe is that complexity of feelings such as admiration, amazement, astonishment, awakening, bewilderment, feeling small or insignificant, lost in thought, meditative and/or contemplative, or reverence—sometimes all at once—often triggered by the vast and the mysterious.

Wonder is a consequence of awe—when you’re trying to figure out what produced the awe.  It adds a a state of curiosity and a desire to understand.

What’s fascinating is that awe often arises not from extraordinary events, but from ordinary ones seen in a new way, like a birthday.  Think of a sunrise you’ve seen countless times, until one day you pause long enough to notice its colors and textures, and you feel a surge of awe and wonder.  Or the moment you look at a familiar relationship differently and recognize the gift it truly is.

In leadership, awe can come when you realize your influence has rippled farther than you imagined, or when you witness someone you’ve coached achieve a breakthrough.  Sometimes, it arrives when you see your own journey differently, like reframing a birthday as the completion of a year rather than simply the start of another.

Awe, in other words, can be born of perception shifts.

Leading with Perception Shifts
Leaders who actively pursue new information, feedback, and developmental opportunities, position themselves for these kinds of breakthroughs.  They invite shifts in perspective rather than resisting them.  

• Feedback becomes less about criticism and more about clarity.
• Development is not remedial but catalytic.
• Curiosity becomes a superpower, opening doors to perspectives they didn’t know existed.

And when leaders model perception shifts openly, their teams are encouraged to do the same.  Cultures of learning, adaptability, and resilience often grow from leaders willing to say, “I used to see it this way... and now I see it differently.”

The Gift of 65
So, on my birthday, I’ll celebrate more than just 64 candles.  I’ll celebrate the awe that comes from completing another trip around the sun.  I’ll celebrate the perception shifts that got me here.  And I’ll celebrate the invitation to lean into the 65th year of life with wonder, curiosity, and a healthy sense of humor about the whole thing.

Because if there’s one thing I’ve learned in six and a half decades, it’s this:  Life doesn’t stop shifting our perceptions.  And life and leadership doesn’t stop asking us to grow.

Here’s to awe, wonder, and the courage to keep seeing differently.

Watch the video that shifted my perception, 96 Years of WISDOM: The 3 Lessons That Will Make You Feel Awe, here:

Let’s talk about trees.

They’re strong. Tall. Reaching. Majestic. Often symbolic of stability, growth, and legacy. Leaders and leadership teams often want to be like trees—visible, fruitful, and unwavering through the seasons.

But here’s the truth: No tree grows without roots.

And no team thrives without tending to the invisible forces that feed and stabilize it.

That’s where Queen Quet’s wisdom hits home: “You must take care of the root to heal the tree.”

It’s elegant. It’s ancient. And for today’s leaders? It’s urgent.

The  Tree is the Leadership Team
You may be the CEO, the department head, or part of the senior leadership team steering the ship. In this metaphor, you and your peers are the tree. Visible to the organization. Responsible for bearing fruit, providing shelter, and enduring storms.

But if that leadership team is splintered, unclear, or transactional—even if it "looks fine" from the outside—the rot begins below. People feel it before they can name it. Performance suffers. Culture turns brittle. Turnover creeps in. Disengagement festers.

Healing and growth won’t come from pruning branches or repainting bark. It starts at the root.

So, what lives in the roots of a strong, healthy leadership team?

The Anatomy of the Root System
1. Shared Purpose
This is the taproot. Without clarity of why you exist as a team and organization there’s no direction, no cohesion, and certainly no inspiration. And that's not hitting metrics, protecting turf, or profits.  Like Simon Sinek says, "Profit isn’t a purpose, it’s a result. Purpose is the reason we do the thing that makes the profit."  Purpose fuels every other root.

2. Service-Oriented Leadership
The best leaders don’t hoard the sunlight—they become part of the ecosystem. They serve the mission, their people, and each other. When ego eclipses service, rot sets in fast.

3. Gratitude & Recognition
Gratitude isn’t fluff; it’s fertilizer. Teams that consistently recognize one another create psychological nutrients: safety, respect, and resilience. Practicing gratitude is directly tied to happiness and wellbeing.  And yes, this starts at the top.

4. Trust & Psychological Safety
Let’s not kid ourselves. If people around the table aren’t speaking up, pushing back, or showing vulnerability, you’re leading in shallow soil. Safety is silent strength. Trust is the root that lets others grow.

5. Real Relationships
You don’t have to be best friends, but if your relationships are purely transactional, the roots won’t hold. Invest time in knowing each other as humans, not just titles. Roots entangle. That’s what makes them strong. Strong relationships at work boost engagement and all that comes with that.

6. Self-Awareness & Reflection
Leaders who never look in the mirror are the first to point fingers. Healthy teams include people committed to growth—not just professionally, but personally. When leaders reflect, teams renew. True self-awareness doesn't blossom without feedback.  Research demonstrates that those leaders who seek the most feedback are also the most effective leaders.

7. Integrity & Accountability
Alignment between word and deed is a non-negotiable.  When leaders say one thing and do another, they poison the root system.  Like Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner wrote and say, "Before you can walk the talk, you have to clearly know what the talk is."  Get clear on who you are as a a leader, your core values, and the principles you believe in.  Accountability isn’t punitive—it’s a form of nourishment. It's how we learn and grow.

8. A Learning Culture
The best trees are still growing—and it's the same with leadership teams. When curiosity dies, so does innovation. Learning must be baked into your culture, not on the eternal "next fiscal year" cycle. The best leadership teams always have an eye and ear for developing others.

9. Values in Action
You’ve got values? Great. Are they laminated on a wall or lived in the hall? When values show up in behavior, not just branding, the root system deepens and spreads. And let me open your eyes, strong research demonstrated years ago that it's personal core values, not organizational values, that drive things like organizational commitment, performance, satisfaction, and retention. If you want to learn how to help team members identify their personal core values, give me a shout. I've got a fantastic system in my Purpose-Driven Leadership Program.

10. Inclusivity & Diverse Perspectives
Monoculture is fragile. Root systems that are diverse, inclusive, and open to new perspectives are exponentially more adaptive and resilient.

Roots Are Messy.  So Is Leadership
Here’s the hard truth: You don’t get to grow towering, flourishing leadership teams without digging in the dirt. And roots don’t fix themselves.

If your team is burned out, cynical, or more focused on status than service, it’s time to stop patching the leaves and look below the surface. Maybe it's time for real, brave conversations. Maybe it’s time for alignment work, deeper development, or honest reflection about what you're actually cultivating together.

Because you are cultivating something. Whether it’s trust or fear, collaboration or competition, purpose or politics—the soil doesn’t lie. And sooner or later, the fruit (or the lack of it) will reveal the truth.

The good news? Root systems are incredibly resilient when cared for. And when they’re healthy, the whole forest thrives.

So, pause. Dig deep. Ask yourself and your team: What kind of roots are we growing?

Until next time, take care of the root... and watch the whole tree come alive.

In January 2009, I stood holding a plaque I hadn’t expected to receive: the “You Make the Difference Superstar Award” for outstanding service to the Texas Gulf Coast Business Unit at Quest Diagnostics.  At the time, I was a Training Specialist, focused on systems, curriculum, and delivery.  I wasn’t thinking about leadership development. Coaching was not on my radar.  Organizational development?  I didn't even know what that was.

But my boss, Barbara Nance, saw something I didn’t.

A couple of years before, I had successfully designed and launched a major training plan for Patient Services and she didn’t just thank me—she invited me into deeper waters.  Bigger projects.  More strategic roles.  She asked me to develop a frontline leadership development program.  And then she asked if I would be open to coaching a couple of frontline leaders. 

Now, let's be clear.  She 𝘢𝘴𝘬𝘦𝘥 if I would do these things.  I didn't have to.  They were well beyond the role and job description I held.  But like Maslow points out in our opening quote, I had two options.  I chose growth.  Barbara didn’t just delegate work; she invested in belief. 

And that belief changed everything.

What began as a successful training specialist role transformed into a calling.  I began to realize the power of supporting leaders directly—helping them develop their confidence, competence, and clarity.  I discovered my own purpose in helping others discover theirs.

Those early moments in developing leadership development curriculum and coaching set the trajectory for where I am now, partnering with leaders who want to make a positive difference in the world.  It took a leader with insight into my potential, trust in my beliefs and abilities, and a desire to further build up and serve her team.  It took me having a growth mindset.

It became my turn to be that spark for others.

Since those days at Quest Diagnostics, I went on to serve as a Senior Organizational Development Specialist for one of the largest faith-based, nonprofit healthcare systems in the US, further developing my knowledge, skills, and experience—and influence.  And while I've tried to lean into being semi-retired, hanging up my own shingle and opening my private practice gives me the opportunity to continue to be that spark by serving leaders and their teams.

I’ve been honored to work with leaders across industries—from the frontline to the C-suite—helping them grow not just their skills, but their mindset, energy, and impact.  I’ve seen what happens when someone believes in a leader who’s lost their spark.  I've watched accidental leaders thrust into their first leadership roles without the necessary skills, training, or preparation come out on the other side with confidence, competence, and effectiveness.  I’ve seen the transformation that can happen when leaders leverage purpose-driven leadership within their leadership and with their team.  I bear witness in awe and wonder when the right kind of support shows up at the right moment. 

Maybe you're a leader who's feeling stuck, stretched too thin, or uncertain about the road ahead. Or maybe you’re responsible for a team that’s struggling with engagement, impact, or alignment.  You know there’s potential—but it’s buried under the weight of daily pressures.

That’s where coaching and leadership development come in—not as quick fixes, but as catalysts for sustainable change.

Sometimes, all it takes is a conversation.  A question that shifts perspective.  A framework that unlocks clarity.  A coach who believes in you until you believe in yourself again.

 Great leaders don’t have all the answers—but they ask better questions. 

One of the best is:  “What kind of leader does my team need me to be right now?”

If that’s a hard question to answer—you’re not alone.  That’s where the work begins.

Leadership begins long before strategic plans are drawn or decisions are made.  It begins in a place far less obvious, deep inside the wiring of our brains.

As leaders, we often assume our decisions are made through careful, deliberate thought.  Yet, neuroscience paints a different, and humbling, picture.  Research shows that 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 1–2% of our brain activity is conscious.  The other 98–99% runs automatically—𝗼𝘂𝘁𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀.  A full 95% 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 are automatic and unconscious!  This shapes everything from what we notice, to what we believe, to how we lead.

Nikolas Dimitriadis and Alexandros Psychogios put it bluntly in their book, 𝘕𝘦𝘶𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴: 𝘈 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯-𝘢𝘥𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘢𝘤𝘩 (emphasis added):

In leadership, that reality has enormous consequences.

The Silent Force Driving Decisions
Imagine trying to lead a team while piloting an aircraft you can only control 1-2 % of the time.  That's leadership without self-awareness.

The brain evolved first for survival, not thoughtful decision-making.  It prioritizes speed and efficiency over complex reflection.  While this was perfect for escaping predators, today it often leads to leaders reacting out of habit rather than responding thoughtfully to challenges.

Consider this:

• The conscious brain processes about 40–2,000 bits of information per second.
• The automatic (unconscious) brain processes up to 𝟮𝟬 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱 and does it 500,000 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 !

In short, the autopilot is not just on—it’s dominant.

Here's a short story or fable that illustrates just how powerful unconscious beliefs, excuses, and assumptions can be.

Leaders are no different.
Many of the habits, assumptions, and limitations shaping our leadership today were formed years, sometimes decades ago.  Left unexamined, these invisible 'ropes' quietly determine how we approach decisions, risks, relationships, feedback, innovation, and growth.

The real tragedy?  The elephant’s limitations are no longer real.  Neither are many of ours.

Three Way Leaders Can Reclaim the Brain
Awareness is not a luxury in leadership — it’s a necessity.  Here are three powerful ways to start taking back the reins from autopilot:

1. Slow Down the Moment
Before reacting, especially under stress, pause.  A single deep breath can create the space to move from reflexive reaction to conscious choice. 

A gap exists between all stimuli and all responses.  Expand that gap by giving yourself space to choose.  Take a short timeout, take that deep breath, and ask yourself, "What's my purpose in this moment?"  True authentic leadership is expressed one decision at a time. 

Sometimes, there is only enough time for a deep breath.  Other times that 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 be different—so take advantage of that to elevate your leadership.  When appropriate, you can even excuse yourself for a timeout and reset any automatic self-defeating thoughts, assumptions, excuses, or beliefs.  This greatly increases the chances of responding more authentically and effectively and with greater clarity of meaning and purpose.

2. Question the Old Ropes
Ask yourself: "Is this belief serving me today?"  Many leadership habits were once survival strategies.  Today, they may be outdated.  Courageously challenge assumptions that limit your effectiveness or authenticity. 

Wayne Dyer used to say that when confronting excuses or old beliefs and assumptions to ask yourself, "Is this 100% true?"  Of course, no excuse, belief, or assumption is.  Not necessarily being true is what makes it an excuse, belief, or assumption.  So if it could be true or not true, ask yourself, "What's the opposite of this excuse, belief, or assumption?"  Which of those two thoughts will best serve you?  Which will help you to get you closer to  your goal or objective?

For example, Brian is facing giving one of his direct reports, Jeremy, some needed critical feedback.  He thinks that Jeremy is going to be resistant, negative, and closed-off.  As he prepares for this conversation, he asks himself, "What's the opposite of these assumptions?"  That Jeremy is not resistant, negative, or closed-off.  And even if he's somewhat of any of those, maybe he has some good reasons for that.

Now which set of assumptions sets Brian up for a more effective, authentic, and successful conversation?  Which set of assumptions would Jeremy respond best to?  There's no guarantee, but at least he's in a much better mindset with the latter as he prepares for and engages in that conversation.  He might start by being more curious and asking questions rather than jumping right into the critical feedback.

3. Train the Brain
Awareness is like a muscle — it strengthens with use.  Simple practices like daily reflection, mindful pauses, or journaling about decisions can rewire the brain toward greater conscious leadership over time.

One of the quickest and most powerful strategies I've discovered is the Book-end Your Day ritual.  In the morning, review your Life Mission/Leadership Philosophy statement—even if it's just one or two elements of it, like a particular core value or leadership principle.  Ask yourself, "How am I going to show up with that and live that today?"  It only takes a few moments—and it's free.

Then right before you go to bed, review it again.  This time ask yourself, "What are three times I lived my Life Mission/Leadership Philosophy well today?  What's one time I didn't and what can I learn from that?"  I know leaders who journal this so they can go back at some point in the future to reflect and relearn some old lessons.

Your Leadership Journey Starts Here
If leadership is at its heart a thinking act, then thinking about your thinking—metacognition—is leadership at its finest.  This month, I encourage you to notice where your own autopilot kicks in.  Challenge an old rope.  Choose a new response.

Each small act of awareness is a giant step towards the leader you’re meant to be.

If you’re a leader who dreams of a smooth, problem-free path to success, I have some news for you: That’s not leadership—that’s retirement.  And even then, I hear golf scores can be a real problem.
 
The reality?  Success isn’t found in avoiding problems. It’s forged in facing them head-on.  M. Scott Peck, MD, put it perfectly:  "Problems call forth our courage and our wisdom; indeed, they create our courage and wisdom."  If that’s the case, then congratulations!  Every issue you’re dealing with right now is a leadership gym, building the mental and emotional muscles you need to thrive.
 
The Myth of the Easy Path
Too often, leaders fall into the trap of thinking that if they just work hard enough, plan well enough, or hire the right people, the problems will disappear.  But leadership isn’t about eliminating problems—it’s about getting better at solving them.  Rather than wishing for fewer problems; the best leaders level up their ability to tackle them.
 
Think of the leaders you admire.  Are they the ones who had everything handed to them?  Or are they the ones who faced challenges, pivoted when necessary, and turned obstacles into stepping stones?  The difference between mediocre leadership and great leadership isn’t the absence of difficulties—it’s the attitude toward them.
 
Problems Are the Curriculum of Leadership
Students and teachers in Texas, my wife and boys included, are gearing up for the annual STAAR test.  Imagine a school where students never had to solve a single problem.  No math equations, no science experiments, no history essays to analyze.  Would you expect those students to be prepared for real life?  Of course not.  And yet, we sometimes expect leadership to be different.  We wish for smooth sailing, not realizing that the very waves we’re navigating are shaping us into stronger captains.
 
Problems are the curriculum of leadership.  Every crisis is a case study.  Every tough conversation is a lesson in emotional intelligence.  Every unexpected setback is an advanced course in resilience.  And just like in school, growth isn’t optional—it’s required.
 
From Frustration to Fuel
Let’s be honest: Problems can be frustrating.  But what if you shifted your mindset?  Instead of seeing problems as interruptions, see them as invitations.  Each one is an opportunity to refine your skills, deepen your wisdom, and lead with greater impact.

Here’s how:

1. Reframe the Challenge – Instead of thinking, “Why is this happening to me?” try asking, “What is this trying to teach me?”
   
2. Lean into Your Why - Remind yourself why you're a leader; why you get up each day; of the positive difference you're trying to make in the world.
3. Lean into Your Values - Who do you really want to be?  How are your personal core values going to guide you through this problem or challenge?
4. Embrace the Process – Success is not the absence of problems but the mastery of problem-solving—and if you don't have a process, find or develop an effective problem-solving process that works for you and gets you better outcomes.
5. Seek Growth, Not Comfort – The best leaders aren’t comfortable; they’re constantly evolving—and true growth and development means facing issues and challenges and getting outside your comfort zone.  It might even mean seeking the input of others. That could even be a leadership development expert and coach.  Hint. Hint.

The Leadership Legacy
 Leaders who make the biggest impact are those who confront challenges with courage, creativity, and a touch of humor.  They don’t shrink from problems; they rise to meet them. 

So the next time you find yourself knee-deep in a leadership mess, take a deep breath, crack a smile, and remember: Success is a problem.  And that’s exactly why you’re the right leader to solve it.

March is Employee Spirit Month and next Friday, March 7 is Employee Appreciation Day.

It's sad, but Gallup found that only one in three employees strongly agree that in the last week they have received recognition or praise for doing good work.  You’d think appreciation would be second nature for leaders. After all, great work deserves recognition, right?  Yet, too many leaders either forget, assume employees “just know” they’re valued, or worse, believe that a paycheck is appreciation enough.  

Spoiler alert: It’s not.

The Hidden Cost of Neglecting Recognition
 Research by Great Place to Work found that the number one driver of great work isn’t money, promotions, or training—it’s recognition.  In fact, 37% of employees said being recognized is what motivates them most.

And here’s where it gets even more interesting: the top three drivers of great work—recognition, self-motivation, and inspiration—are deeply connected.  One of the primary tools of purpose-driven leadership is leveraging team and/or organizational mission, a project's purpose and/or vision, and/or an employee's personal meaning and purpose through—you guessed it--recognition.  It's how you tap into inspiration and someone's self-motivation with recognition.  Employees who see how their work contributes to something bigger are more engaged, self-driven, and innovative.

Leaders who fail to recognize their people don’t just risk losing talent—they risk losing the passion and purpose that fuel high performance.

Excuses, Excuses—Let's Debunk Them
If you’re a leader who struggles with regular recognition, you might have told yourself one of these:

🛑 “I don’t have time.”
✔  You don’t have time NOT to.  A simple ‘thank you’ takes seconds.  A disengaged team takes months to fix.

🛑 “They already know I appreciate them.”
✔  Do they?  A study by Gallup found that employees who feel undervalued are twice as likely to leave.

🛑 “I’ll do it during their performance review.”
✔  Delayed gratitude isn’t gratitude.  It’s a missed opportunity to reinforce great work in the moment.

Quick Wins:  Recognizing with Purpose
Recognition is most powerful when it connects to something meaningful. Here’s how leaders can level up their appreciation game:

• Tie recognition to purpose. Instead of “Great job,” say, “Thank you! Your work on [project] directly supported our mission by [specific impact].” or "Thank you! When you [name the behavior or outcome] it supports our mission by [specific impact]."
• Tie recognition to a value.  Call out connections between behaviors and personal, team, or organizational values.  Say, "When you [name the behavior or outcome] it supports our value of [name the specific value] by [specific impact]."
• Acknowledge self-motivation. Celebrate the effort behind the achievement, not just the result. “I see how much heart you put into this—it makes a difference.”
• Link appreciation to inspiration. Highlight how an employee’s work contributes to the bigger picture. “Your creativity in [task] is pushing us forward in [goal].”

Make Recognition a Leadership Habit
Appreciation isn’t a once-a-year event.  It’s a fundamental leadership behavior and competency. The best leaders integrate recognition into their daily routine—not as a box to check, but as a way to reinforce purpose, motivation, and trust.

So, I’ll ask again: When did you last say ‘thank you’?  If the answer isn’t today, there’s no better time to start.  Don’t just celebrate Employee Appreciation Day—use it as a springboard to build a culture of ongoing recognition.

To help you get started, here are two free resources:
📥 The Benefits of Gratitude
📥 A Leader’s Appreciation & Gratitude in a Crunch

Leadership without self-awareness is like navigating without a map—you might be moving, but are you headed in the right direction?  Research consistently shows that self-aware leaders are more confident and creative, make better decisions, foster stronger relationships, and create more effective teams.  Yet, self-awareness is more complex than simply "knowing oneself."  It comes in multiple forms, each offering unique insights into our leadership effectiveness.

The Two Dimensions of Self-Awareness: Internal & External
After conducting 10 separate investigations, surveying  nearly 5,000 people and hundreds of managers and their employees, and interviewing 50 people who significantly improved their self-awareness, Dr. Tasha Eurich and her colleagues made some surprising discoveries.

First, they uncovered two broad categories of self-awareness:

Internal self-awareness  is our ability to clearly see our values, passions, aspirations, and how we fit within our environment.  It also includes recognizing our thoughts, feelings, behaviors, strengths, and weaknesses—and how they affect others.  They've done the deep introspective work that  most of us associate with the classic Greek maxim, "know thyself."  Leaders high in this type of self-awareness were found to have higher job and relationship satisfaction, personal and social control, and were happier.

External self-awareness is our understanding of how others perceive us in those same areas. Leaders who lack external self-awareness may believe they are inspiring, decisive, or approachable, yet their teams may experience them differently.  However, leaders who actually are higher in this type of self-awareness are more skilled at empathy and seeing others' perspectives.  They actively seek feedback to try and understand how others see them.  Employees who work for high externally self-aware leaders had a better relationship with their leader, were more satisfied with them as a leader, and saw their leader as more effective.

They report other powerful findings and I encourage you to read the entire 2018 HBR article, What self-awareness is (and how to cultivate it).  

Beyond the Individual:  Personal & Collective Self-Awareness
Other research from Niklas K. Steffens and colleagues expands on Eurich’s framework by introducing:

Personal self-awareness—Our understanding of our own identity, behaviors, and motivations.

Collective self-awareness—Our ability to perceive and understand the dynamics, culture, and values of the groups we lead—what we might call a social, group, or team awareness.

They were trying to tease out the relationship of these two types of self-awareness on two factors:  How others perceived a leader's authenticity (or authentic leadership) and leader endorsement ("Do people want to follow you?"). 

While both forms of self-awareness contributed to perceived authentic leadership, it was personal self-awareness that contributed the most.  And conversely, while both forms of self-awareness contributed to leader endorsement, it was collective self-awareness that drove leader endorsement.  Their research suggests that leaders with high personal self-awareness but low collective self-awareness may struggle to gain full endorsement from their teams. 

Great leaders don’t just reflect inward; they tune into the collective pulse of their teams.  Those who master both personal and collective self-awareness create cultures of trust, collaboration, and resilience.  Leaders who cultivate both dimensions of awareness tend to be seen as more authentic, garnering stronger support and engagement from their organizations.  In other words, authenticity in leadership is not just about self-knowledge—it’s about aligning that knowledge with how you show up in a collective setting.

Bridging Insight into Action
Self-awareness is not just an intellectual exercise—it’s a leadership advantage.  Here’s how you can develop and leverage it:

Engage in Reflective Practices – Regular journaling, yoga, or mindfulness exercises can deepen your internal self-awareness.  I use a daily bookend approach.  As part of my morning ritual, I pull out my Life Mission/Leadership Philosophy & Core Values Statement and reflect on key elements and think about how I will live them well that day.  At the end of the day, I find at least three things I did that demonstrate living them well and one where I did not and what lessons I can learn from that experience moving forward.

Commit to Purpose-Driven Leadership – Aligning leadership decisions with personal purpose, values, principles, and organizational purpose ensures clarity in self-awareness. My Purpose-Driven Leadership Program expertly helps you boost both your both internal/personal and external/collective self-awareness—and more!  It not only guides you through the deep, introspective work of identifying, clarifying, and articulating your own internal/personal self-awareness and purpose, but it also guides you through the process of taking that to a team level.  Then, it helps you connect all of that to a Shared Team Vision, organizational mission, strategy, and goals and leverage it in your leadership.

Seek Honest Feedback – Tools like the Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI360) provide invaluable external self-awareness by revealing how others experience your leadership.  The LPI360 gives you clear and actionable answers to the question, "How do others see me as a leader?"

Invest in Coaching – A professional coaching partnership accelerates self-awareness development by challenging blind spots and reinforcing strengths.

The Vanguard Leadership Mastery Program
Embark on a transformational journey of leadership growth and excellence with The Vanguard Leadership Mastery Program.  Reserved for those leaders who want to make the greatest impact in the shortest time frame, this premier and one-of-a-kind program is meticulously crafted to propel leaders to unprecedented heights of success through a dynamic triad:

1) The enriching and engaging Purpose-Driven Leadership Program,

2) Executive-level Coaching, and;

3) An insightful LPI | 360 Leadership Assessment that has been trusted by over five million leaders worldwide.

Any one of the three strategies is powerful on its own.  When you combine all three, you exponentially increase the impact they have.  The Vanguard Leadership Mastery strategy leverages learning, coaching, and actionable feedback.

Let’s have a conversation about where you are in your leadership journey and how greater self-awareness can unlock your full potential.

When I first met her, she was a new manager navigating the transition from team member to leader.  One of her biggest fears?  That she wasn’t approachable and that it would undermine her and her team's effectiveness and success.

She explained how her natural tendencies—being direct, task-focused, and results-driven—made her doubt whether her team felt comfortable coming to her with questions or concerns.  Through coaching, we uncovered the real issue:  She had never sought feedback on her approachability.  She was operating on assumptions rather than facts.

With encouragement, she began asking key direct reports, colleagues, and even her boss for their honest input.  The results were eye-opening.  Far from being unapproachable, she learned that her team valued her focus and clarity, seeing her as a strong, supportive leader.  They felt that she was indeed approachable and that her approachability was built on a genuine human connection tied to a shared team purpose and her concern for their development and success.  That insight transformed her self-perception and, more importantly, boosted her confidence in herself and her new role.  Several successful months later, she was  promoted, once again.

Her journey underscores a critical truth:  Leadership isn’t just about technical skills—it’s about accurate self-awareness, genuine connections, collaboration, growth, and shared purpose.

Business, the economy, technology, and talent are moving at a breakneck pace and becoming more complex just as consumer expectations rise.  Leaders are at the forefront of all of this change.  Whether you are a new or seasoned leader, success in 2025 will depend on addressing four key leadership trends. 

SHARED PURPOSE, GENUINE CONNECTIONS, & INNOVATION
Shared team meaning and purpose are the bedrock of team effectiveness and success.  Let's connect the dots between shared meaning and purpose (a.k.a., purpose-driven leadership) and success.

You see, when people are aligned with a clear and strong sense of shared purpose, they not only bond together in the tasks that they do together while moving toward realizing that purpose, but they bond emotionally.  They will feel connected.  Those experiences form the common ground that fosters trust and collaboration—and that yields creativity, innovation, and success.  As a recent DDI article on 2025 leadership trends explains, "When team members feel connected and aligned, they bring creativity, insight, and flexibility to their daily work."

The most effective leaders in 2025 will leverage these principals.  They will guide their team through the process of identifying, clarifying, and articulating a shared team mission, vision, and goals—even if that means integrating organizational goals and expectations.  They will foster psychologically safe environments while balancing autonomy and empowerment with a focus on common goals and purpose.  They will recognize and reward towards those ends and celebrate successes along the way.

BURNOUT & THE LEADERSHIP PIPELINE CRISIS
DDI and others have identified these two interconnected leadership trends.  The stress of leadership is on the rise causing many to feel isolated, burned-out, and disengaged.  Team members see the toll that being a leader takes on their managers and become less likely to pursue leadership roles, themselves.  Organizations then struggle to identify emerging leaders in this ever-shrinking leadership pipeline. 

Executives and senior leaders, HR, and L&OD must rethink how they nurture, support, and develop leaders in 2025 to reverse this negative feedback loop.  Senior leaders who seek feedback through instruments such as the LPI360, can gain insights into their own leadership behaviors in order to more effectively lead and serve those under their umbrella.  Proactive solutions can be prioritizing leader wellbeing, fostering a sense of connection and purpose, offering professional leadership coaching, and rethinking leadership development programs and support structures.

IMPOSTER SYNDROME & LEADERSHIP
Korn Ferry's Workforce 2024 Global Insights Report was released just a few months ago.  They surveyed 10,000 global employees and the data revealed some surprises.  

More than 70% of American CEOs admitted that they struggle with imposter syndrome.  And while CEOs reported the highest levels, imposter syndrome was pervasive across all levels of leadership and management.  This led them to conclude that this "might suggest that companies aren’t investing in the right kind of leadership coaching and training—or that they’re promoting people without giving them the tools they need to succeed."

Organizations can address this trend by shifting away from transactional training to true developmental experiences and transformational coaching.  The empowerment that purpose-driven leadership (mentioned above) can give leaders and teams and professional coaching are strong and cost-effective ways that organizations can respond to this trend.

HOLISTIC LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
Blanchard's 2025 HR/L&D Trends Survey took a look at what over 900 people had to say were the most pressing challenges as they looked ahead to the new year.  Some of the seven identified challenges aligned with what DDI and Korn Ferry identified, such as leadership development and leadership bench strength, employee engagement and culture, change management, and resilience. 

These recurring themes iterate and reiterate in variations and degrees most years for leaders and organizations.  Certainly, the solutions mentioned previously are solid answers to 2025 challenges.  Additionally, fostering a culture where continuous learning is encouraged up and down the food chain and ensuring leaders are developing the necessary skills to navigate evolving challenges are also effective ways to navigate these themes. 

However, when it comes to culture and employee engagement, many organizations bring in outside eyes and ears in the form of an expert consultant.  Unbiased and uninfluenced by the organization's culture, personalities, and command structure, a seasoned organizational and leadership development consultant can provide an assessment and offer possible solutions through a clearer lens.

OVERVIEW
The leadership landscape of 2025 presents both challenges and opportunities.  By focusing on fostering genuine connections, addressing burnout, combating imposter syndrome, and adopting a holistic approach to leadership development, organizations can equip their leaders to navigate the complexities of the modern workplace.

As you reflect on these trends, consider how your organization is preparing its leaders for the future.  Investing in comprehensive development programs today will pave the way for a resilient and innovative leadership team tomorrow.

I invite you to share your thoughts on these trends.

• What challenges have you observed in your recent leadership journey?
• What trends for 2025 are you and your team anticipating?
  
• How are you addressing these?

Let's continue the conversation and learn from each other's experiences.

Happy New Year!