55 Lessons in Leadership
Steve conduction Chiefs training aboard the USS Constitution in 2010.
Welcome to another Toolkit Tuesday! Every week, we aim to give you practical tools to put in your leadership toolkit. This week, we’re doing something a little different.
In this post will find a couple photos of our founder and CEO, Steve from his younger days to celebrate his 55th Birthday this past Saturday.
Happy Birthday Steve and we are thankful for your leadership, wisdom & friendship!
I (Steve) turned 55 this past Saturday, and to mark the occasion, I reflected on some of the most important leadership lessons I’ve learned over the years. These lessons come from my own experiences—both successes and failures—and from the incredible leaders I’ve had the privilege to know.
Here are 55 Leadership Lessons to inspire and challenge you:
There is a God who loves you, knows your name, and sent his son, Jesus, to reconcile you back to himself.
Challenge is good.
Life is better when you are laughing.
You are tougher than you think you are. Your mind will tell you to quit way before your body actually needs to.
Some of our biggest opportunities are to create moments of wonder for others.
Family is forever.
Love is not a zero sum game, it has no limits.
Different does not = wrong.
Our deepest need is to know that we matter to someone and that we belong somewhere. Show up with happy eyes and outstretched arms.
There is no 10 week solution to a ten year problem.
What people say about you when you are not in the room matters.
Truth without Relationship sounds an awful lot like judgement.
There will always be critics, embrace that fact.
Identity is for eternity, Calling is for a lifetime, Assignments are for a season. Getting clear on which is which is some of the most important work.
The impact of your life is determined by your legacy, not your volume.
Very few things are eternal - prayers, people, and God. Invest your time in them.
When you understand the fundamental attribution error, your empathy skyrockets.
Dressing in nice clothes makes a difference in how you see yourself.
Eat less, move more. That is the answer, no matter how many billions are spent trying try to sell you a different solution.
It is okay to have really sad days, they mean that you care about something enough that it can make you sad.
So many people are yelling at others to stop hate. They are unwittingly contributing to the atmosphere of hate.
The person or business you think has it all figured out…doesn’t. We are all just flying by the seat of our pants most of the time.
If you are willing to look silly, you will have some amazing memories.
Cold is not a thing on its own, it is the absence of heat. You cannot add cold to a thing, you can only remove heat. But you can always bring more heat to something
Dark is not a thing on its own, it is the absence of light. You cannot make something more dark, by adding dark, once you remove all light, you are at the limit. But you can always bring more light.
Evil is not a thing on its own, it is the absence of love. You create evil by removing love, not adding evil. When you understand this you recognize that the only way to fix the world is to bring more love, light and warmth.
When you live in chronic pain, it makes you appreciate that everyone is dealing with something.
Embrace the suck, complaining never fixes anything.
A bias toward action beats strategy and plans…every time.
People do business with people they know, like and trust.
Leadership is caught more than it is taught. Be the example for others to follow.
Great leaders hog the blame and share the credit.
If you are not getting some things wrong and failing, you are not pushing the envelope.
If you get 1% better every week, you will be 67.78% better at the end of the year. If you get 1% better daily, you will be 3747% better at the end of a year.
The best leaders are the most self aware leaders.
There is no better leadership action than getting to know your people.
Showing up is 99%.
You must go through hard things to know you can survive them. This is what builds resilience.
If you are not replaceable, you are not promotable.
To train people to think strategically, not just complete a task, you must always explain why you make the decisions you make.
Once you survive adversity, no one can take that away from you.
It is important to have a “you are special” plate for someone’s birthday.
No system is infinitely scalable, so solve for the near future.
10% of your people have innate talent and ability to lead, 40% could eventually develop leadership skills, and 50% will never get there. Be grateful for the 10%, not resentful of the 50%.
Some books should be pamphlets, but no one buys pamphlets. It is okay to stop reading.
If you want honest feedback, you must practice not defending or excusing when someone has the courage to give honest feedback to you. Just say thank you for trusting me to hear that.
If you are not intentional, you wind up building a team that looks an awful lot like you.
Nothing is as shiny on the inside as it appears from the outside.
The one without fear is the healthiest person in the room. When you can truly live with nothing to lose, nothing to hide and nothing to prove you can show up without fear.
Before you can lead others, you must lead yourself first.
Self awareness is the key, but self improvement is the goal.
The only one who can learn is the one who is willing to ask questions and look stupid.
It takes 3-5 years to change a culture, most people quit trying after 3-5 months.
There is freedom that comes when you choose to let others be wrong about you.
Leadership is a responsibility not a privilege.
Bonus - Believe the best of others until proven otherwise.
Each of these lessons has shaped how I approach leadership and life. Some may resonate deeply with where you are right now, while others might challenge you to think differently.
Why This Matters
Steve & Dawn (who have been married for 30 years!) when he graduated bootcamp in 1991.
Leadership isn’t about having all the answers; it’s about learning, growing, and serving others. As you reflect on your own journey, ask yourself:What lessons have shaped your leadership?Where might you still need to grow?
The Result
When leaders consistently apply the Leader Mindset, they see:
Stronger teams: Built on trust, accountability, and empowerment.
Elevated performance: Individuals and teams working together to achieve higher levels of success.
A lasting legacy: Creating leaders worth following who multiply their influence.
Action Steps
Pick one lesson from this list that resonates with you and think about how you can apply it this week. Reflect on how it could change the way you lead yourself and others.
Final Thought
Leadership is about intentionality. If you’re ready to take your leadership to the next level, let’s talk. Schedule a free strategy session to explore how these lessons—and others—can help you grow as a leader.
Fighting for your highest possible good!
Steve
