A Concept to Challenge Your Status Quo
What story do you tell yourself about why things haven’t changed—and what if that story isn’t true? What uncomfortable truth about your habits or mindset have you been avoiding? What recurring challenge keeps showing up in your work or life—and what might it be trying to teach you?
“A well done is better than well said.” —Benjamin Franklin
Every executive has felt the tension: the gulf between what we intend and what we execute. We all know the CEO who promises transformation in the town hall—yet, months later, the culture remains unchanged. Why? Because leadership is not a speech. It’s a series of visible, relentless actions.
The Mirror Test:
Think of your leadership as a mirror. Your team doesn’t reflect what you say—they reflect what you do. If you say, “Take time off,” but answer emails at midnight, your team learns to burn out, not to recharge. If you preach innovation but punish risk, you breed compliance, not creativity.
An Analogy: Leadership is less like a megaphone and more like a conductor’s baton. The orchestra doesn’t follow your words—they follow your cues, your timing, your commitment to every note. In high performance, it’s the silent signals—the late nights, the tough calls, the visible vulnerability—that set the tempo for your entire organization.
A Moment of Vulnerability: One Fortune 500 VP tried to “inspire” his team with motivational emails about accountability. Yet, when deadlines slipped, he quietly redid the work himself. The result? His team disengaged, assuming nothing they did would measure up. Only when he admitted his fear of failure and invited the team to co-create solutions did performance—and trust—begin to rise.
Reality Check:
People judge you by your actions, not your intentions.
Trust is built—or broken—by what you do when no one is watching.
Your habits, not your speeches, define your culture.
Action Steps for Elite Leaders:
Audit your calendar: Does your time reflect your stated priorities?
Ask your team: “What’s one thing you see me do that contradicts what I say?”
For the next week, let your actions answer questions before your words do.
Share the Challenge:
Forward this to your leadership team and ask: Where are we talking a bigger game than we’re playing? Then, commit—together—to close the gap.
Remember:
You are what you do. Not what you say you’ll do.
