The Internal Gaze

Dear Leader,

There’s something I need to tell you—something too often left unsaid in boardrooms, strategy sessions, and performance reviews. It’s this: You matter more than you know. And how you show up when things go wrong may be the most powerful moment of your leadership.

In a world obsessed with outcomes, metrics, and moving fast, defaulting to blame when breakdowns happen is tempting. To assume that someone, somewhere, dropped the ball. But what if we started with a different question? One that doesn’t seek to assign fault but to understand our influence.

What was my role in this breakdown?

This question, humble and bold at once, is the beginning of authentic leadership. It marks when you turn your gaze inward—not to berate yourself but to awaken to your capacity to create the conditions for growth, trust, and transformation.

You see, accountability isn’t a tool to control others. It’s a mirror, a practice, a relationship. It’s not about tightening the reins—it’s about opening space: space for reflection, courageous conversations, clarity of expectations, and emotional honesty.

You lead not just through decisions but through tone. Through how you react when plans fall apart, or people fall short. When you model self-responsibility instead of blame, your team doesn’t shrink in fear—they rise in trust. They start to believe in themselves the way you believe in them.

Outstanding leadership isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about creating environments where people feel safe enough to find themselves. It’s about showing that freedom and responsibility are not opposites but partners. You cannot hold others accountable until you hold yourself with compassion and conviction.

So the next time the system breaks down, don’t reach for the nearest excuse. Reach for the mirror.

Ask:

• Did I communicate the “why” or just the “what”?
• Did I invite the right voices into the conversation?
• Did I assume understanding instead of seeking it?
• Did I create conditions where this team could thrive or survive?

And then speak that truth out loud.

Because leadership isn’t about being right all the time. It’s about being honest. And from that realness—vulnerable, powerful, person-centered—something incredible happens: human potential is unlocked. In you. In them. In all of us.

With deep respect and belief in your potential,
A Fellow Believer in Human Possibility