The Friday Five - Leadership Edition

The Friday Five - Issue 25
Challenging leaders to maximize their potential
Terry Wetzel ~ Summit Leadership Development
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Last week I mentioned the commitment to keeping a clear workspace and how it helps us in so many ways. A reader commented, “be sure not to follow the DOOM method” when it comes to things on your desk. I had not heard of this. It means “Didn’t Organize, Only Moved.” This is very true and I have found myself guilty of it at times.

In chemistry, "activation energy" is the minimum amount of energy required to trigger a chemical reaction. In leadership, it’s the hardest part of any significant project: just getting started. You don't need more motivation; you need to stop overestimating how much energy the first step actually requires. If you are waiting to “feel like it" before you start, you are waiting for a spark that isn't coming.

I have often heard new leaders say, ‘I do not like confrontation.” My response is that holding someone accountable in a firm but kind manner should not be viewed as being confrontational. Accountability is a forward-looking collaborative framework. It relies on clear expectations and mutual understanding of consequences, framed not as a threat, but as a commitment to the team’s success.

How does an organization retain talented employees? You have to stop treating "retention" as a defensive strategy and start treating it proactively. A 26-year-old high-performer doesn’t leave a company just for a higher salary; they leave when they feel their progress has stalled or they are not appreciated, heard, or challenged. To keep them, move beyond performance reviews and into structured conversations that focus on their mastery, autonomy, and the part of their work that excites them. If you don't provide a clear path for them to outgrow their current role within your organization, they will find a place elsewhere that offers a better view.

Most workplace frustration stems from unclear communication. When a team is underperforming, it’s not always because they lack talent; it’s because they don’t know where the fences are or how high the ceiling goes. To add clarity, you must define what’s expected, what’s allowed, and what’s possible. Many leaders stop at what is expected, and this stalls progress. If employees do not know what is allowed you have micromanagement and if they can’t see what’s possible you have an inspiration deficit.

"Are your closest friends moving you toward the person you want to be or holding you back?”
- Brendon Burchard

Sometimes “Middle Management” gets unfairly criticized, when in reality they are often the glue that holds a successful organization together. Power to the Middle explains why competent middle managers are crucial organizational assets that need to be empowered rather than eliminated.

Be epic, not average. The world has enough average.
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The photo in today’s web edition was taken somewhere along the Willow Flowage in WI.
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