“People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it. And what you do simply proves what you believe” ― Simon Sinek, Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action

Scores of individuals choose to be bosses rather than teachers. When training teams include shouting, screaming, and controlling the environment, you’re no longer a teacher — you’re a bully boss. You become a nightmare empowered by ridiculing employees, accusing them of incompetence, blaming them, lying to them, and not crediting them for their work.

Five-star leaders do one thing well. They see things through their team’s eyes. Quality leaders focus on formulating unique contributions to the lives of others. A great leader will shape a safe environment for people to tell the truth. Without truth, innovation, neutrality, and deregulation, trust is compromised.

Be cognizant of the power of your voice and the positive influence you possess. Words are one of the greatest gifts we can share in this world. When we speak, we write on the fabric of human beings. More than ever, we need truisms of grace, unity, and selflessness in our communication. Lead and rise above the verbal persecution that has become an everyday occurrence and reality.

As leaders, we must foster moments for deep thinking, deep work, and stillness. Our comfort zone provides a state of mental security, but it stunts our holistic growth. We are living through some challenging times. But for decades, centuries, life has been uncertain, and our future has been unknown. Being confronted with unpredictability and inconsistency is out of our control. How we choose to respond is not. How we show up for ourselves, our community, our loved ones and those we lead are in our control.

Fear crushes potential and all the possibilities that dwell within us. It takes fortitude, courage, and strength to lead with empathy. Having a strategy is as much about what you don’t do as it is about what you do. We must connect the dots and seek the truth while being at peace with the silence. Wherever you are, be there fully. Ignore the need to be a bully boss and become a teacher, a competent, accomplished, and astute leader.

—Brian Nadon