The Truth About “Real Work” That Most Leaders Overlook
If you’ve ever found yourself thinking, “I just want to get back to doing the real work,” this one’s for you.
In Episode 12 of Leadership Explored, we tackled a subtle but pervasive mindset that silently breaks down teams, weakens trust, and creates long-term dysfunction in organizations:
👉 The belief that only certain kinds of work really count.
Deliverables. Decisions. Code. Client wins. We glorify visible outcomes.
But what about the planning, reporting, mentoring, documentation, emotional labor, and behind-the-scenes support? Too often, those efforts are quietly dismissed—as admin, overhead, or someone else’s job.
Here’s the truth:
“You don’t rise to the level of your favorite tasks.
You rise to the level of how you show up for everything.”
We call this episode “It’s All the Work” because that’s the leadership shift we’re inviting you to make. If you’re only showing up for the work you enjoy or that gets attention, you’re not leading—you’re selectively contributing.
We unpack:
– The myth of visible work
– How invisible labor sustains team performance
– The cultural signals leaders send without realizing it
– The career-long value of showing up for all of it
– Practical ways to shift your mindset and model better leadership
🎧 Listen to Episode 12 now:
www.leadershipexploredpod.com
Try this →
Pick one task this week that you usually rush or avoid.
Slow down. Treat it like a craft.
Ask yourself: What’s the value here? What impact does this create?
It might surprise you how much shifts when you choose to see value in the invisible.
And if you’re a leader?
The work you model—all of it—sets the tone for your team.
Thanks for exploring with us.
We’d love to hear how this shows up in your work. Reply here or email us at leadershipexplored@gmail.com.
Until next time—
Keep leading with purpose.
– Ed & Andy
Leadership Explored