What It Truly Means to Be a Leader
Leadership isn’t about titles, corner offices, or fancy job descriptions. It’s about honesty, engagement, and building trust. It’s about showing up, not just physically, but mentally and being fully present for your team. A great leader inspires growth by cultivating a culture that’s open, honest, and collaborative, paving the way for high-performing teams to thrive.
As leaders, we have a responsibility to help our employees not just meet expectations but exceed them. Growth happens when we create an environment where people feel safe to speak up, empowered to innovate, and challenged to grow in their unique roles.
Leadership is about creating opportunities, not obstacles.
To bring this idea to life, let me share a quick (and hopefully amusing) story about our favorite leader, Max Powers:
Max Powers’ Ultimate Leadership Lesson: The Coffee Cup Incident
It was a Monday morning, and Max Powers walked into the office balancing a tower of folders, his laptop bag, and a dangerously full cup of coffee. As Max approached his desk, he tripped on a rogue power cord. The coffee went flying.
Without missing a beat, his team sprang into action. Julie grabbed paper towels, James moved the laptop to safety, and Taylor made a run to grab Max a fresh cup of coffee.
Grateful but slightly embarrassed, Max looked around at his team and said, “Thank you for saving my Monday. But this also tells me something about us as a team: when things go sideways, we don’t point fingers, we solve problems together.”
This became a teaching moment. Max explained how trust and an open culture had created the kind of environment where his team instinctively worked together. Later that day, Max held a meeting, not about the spill, but about how leaders can create opportunities to build trust and engagement:
Be Honest: Max openly admitted the spill was his fault, laughing at himself and reminding his team that mistakes are part of learning. Honesty builds trust, and trust strengthens teams.
Be Engaged: By taking the time to thank everyone and turning a mishap into a lesson, Max showed how being present with your team creates connection.
Empower Growth: Max turned the moment into a challenge: “If we can solve a coffee spill together, imagine what we can do with our big goals this quarter!” His team left inspired and ready to tackle the next challenge.
This was a very simplistic example that leadership isn’t about perfection, it’s about humility, humor, and heart. A great leader isn’t afraid to spill a little coffee if it means sparking a meaningful conversation.
So, what’s your “coffee spill” moment as a leader? How do you create trust and growth within your team? Let’s share ideas below!
#Leadership #GrowthCulture #HighPerformingTeams #MaxPowers #TrustAndEngagement
“Don’t leaf us hanging—scatter your thoughts in the comments!”
I Power Seeds
Here are our takeaways and thoughts - pause and reflect, then nourish and grow!
What’s the takeaway from Max’s Monday mishap? Leadership isn’t about never spilling coffee, it’s about how you respond when you do. It’s about owning the mess, building trust, and empowering your team to work together (even if it’s just to save your favorite mug).
So, the next time life throws a coffee spill your way, ask yourself: Am I creating the kind of team that solves problems together, laughs together, and grows together?
Because great leaders know that even in chaos, there’s an opportunity to lead, and maybe even a good story to share over the next cup of coffee.
