My colleague and co-author, Michael Couch, recently forwarded a note from the president of a search firm who had just placed a leader at a long-time client of ours:
Mike, I must tell you that you and Richard completely transformed this organization.
I presented some of your work at another organization’s board meeting, shared a chapter of your book, Strategy Driven Leadership and the CEO immediately asked for an introduction.
You two should be brought into every federal government department after DOGE is done to reset them all. How do we make that happen?
Seriously—what are you doing to leave a legacy? No one does what you do; every business could benefit from it.
We appreciated the compliment. But more than anything, it reminded me of something I always see in organizations that struggle with leadership—and in leaders who struggle themselves.
It’s not that people don’t want to lead well.
No one ever showed them how to lead in a way that drives mission and executes strategy.
We expect leaders to delegate—
But we don’t show them how to do it without guilt or micromanaging.
We ask leaders to drive results—
But we rarely teach them how to hold people accountable and build trust.
We want influence—
But we mostly model authority.
So when change stalls or strategy fizzles, we call it a “leadership problem.”
But in my experience, more often than not, it’s not a leadership failure—it’s a development gap.
Deposit Photos: Andrew Genn
A Story from the Field
One of my current clients brought in a dynamic new CEO focused on taking the organization into the future, clarifying the mission, building collaboration, and driving accountability.
As part of that effort, I coached one of her senior leaders. He often said, “I’m hoping my team leaders will know they need to get their reports in on time.”
I told him, “Hope is not a plan. You need a clear approach and direct communication.”
He was still operating from an old script: give people space, let them do their thing. But without structure and expectations, nothing was moving.
Together, we built a simple plan:
- He emailed his team with clear instructions and deadlines.
- He followed up personally with each of his four team leads.
- I showed him how to assess where each leader might need more support, and coached him on providing the skills and tools to help them succeed.
Last Friday, I got a text from him:
“Everyone turned in their plans—three days early.”
That’s real traction.
No more hoping and wishing.
Just results.
So, What’s Next for Me?
Lately, I’ve been asking that question not just of my clients but myself.
After decades of helping organizations lead better, I’m expanding my work to support individual leaders navigating significant transitions in their careers and lives.
But I’m not leaving the past behind.
Because what’s next isn’t about starting over.
It’s about carrying forward what works—and using it to meet today’s challenges with more clarity and skill.
And, What’s Next for You?
If your strategy is stalled…
If your teams are trying hard but not breaking through…
If your leaders want to do better but don’t know how—
This is your ‘what’s next’ moment—
The chance to align your people with your purpose.
Mike and I would love to discuss your leadership development strategy and how you are implementing it.
And if you’d like to know more about our book, Strategy Driven Leadership, just send me a message below. I’ll send you a chapter from SDL (or how you can order the book.)
