New Episode Available Now: It’s All the Work
The Hidden Trap That Derails Teams and Weakens Leaders
What counts as “real work”?
If you’ve ever thought, “I’ll do the real work once I get through all this admin,” you're not alone.
But what if that mindset is holding you—and your team—back?
In Episode 12 of Leadership Explored, we dig into one of the most overlooked leadership truths:
It’s all the work.
The planning.
The documentation.
The reflecting, mentoring, reporting, and holding space.
These aren’t distractions. They’re the foundation.
What We Explore in This Episode:
🎯 Why “real work” often gets equated with visible output—and how that mindset hurts teams
📉 The quiet cost of skipping planning, documentation, or retrospectives
🎻 Metaphors from classical music, sports, and software that reframe preparation as performance
🧠 The mindset shift from "chore" to "multiplier"
💬 What real leadership looks like when no one’s watching
Key Quote:
“You don’t rise to the level of your favorite tasks. You rise to the level of how you show up for everything.” – Ed Schaefer
Why This Matters:
Leaders shape culture with their actions—not just their intentions. When we avoid the less glamorous parts of the job, we silently signal that those things don’t matter. And then we wonder why deadlines slip, resentment builds, and teams burn out.
This episode is a call to reframe what we value, how we model it, and how we support the whole system—not just the part that gets credit.
Try This:
✅ Pick one task you usually rush through or resent.
Slow down. Treat it like part of your craft.
✅ Publicly recognize someone who’s quietly holding things together behind the scenes.
Shining a light on invisible work changes how it’s valued.
✅ Ask yourself:
What “non-glamorous” part of your work is actually essential—and what changes when you treat it that way?
🎧 Episode 12 – It’s All the Work: Why Leadership Means Showing Up for Everything
Available now on all platforms: Apple, Spotify, Audible, YouTube, Substack, and more.
📩 Got thoughts or reflections?
Reply to this email or connect with us on LinkedIn—we read every message.
Thanks for exploring leadership with us.
Until next time, lead with purpose.
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Leadership Explored
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