What They Don’t Tell You About Leadership

Hey Full Potential Zoners!

What if everything you knew about leadership was false?

Leadership is full of myths that can hurt your team.

These misconceptions often sound like the truth.

BUT -

They don't deliver the results you’re after.

First, a BIG thanks to this week’s sponsor who helps keep this newsletter free:

The AI era is here, but most companies are just scratching the surface. Start closing the AI impact gap with Airtable.

Tired of AI hype without results? Airtable delivers the final mile of AI for enterprise operations. Go beyond individual productivity gains and automate recurring business processes at scale.

Experience the true power of AI in action.

Learn More

What you think is true may be holding you back.

Rethink what leadership really means.

Success lies in breaking through myths.

Today we are going to help leaders master this by using:

‘9 Leadership Myths'. 

Let’s dive in!

How to Overcome Each Myth

1. Remote Work Means Less Accountability

   • Actionable Step: Set up daily or weekly goals to keep accountability visible.

   • Example: Use project management tools like Asana or Trello to track tasks in real-time, so team members can self-check their progress and align with the broader goals​.

2. More Hours Equal More Productivity

   • Actionable Step: Implement structured time management techniques like time blocking.

   • Example: Encourage employees to work in focused blocks of time along with taking regular breaks, reducing burnout and increasing overall output.

3. Perfection Equals Success

   • Actionable Step: Set milestones where "good enough" is clearly defined.

   • Example: For complex projects, establish incremental deadlines to review progress, adjusting for feedback early and ensuring improvements without the pressure of perfection.

4. Free Perks Create Employee Satisfaction

   • Actionable Step: Focus on recognizing and appreciating employee contributions.

   • Example: Introduce an employee recognition program where peers can nominate each other for achievements that align with the company’s mission.

5. Employees Who Take Breaks Are Less Dedicated

   • Actionable Step: Schedule mandatory recharge breaks throughout the day.

   • Example: Encourage 10-minute walking breaks after every 3-4 hours of work to help employees refresh and come back with renewed focus.

6. Feedback Equals Criticism

   • Actionable Step: Pair constructive feedback with a positive, growth-oriented follow-up.

     Example: After providing feedback, schedule a follow-up session dedicated to supporting the employee with new resources or guidance for improvement.

7. The Best Ideas Only Come From Leadership

   • Actionable Step: Implement an open innovation policy where all employees can contribute ideas.

   • Example: Create a rotating "team innovation hour" where frontline employees present solutions they’ve developed for everyday issues, creating a culture of collaboration.

8. Introverts Don’t Make Good Leaders

   • Actionable Step: Leverage introverts' strength in deep listening by creating space for reflection during meetings.

   • Example: After brainstorming sessions, ask introverted team members to send follow-up emails with their thoughts, giving them time to process ideas before contributing.

     • Pro Tip: Use Silent Brainstorming - ask everyone to send their ideas BEFORE the meeting and then review them so all voices are heard.

9. More Meetings Mean Better Communication

   • Actionable Step: Consolidate meetings by designating one or two meeting-free days per week.

   • Example: Replace frequent status update meetings with written reports or quick updates in team chats like Slack/messaging apps to reduce unnecessary disruptions.

Remote Work Means Less Accountability

A team I was hired to consult with was struggling to stay accountable while working remotely.

Their manager felt disconnected from their daily progress, and team members were unsure of how their work contributed to larger goals.

With no clear system to track their deliverables, tasks were slipping through the cracks, and deadlines were frequently missed.

This lack of accountability created tension within the team.

The manager felt frustrated, believing that the team was not pulling their weight, while the employees were overwhelmed by the lack of clarity and structure.

Communication issues were also contributing to low morale, as some employees felt micromanaged while others felt completely unsupported.

I stepped in and implemented a clear accountability system using a project management tool, Asana (not sponsored, just a great tool for this; Trello and Monday are also great choices).

Here's how I did it:

Set Clear, Measurable Goals: 

Instead of tracking hours, we shifted the focus to specific outcomes. I worked with the team to define weekly deliverables for each person. This way, success was measured by what was completed, not just how much time was spent online.

Regular Check-Ins, Not Micromanaging: 

I introduced weekly 15-minute check-ins to discuss progress and address roadblocks. These were quick and focused meetings to ensure everyone stayed on the same page without the need for constant supervision.

Visual Task Management: 

Using Asana, I set up dashboards where all team members could see the progress of their projects in real-time. Each task was broken down with deadlines and responsible parties, ensuring transparency and accountability across the team.

By creating a clear framework for remote work accountability, the team became more organized, less stressed, and significantly improved their output.

The manager no longer needed to chase updates, and the team felt more in control of their workloads.

This simple shift resulted in better communication, more consistent results, and higher team morale.

Here's how you can make it real over the next 4 days:

Day 1: Set a Clear Goal

• Choose a single, specific goal related to the leadership lesson you’re focusing on.

• Make sure it’s something measurable and achievable within the next few days.

  • Example: If you're focusing on remote work accountability, your goal might be to set up a task tracker for your team by the end of the day.

    • Clear goals give you direction and help you measure progress.

• ChatGPT Prompt to Help: "Help me create a clear and specific goal related to [the leadership lesson I chose]. I want it to be simple, measurable, and something I can work on over the next few days. Also, explain why this goal is effective.”

Day 2: Identify Obstacles and Solutions

• Take 10-15 minutes to identify what’s stopping you from reaching your goal.

• Write down the barriers you face and brainstorm at least one simple way to overcome each.

  • Example: If meetings are getting in the way of your team’s communication, your solution might be to schedule shorter check-ins or use messaging apps instead.

    • Pinpointing obstacles helps you create a clear plan for success, and small changes can make a big difference.

• ChatGPT Prompt to Help: "I’m working toward [insert your goal]. What common obstacles might I face, and how can I overcome them? Help me come up with simple solutions to handle these challenges."

Day 3: Take Action

• Implement one small step toward your goal today. Focus on progress, not perfection.

  • Example: If your goal was to improve team accountability, assign tasks to team members and set up a quick check-in to follow up on progress.

    • Action creates momentum, and small wins build confidence.

• ChatGPT Prompt to Help: "Today, I’m taking action on [insert your goal]. What is one simple, effective step I can take today to make sure I make progress? How can I stay focused and motivated?"

Day 4: Reflect and Adjust

• Spend 5-10 minutes reflecting on your progress.

  • What worked? What didn’t?

• Make a small adjustment to improve tomorrow.

  • Example: If your communication method wasn’t effective, try using a different tool, like Slack/messaging app instead of email, or reduce the frequency of meetings.

• Reflection allows you to fine-tune your approach and learn from your experiences.

• ChatGPT Prompt to Help: "I’ve been working on [insert your goal] for the last few days. Help me reflect on what worked and what didn’t. How can I make small adjustments to improve my progress tomorrow?"

When we challenge what no longer works, we open the door to new possibilities.

The myths we’ve uncovered aren’t just misconceptions—they’re obstacles to growth.

Letting go of outdated ideas makes room for new strategies that actually work.

True leadership is about understanding people, not processes.

Until next week and with lots of love,

Justin

This Week’s Growth Recommendations

Book To Read:  

"The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team" by Patrick Lencioni (see it here)

TED Talk to Watch

"How Great Leaders Inspire Action" by Simon Sinek (see it here)

I have spent months putting together the greatest online course for creating infographics just like mine!

All online.

Go at your own pace.

All taught by me personally.

Sharing all my secrets with those who take the course.

Here’s what you get:

✔️Access to an infographics & image quote library with 220+ templates you can make your own. That is tens of thousands of dollars of value!

✔️Hours of videos by me to Master LinkedIn:

✔️Infographics

✔️Cheat Sheets

✔️Carousels

✔️Quote Images

✔️Lead Magnets & MUCH more 👇

Learn more by Clicking Here

Download today’s PDF by Clicking Here

Were you forwarded this email? Subscribe and get my free eBook Click Here

Want to Sponsor this newsletter or a LinkedIn post? Click Here