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The Silent Warriors of Leadership
In our hyper-connected, “always-on” corporate culture, speed is often mistaken for progress. We celebrate the “fail fast” mentality and the quick pivot, often at the expense of the long game. However, the most enduring leaders—those who build legacies rather than just quarterly hits—understand a deeper truth: haste often hides a lack of clarity. When we rush, we react to the symptoms of a problem rather than curing the cause. Strategic leadership isn’t about being the first to move; it’s about being the one still standing when the dust settles. It requires a temperament that values the foundational over the flashy.
As Leo Tolstoy famously wrote:
“The two most powerful warriors are patience and time.”
In the context of modern leadership, this isn’t a call for passivity or procrastination. Rather, it is an acknowledgment that strategic vision requires the discipline to let a plan mature and the fortitude to outlast the chaos of the moment. To lead with these “warriors” is to recognize that time is not a resource to be exhausted, but a tool to be leveraged. Strategic leadership is less about the sprint and more about the orchestration of time to achieve a compounding effect that competitors simply cannot replicate.
Strategic Leadership: The Disciplined Path to Execution
True strategy is a commitment to a future state that does not yet exist. To bridge the gap between today’s reality and tomorrow’s vision, a leader must master the internal and external forces that dictate the pace of change. Below are five ways the “silent warriors” of patience and time transform a simple plan into a dominant strategic advantage.
1. The Power of Compounding Momentum
Strategic leaders know that true transformation doesn’t happen overnight. Whether you are shifting a company culture or implementing a new global technology stack, the first 10% of the journey often feels the slowest. By respecting time, you allow small, consistent wins to compound. Like interest in a bank account, these marginal gains eventually hit a tipping point where progress becomes exponential and unstoppable.
2. Mastering the Art of “Active Waiting”
Patience in leadership is often “active,” not stagnant. It involves gathering data, observing market fluctuations, and waiting for the precise moment to strike. A strategic leader uses patience to avoid reactive “firefighting” and instead focuses on “fire prevention.” By waiting for the right variables to align, you ensure that when you do move, you do so with maximum impact and minimum waste.
3. Building Relational Capital and Trust
You cannot rush trust. High-performing teams are forged in the crucible of time. Strategic leaders invest in their people with the understanding that professional maturity and psychological safety take years to develop. When you demonstrate patience with a team member’s growth or a department’s evolution, you are actually buying future loyalty and autonomy—the bedrock of any scalable organization.
4. Navigating the “Valley of Despair”
Every major strategic initiative goes through a phase where the initial excitement fades and results haven’t yet surfaced. This is the “Valley of Despair.” Most leaders quit here or pivot too early. The “warrior” of patience allows a leader to stay the course, providing the steady hand the organization needs to bridge the gap between a bold vision and its eventual reality.
5. Cultivating Long-Term Competitive Advantage
Short-term thinking is easy to replicate; long-term strategy is not. By utilizing time as a strategic asset, you can invest in R&D, brand positioning, and infrastructure that competitors—who are beholden to the next 90 days—simply cannot sustain. Patience allows you to play a different game entirely, winning by outlasting the competition rather than just out-speeding them.
The Takeaway: Strategy without patience is just a wish; patience without strategy is just a wait. When combined, they form a defensive wall that protects your vision from the volatility of the market.
Closing Thoughts
Leadership is not just about the “what” and the “how”—it is profoundly about the “when.” To lead with strategic vision is to accept that some of your best work will take time to bear fruit. In an era of instant gratification, the leader who can remain calm while others panic becomes the anchor for the entire organization.
Do not mistake a quiet season for a productive-less one. Often, the most significant growth happens beneath the surface, where roots are deepening and systems are aligning. Trust your strategy, empower your people, and let time do the heavy lifting. Remember: the tallest oaks grew from acorns that stayed grounded long enough to survive the seasons.
Personal Reflection: Lessons from the Restaurant Tech Trenches
In the world of restaurant technology and hospitality, the pressure to “go live” yesterday is immense. I’ve seen countless projects in restaurant tech—from enterprise POS rollouts to unified commerce integrations—stumble because they were forced through before the operational foundation was ready. We often want to flip a switch and see immediate ROI, but hospitality is a business of human nuances and complex physical logistics.
I’ve found that my greatest mistakes in leadership didn’t come from a lack of effort, but from a lack of timing. It’s tempting to want to force a solution because we want the relief of a “fixed” problem. But in tech, “forced fruit” is never sweet—it usually results in broken workflows and frustrated team members.
When I look back at the digital transformations that truly changed the trajectory of my career or my teams, they were all marathons. They required the grit to stay quiet when I wanted to yell “hurry up,” and the discipline to stay the course when the initial pilot was rocky. True innovation in this space requires the patience to let the technology catch up to the hospitality, ensuring that the “warriors” of time and patience are working for us, not against us.
Book Recommendation: Atomic Habits by James Clear
If Tolstoy’s quote provides the philosophy, James Clear’s Atomic Habits provides the manual. Clear breaks down exactly how “time” becomes your greatest ally through the 1% rule. He argues that we do not rise to the level of our goals, but fall to the level of our systems.
Why it fits:
- The Plateau of Latent Potential: Clear explains why we often don’t see results immediately and why “patience” is scientifically necessary for habit formation. It’s a perfect visual for why long-term leadership strategies often feel like they aren’t working right up until the moment they do.
- Systems over Goals: It shifts the leadership focus from the “end result” to the daily “process,” which is where the warriors of patience and time live.
- Compounding Effect: It illustrates how tiny changes, over time, create a radical difference in performance. This is the ultimate guide for any leader looking to build a sustainable, high-growth organization.
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The Strategic Partner Mindset
This week, let’s reflect on a profound insight from the legendary management guru, Peter Drucker, that beautifully encapsulates an often-misunderstood aspect of professional growth and leadership. Drucker once said:
“The most important thing in a relationship is not what you get, but what you give… The best way to manage up is to make your boss’s job easier.”
At first glance, “managing up” can sound like a political maneuver or even subservience. However, Drucker strips away these misconceptions, revealing it as a fundamental principle of effective partnership and proactive leadership. It’s not about manipulating your manager; it’s about strategically contributing in a way that elevates both your performance and the team’s success.
Putting Theory Into Practice
Understanding the philosophy is one thing, but how do we translate Drucker’s wisdom into daily action? Managing up requires a shift from a reactive mindset—waiting for the next assignment—to a proactive one where you operate as a strategic extension of your leader.
Here are five tangible ways you can apply this principle to elevate your leadership impact:
- Anticipating Needs Before Being Asked: A leader who manages up effectively doesn’t wait for explicit instructions. They anticipate potential roadblocks or information gaps and provide solutions or data proactively. Imagine providing a summary of potential risks and mitigation strategies for a project before your boss even asks for an update.
- Bringing Solutions, Not Just Problems: It’s easy to flag issues. It’s harder, and far more valuable, to present a problem alongside one or more potential solutions. This demonstrates problem-solving skills and a commitment to shared success, rather than simply offloading challenges.
- Mastering Communication Style: Understanding your manager’s preferred “frequency” is key. Do they prefer quick bullet points or detailed reports? Do they need daily check-ins or weekly summaries? Adapting your communication ensures they receive information effectively, saving them time and mental energy.
- Protecting Their Time and Focus: Strategic managing up involves filtering distractions and handling smaller issues independently, only escalating when necessary. This allows your manager to allocate their precious time to critical decision-making and strategic planning.
- Taking Initiative on Feedback Implementation: When given feedback, a leader proactively incorporates it and demonstrates the changes. This reinforces their confidence in your ability to grow and improvement, making their coaching role far more impactful.
The Bottom Line
Ultimately, managing up is about service and synchronization. When you prioritize making your leader more effective, you aren’t just helping them—you are optimizing the entire department’s output and creating a culture of reliability. By being the person who “gets it” before it needs to be explained, you transform yourself from a direct report into a trusted advisor.
My Personal Point of View
I’ve always viewed this quote as a powerful reminder that true leadership isn’t confined to formal titles. It’s about demonstrating initiative even when you aren’t the one setting the ultimate agenda. By proactively clearing obstacles for those above you, you free them up to focus on higher-level strategic initiatives, which ultimately benefits the entire organization. This approach cultivates a level of trust that effectively turns a “boss-subordinate” dynamic into a high-functioning partnership.
Book Recommendation: “Crucial Conversations”
By Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler
Why I recommend it: While not strictly about “managing up,” this book provides the essential toolkit for high-stakes communication. Effectively making your boss’s job easier often requires having difficult or nuanced conversations. This book teaches you how to speak persuasively without being abrasive, ensuring your proactive contributions are heard and valued.
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The Mechanics of Momentum
In our hyper-connected, data-driven world, we are often obsessed with the “what.” What are the quarterly numbers? What is the growth percentage? What is the final NPS score? We treat these outcomes like the destination on a GPS, often forgetting that the GPS only works if we actually put the car in gear and drive. We tend to focus so intensely on the finish line that we trip over the hurdles right in front of us.
This week, I want to explore a quote from Mike Hawkins that serves as a vital gut-check for every leader:
“You don’t get results by focusing on results. You get results by focusing on the actions that produce results.” — Mike Hawkins
The Logic of the Lead Measure
In leadership, results are “lag measures.” They tell you what has already happened—they are the scoreboard at the end of the game. By the time you see a missed target or a stalled project, the time to influence it has already passed. You cannot “manage” a lag measure; you can only acknowledge it.
True leadership happens in the “lead measures.” These are the specific, high-leverage, and controllable actions that predict the result. Lead measures are often harder to track than results because they require discipline and visibility into the daily “grind,” but they are the only levers a leader can actually pull. When you stop obsessing over the outcome and start obsessing over the input, you move from a reactive state to a proactive one.
Five Practices for Growth-Minded Teams
To put this into practice, we must redefine what we are measuring. Here are five ways to shift the focus from the scoreboard to the play:
- From “Hit the Sales Goal” to “Master the Discovery”: A leader who only asks “Where is the revenue?” creates anxiety. A leader who asks “How are we refining our discovery calls to better understand client pain points?” creates a strategy. By focusing on the quality of the interaction, the revenue becomes a natural byproduct.
- From “Improve Retention” to “Invest in One-on-Ones”: If you want to keep your best talent, don’t just look at turnover stats. Focus on the action: the weekly, intentional check-in where you ask your team what they need to thrive.
- From “Launch the Product” to “Pressure-Test the API”: Especially in tech and unified commerce, the result is a successful launch. But that only happens if the leadership focus remains on the iterative actions—testing, feedback loops, and strategic pivots—rather than just the deadline on the calendar.
- From “Achieving Innovation” to “Rewarding Intelligent Failure”: You don’t get innovation by demanding it; you get it by creating the action of experimentation. When leaders focus on the action of sharing “lessons learned” from trials rather than just the final success, they build a pipeline of breakthrough ideas.
- From “Building a Vision” to “Consistent Transparency”: A vision is just a result of clear communication. Instead of focusing on whether everyone “gets it,” focus on the action of radical transparency. By sharing the “why” behind every “what” consistently, you produce the result of a highly aligned, autonomous team.
Personal Reflection: Moving the Needle
When I reflect on my own journey, particularly during high-stakes projects or career transitions, I’ve found that focusing on the “big result” can actually be paralyzing. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the scale of a goal.
I’ve learned that the most effective way to manage that pressure is to shrink the focus. I ask myself: What is the one action I can take today that makes this result more likely? This shift from “winning” to “operating” changes the energy of the room. It moves the team from a state of worry to a state of agency. It reminds me that while I cannot always control the outcome, I have absolute authority over the effort and the excellence I bring to the actions.
Don’t let the weight of your goals distract you from the work required to achieve them. This week, take your eyes off the scoreboard for a moment and look at the play. Are your actions aligned with your ambitions? If the results aren’t appearing, don’t just stare at the numbers—change the actions.
Book Recommendation
“Atomic Habits” by James Clear I recommend this because it is the definitive manual for the Hawkins philosophy. Clear demonstrates how small, almost imperceptible actions (the “atoms”) build the systems that eventually lead to massive results. It’s a must-read for any leader who wants to stop chasing outcomes and start building the habits that guarantee them.
Keep focusing on the work that matters.
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Dancing in the Downpour
This week, like many of you, I found myself in an unexpected storm—both literally and figuratively. As an epic winter storm swept through the South, it brought with it a cascade of challenges: power outages, loss of heat, disrupted internet, and a sudden, stark absence of modern conveniences. It was a stark reminder that even the most carefully laid plans can be upended in an instant.
It’s in these moments that I found myself reflecting on a quote that perfectly encapsulates the spirit of true leadership, especially for growth-minded teams: “The art of living is not in expecting the storm to pass, but in learning to dance in the rain.” — Vivian Greene
As leaders, we often strive to create calm, stable environments for our teams. We forecast, we plan, we mitigate. But what happens when the forecast is wrong, the plan is irrelevant, and mitigation feels impossible? This quote reminds us that leadership isn’t just about navigating the storm; it’s about cultivating a mindset that allows us to find rhythm and even joy amidst the chaos. It’s about empowering ourselves and our teams to adapt, innovate, and discover new strengths when the old ways are no longer an option.
Finding Your Rhythm When the Rain Falls:
Here are five ways to “dance in the rain” as a leader, even when the storm seems overwhelming:
- Embrace Radical Flexibility: My personal experience during the storm taught me the absolute necessity of flexibility. With no power or internet, scheduled meetings vanished, and planned deliverables became secondary. Instead of panicking, I embraced the quiet. It forced a re-evaluation of priorities and a focus on what truly mattered. For leaders, this means being willing to pivot strategies, adjust deadlines, and empower your team to find alternative solutions when traditional methods are unfeasible. It’s about letting go of rigid expectations and trusting your team’s ingenuity.
- Model Calm & Resilience: When the world outside your window is swirling with snow and uncertainty, a leader’s demeanor becomes a beacon. While I certainly felt the frustration of cold and inconvenience, I consciously chose to focus on the positive aspects: the unexpected quiet, the warmth of extra blankets, and the chance to simply be. Your team will mirror your attitude. If you panic, they will too. If you demonstrate calm resilience and a willingness to find solutions, you empower them to do the same.
- Foster Creative Problem-Solving: With no electricity, simple tasks became complex. How do you cook? How do you stay warm? How do you communicate? This forced an incredible burst of creativity – from discovering new ways to heat food to conserving battery life for essential communication. In a business context, “dancing in the rain” means encouraging your team to think outside the box when established processes fail. It’s an opportunity to challenge assumptions and innovate, perhaps leading to breakthroughs you wouldn’t have discovered otherwise.
- Prioritize Connection (Even Without Connectivity): During the storm, the absence of digital distractions led to more genuine human connection. Checking on neighbors, sharing resources, and simple conversations became paramount. As a leader, even when digital tools are down, actively seek ways to connect with your team. A quick phone call (if possible), a text, or even a physically distanced check-in can reinforce that you’re all in this together. These moments build trust and strengthen relationships that will outlast any storm.
- Reframe Challenges as Opportunities for Growth: It would be easy to view the recent storm as solely a negative experience. However, I’ve chosen to reframe it. It was an involuntary digital detox, a forced slowdown, and an unexpected lesson in self-reliance and community. For growth-minded teams, every challenge, every “storm,” is an opportunity. It’s a chance to learn, to adapt, to strengthen bonds, and to emerge more resilient and innovative than before. It’s about finding the silver lining, not as a platitude, but as a genuine pathway to progress.
A Personal Reflection: The Quiet Harmony of the Storm
The past week truly put Vivian Greene’s words into practice for me. Stripped of the usual modern conveniences—no humming refrigerator, no glowing screens, no constant notifications—a strange sense of quiet harmony settled in. It was cold, yes, but there was also the warmth of a good book by candlelight, the comforting glow of a crackling fire (when we managed to get one going), and the genuine connection with family without the distractions of the outside world. I found solace in the simplicity, gratitude for basic necessities, and a profound appreciation for the resilience of community. It reminded me that even when circumstances are challenging, there is always an opportunity to slow down, to appreciate what truly matters, and to find a positive perspective. The “rain” taught me a new dance, one of patience, presence, and perspective.
Ready for the Next Downpour
Leading through uncertainty isn’t about avoiding the storms; it’s about equipping ourselves and our teams with the mindset and tools to not just survive them, but to thrive within them. It’s about seeing every challenge as an opportunity to learn a new step, to find a new rhythm, and to ultimately emerge stronger, more adaptable, and more connected.
To help you and your team continue to “dance in the rain,” I highly recommend “Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance” by Angela Duckworth. This book delves into the importance of passion and sustained effort toward achieving long-term goals, particularly when faced with obstacles. It’s a powerful reminder that talent isn’t the only predictor of success; instead, it’s the ability to push through difficulties with resilience and determination—the very essence of dancing in the rain.
Let’s keep learning, keep adapting, and keep dancing, no matter what weather comes our way.
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The Two-Way Street of Respect in Leadership
“Respect is a two-way street, if you want to get it, you’ve got to give it.” – R.G. Risch
The Foundation of Influence
In the traditional corporate world, there was a long-standing myth that respect was a byproduct of a title. You climbed the ladder, earned the office, and the respect of your subordinates followed as a matter of course. But in today’s dynamic, talent-driven landscape, that model has been flipped on its head. Real leadership is no longer about power over people; it is about power with people.
When R.G. Risch spoke about the “two-way street,” he was identifying the heartbeat of team psychology. Respect is a reciprocal energy; it is a mirror that reflects a leader’s own behavior back at them. When a leader fails to “give” respect—through dismissiveness, micromanagement, or a lack of transparency—the “return” lane of that street dries up instantly. You cannot demand loyalty from a heart you haven’t valued. Without mutual respect, you don’t have a team; you have a group of people complying with orders while looking for the exit. To lead effectively in the modern era, we must first be the chief architects of a culture where every individual feels inherently seen and heard.
Seven Ways to Pave the Street of Respect
When leaders genuinely give respect, they create an environment where trust flourishes, communication opens up, and individuals feel valued. This isn’t about being “nice”; it’s about recognizing the inherent worth and potential in every team member. Here are seven detailed examples of how leaders can pave their side of the two-way street:
- Active and Empathetic Listening: Instead of waiting to speak, a respectful leader truly listens, seeking to understand diverse perspectives. For instance, when a team member brings a concern about a project deadline, a leader doesn’t immediately dismiss it but asks clarifying questions like, “What are the specific bottlenecks you’re facing?” This shows their input is valued, even if the final decision must remain unchanged.
- Valuing Diverse Opinions: A leader demonstrates respect by creating safe spaces for dissenting views. Imagine a strategy meeting where an idea you support is challenged by a junior member. A respectful leader responds with, “That’s a valid point, Sarah. Can you elaborate on your concerns?” This encourages intellectual honesty over a blind “yes-man” culture.
- Empowering Autonomy: Micromanagement is the ultimate sign of disrespect; it signals that you don’t trust your team’s competence. A respectful leader says, “John, I trust your judgment on this proposal. The execution is yours.” This builds the confidence necessary for high-level performance.
- Providing Constructive, Timely Feedback: Respectful feedback is a gift designed to help someone grow, not a weapon used to criticize. By delivering feedback privately, specifically, and with a focus on future success, you show that you care enough about the person’s career to invest in their improvement.
- Acknowledging Contributions: Overlooking hard work is a silent form of disrespect. Whether it’s a public shout-out in a meeting or a quick, sincere “thank you” email after a long week, acknowledging the effort behind the results validates the person’s sacrifice and dedication.
- Honoring Commitments and Transparency: Respect means being reliable. If you promise to look into a grievance, follow through. If the company is facing a challenge, be as transparent as possible. When leaders hide the “why,” they signal that the team isn’t “important enough” to know the truth.
- Setting Clear Boundaries: Respecting your team means respecting their humanity. By setting clear expectations and honoring “off-clock” time, you demonstrate that you value them as whole people with lives, families, and interests outside of their productivity.
Personal Reflection: My Leadership and the Two-Way Street
For me, R.G. Risch’s quote serves as a constant compass. Early in my career, like many, I might have mistakenly believed that my title conferred respect automatically. However, experiencing the tangible impact of giving respect—seeing team members thrive, take initiative, and reciprocate that trust—fundamentally reshaped my approach.
It taught me that true leadership isn’t about having all the answers, but about fostering an environment where everyone feels respected enough to contribute their best answers. It’s a daily commitment to active listening, empathy, and genuine appreciation, understanding that my actions set the tone for how respect flows throughout the team. It requires checking my ego at the door every single morning and asking, “How can I serve the people who make this vision possible?”
The Long-Term ROI of Respect
Ultimately, leadership is a marathon of relationship-building, not a sprint of command-and-control. You can “buy” someone’s time with a paycheck, and you can “command” their presence with a contract, but you can never “force” their respect. That is something that must be earned in the small, quiet moments—the way you handle a mistake, the way you listen during a crisis, and the way you champion your team when they aren’t in the room to hear it.
When we commit to R.G. Risch’s philosophy, we create a virtuous cycle that transcends the workplace. Respect leads to trust; trust leads to vulnerability; and vulnerability leads to the kind of breakthrough innovation that only happens when people feel safe. By paving your side of the street with consistency, humility, and empathy, you’ll find that the respect coming back to you isn’t just a professional courtesy—it’s a powerful, unwavering loyalty that can carry a team through even the most turbulent challenges.
Book Recommendation: “Dare to Lead” by Brené Brown. I highly recommend this because Brown breaks down the difference between “armored leadership” (leading from a place of ego and self-protection) and “daring leadership” (leading with empathy and respect). It provides a practical, research-backed roadmap for anyone who wants to build a culture where respect is the foundation of every interaction.