Leadership Memo 2025-6
Leadership isn’t about job titles or fancy offices. I learned that the hard way when a CEO once called an executive meeting with one agenda item: me. At the time, I was just a director, not even part of the executive team. But apparently, I had “too much influence”. People were listening to me instead of the founder and I needed to be “put in a box”.
That moment confirmed what I’d seen for years: influence has nothing to do with where you sit on the organizational chart.
Here’s the hard truth many executives ignore: Power plays don’t make great leaders, authentic character does. While some chase titles and play politics, real leaders earn influence through ten key traits:
Listening: Don’t just wait for your turn to talk, really hear what others are saying.
Empathy: Stop fighting to be right in every conversation. Try to understand why others see things the way they do
Adaptability: Your plan will face unexpected obstacles. Success isn’t about having the perfect plan, it’s about how fast you can pivot when things inevitably change.
Dedication: Show up consistently, especially when it’s hard. Your team needs more than your vision; they need your presence.
Ethics: It’s your compass, especially when cutting corners feels tempting. Trust takes years to build… and seconds to lose.
Respect: Treat everyone with equal dignity. Give the intern the same respect you’d give the CEO.
Support: Don’t try to be the brightest star. Help others shine brighter.
Humility: Mistakes happen. Own them fast, learn quick, and keep moving forward with purpose.
Inclusion: Invite and value different voices. They’re essential for innovation.
Patience: Meaningful change takes time, and so does trust.
Real leadership has a paradox: transparency. It might feel safer to keep control of information, but real leaders include their teams in shaping the strategy. Saying, “Here’s what we’re doing and why. Now, let’s figure out how to make it work together” always beats giving orders behind closed doors.
Transparency also means being vulnerable. Admitting you don’t have all the answers isn’t weakness, it’s authenticity. Teams thrive when they see their leader as human, fallible, and open to better ideas.
As John F. Kennedy said, “Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.” Leaders who live this truth become the ones others choose to follow, no matter where they sit on the org chart.
Before you write these off as “soft skills”, ask yourself:
- When was the last time you changed your mind because of what someone below you said?
- Are you solving problems or just making people rely on you?
- Who benefits more from your leadership style: your team or your ego?
- What happens if you’re dead wrong about your biggest decision right now?
- If your team succeeded wildly tomorrow and you got none of the credit, how would you feel?
- What’s one “leadership habit” you’ve picked up that’s really just fear in disguise?
The most provocative question of all: What if the person who most needs to hear this… is you?
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