Leadership, Simplified
In leadership and management, there’s really only one rule that matters. Follow it, and everything else becomes simple: you must care.
Care about your people.
Care about the work.
Care about the mission.
When you truly care, you naturally give your best. You go the extra mile. You pay attention to details. And that care shows up in the results.
As I often say: “Care is the fuel of leadership. Without it, you’re just managing tasks, not leading people.”
Care Isn’t Always Comfortable
When people hear “care,” they often picture encouragement, empathy, and support. And yes, those are important. But sometimes care shows up in ways that don’t feel comfortable in the moment.
I’ll never forget one of my early bosses. He was a stickler. Every interaction with him felt like a nightmare — at least at the time. He constantly asked about my productivity, challenged me on my growth, and pushed me harder than I thought was fair. I dreaded being in the same room with him.
But then, on my last day, I received a card from him at my going-away party. Inside, he wrote about how much I had grown and how he had been developing me to take on the world. In that moment, it all clicked.
He wasn’t trying to make my life miserable. He cared deeply about my development. He wanted me to be accountable. He wanted me to succeed. And that care — tough as it felt in the moment — shaped me into a better professional, and eventually into the leader I am today.
“True care doesn’t always feel warm and fuzzy. Sometimes it looks like holding people accountable because you want more for them than they want for themselves.”
Why Care Changes Everything
Care matters because it builds trust, even when it isn’t obvious at first. People can sense whether a leader is invested in them — or just in the results they produce. When leaders truly care:
- Teams give their best effort because they know their leader has their back.
- Accountability becomes natural, not forced.
- Mission and purpose gain meaning because people see they’re part of something bigger.
On the flip side, when leaders don’t care, people check out. They do the minimum. Culture erodes. Results slip.
Practical Ways to Show You Care
Caring doesn’t require grand gestures. It’s about consistent, intentional actions:
- Ask your team about their growth, not just their output.
- Be honest in feedback — honesty is often the purest form of care.
- Celebrate progress, even in small ways.
- Hold people accountable, not because you’re harsh, but because you believe in their potential.
As I like to remind leaders: “The smallest acts of care can create the biggest ripple effects.”
Closing Thought
The one rule of leadership is simple: care. Care enough to challenge, to encourage, to hold accountable, and to believe in your people. Because when leaders care, everything changes.
