Lead Hard
Welcome to another Toolkit Tuesday! Every week, our goal is to give you a practical leadership tool to put in your toolkit.
So There I Was…
I got a call from a leader we've worked with for a while. Sharp, intentional and committed to growth. She’s the kind of person who doesn’t just talk about leadership, she lives it.
That day she was wrestling with two conversations where she felt like she hadn’t shown up the way she wanted to. In both, she realized she hadn’t fought for the highest possible good of the other person.
In one situation, she slipped into an old tendency of trying to control something that didn’t need her control. Ironically, earlier that same day she’d talked about how she’s learning to let go so her team can take more ownership and the business can scale. But a few hours later, something was done in a way that wasn’t her way and she stepped in.
The outcome wasn’t wrong. It just wasn’t how she would’ve done it. And she knew it.
Afterward, she affirmed the teammate and acknowledged she should’ve trusted their approach.
As our call was wrapping up, she paused for a moment and said:
“Matt… leading is hard.”
She’s right. It is.
The Challenge
Most of us want leadership to feel smooth. Like we’re confident, in control and operating with clarity.
But the truth is, real leadership often feels messy. It requires letting go of control when holding on would be easier. It means speaking up when staying quiet feels safer. It demands choosing growth even when comfort is right there within reach.
Leading is hard. And that’s exactly why so many people avoid doing it well.
The Tool: LEAD HARD
This week we are not giving you a new framework or tool to download. We just want to offer a mindset that may be more important than any model.
Lead Hard is about showing up with courage, clarity and conviction, especially when doing so stretches you. It’s about leading yourself and others even when it would be easier to back off, stay quiet or take control.
It means doing what’s best for the people you lead, even when it’s uncomfortable for you.
Not just when things are smooth and easy, but when it’s messy, personal and challenging.
If you’ve been following Toolkit Tuesday for a while, you’ve seen this idea baked into nearly every tool we share. Whether it’s fighting for the highest possible good, balancing support and challenge, building trust or learning to lead from your voice—each of those tools is a way to Lead Hard.
Why This Matters Now
You won’t regret choosing honesty over avoidance, humility over pride or strength over silence.
What you will regret are the moments when you knew what the right thing was, but didn’t say it, didn’t delegate it or didn’t step into it.
Because those are the moments that shape your culture, your team and your own confidence as a leader.
The Result
The leader I spoke with didn’t just recover from a leadership misstep. She recognized the pattern, took ownership and responded in a way that built trust rather than eroded it.
By affirming her teammate and acknowledging her tendency to over-control, she created space for growth not just for her team but for herself. That moment wasn’t perfect but it was real and it made a bigger impact than getting it right ever could have.
That’s what it looks like to Lead Hard in everyday leadership. It’s imperfect, intentional and deeply human.
Take Action
Where in your leadership are you playing it safe when you need to step in and lead hard?
It’s not easy to ask for help or invite an outsider in, but that’s exactly what great leaders do. Schedule a strategy session with us and let’s have the kind of conversation most people avoid.
Closing the Loop
She said it best:
"Leading is hard."
But when you show up with purpose, presence and persistence,
You Lead Hard.
