As an executive coach, I get to see leadership in action across all kinds of organizations. After reflecting on my chats and visits with clients this past year, I’ve put together ten important lessons going forward that really stood out.
These aren’t just theories from a textbook—they’re insights I’ve gathered right from the frontlines of corporate life that will help you navigate your 2025 with success.
Lesson 1: You Gotta Wanna
(Mrs. Burch, my 3rd grade English teacher, is rolling in her grave.)
Look, all the C-suite endorsements, mentorship programs, and golden opportunities won’t matter one bit if someone isn’t demonstrably hungry for their own growth.
I had a client, a next-level exec—a rising star on paper—who had it all: executive sponsorship, a clear path to the top, the whole shebang.
But they remained stubbornly head-down in the weeds, refusing to accept the support, feedback, or assistance offered.
Can’t push a rope, folks. 
When you keep a struggling leader (particularly a senior leader) too long, you’re not just losing 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑏𝑒–productivity, performance–you’re actively damaging 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑖𝑠.
Your credibility takes a hit, and the whole team knows it.
It’s a slow leak in your leadership boat–eventually, 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑔𝑒𝑡𝑠 𝑤𝑒𝑡.
Address performance issues head-on, particularly within leadership. Your team will thank you for it (trust me on this).
Lesson 3: Echo Chambers are Dangerous
Want to hear something uncomfortable?
Growth, progress, improvement–all require 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒.
And yet we are frequently surrounded with voices that whisper “we’ve always done it this way” in our ear.
Those comfort-seeking echoes? They’re the death knell of progress.
When everyone’s nodding, 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑜𝑛𝑒’𝑠 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔.
Lesson 4: Similar Challenges, Different Scopes
That unique leadership challenge keeping you up at night?
𝑆𝑝𝑜𝑖𝑙𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑙𝑒𝑟𝑡: It’s likely not as unique as you think.
From C-level to front-line supervisors, managers, and team leads, I see the same core challenges play out–just with different dollar signs attached.
𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑣𝑖𝑒𝑤 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑎𝑙𝑡𝑖𝑡𝑢𝑑𝑒, 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑔𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑’𝑠 𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑎𝑚𝑒 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒.
Here’s the thing about leadership growth–there’s no “back” button.
Once you level up your leadership game? That’s it. Your new baseline.
Your team isn’t thinking “wow, she’s better than last year, hope it sticks.”
They’re thinking “𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑖𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑛𝑒𝑤 𝑛𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑙… 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡’𝑠 𝑛𝑒𝑥𝑡?”
Lesson 6: Employees Want to Be Heard
Sure, everyone wants great pay, unlimited flexibility, and solid management.
But more than anything? 𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑎 𝑣𝑜𝑖𝑐𝑒.
Ask for their input. Listen.
Then act–even if the action is simply explaining why we can’t do that right now.
𝐹𝑜𝑙𝑘𝑠 𝑑𝑜𝑛’𝑡 𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑎 𝑠𝑒𝑎𝑡 𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒–𝑖𝑡’𝑠 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑏𝑒𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛.
Seeing some heads nodding out there?
Lesson 7: We Get the Culture We Model at the Top
Sorry, but those inspirational posters in the break room?
They can’t overcome what your people see leadership doing every day.
No amount of “culture workshops” will fix toxic behavior at the top.
𝑌𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑠𝑜 𝑙𝑜𝑢𝑑, 𝐼 𝑐𝑎𝑛’𝑡 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑑𝑠.
Lesson 8: Politics is Just Influence
“I don’t do office politics” is often code for “I can’t influence others effectively.”
Let’s be real: Getting things done in organizations requires influence.
Call it politics if you want, but it’s about moving people and ideas forward within existing systems.
𝑌𝑜𝑢 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑔𝑎𝑚𝑒, 𝑜𝑟 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑐ℎ 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑠.
Lesson 9: Change Starts at the Top
Wishing doesn’t make it so.
Zig Ziglar was popular for saying we should “𝒊𝒏𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡 what we 𝒆𝒙𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡,” and there’s some truth to that.
Further, we cannot expect what is not exemplified at the top of the organization (C-level and teams).
In my experience, organizations sometimes expect something, yet behave entirely different from those expectations.
Your organization isn’t what you 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡 it to be–it’s what your leaders 𝑑𝑒𝑚𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 it to be.
Want real change (in 𝑎𝑛𝑦 organization)? 𝑆𝑡𝑎𝑟𝑡 𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑜𝑝. Work your way down.
Lesson 10: Leadership is 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝
Passion’s great. Motivation’s essential.
But leadership isn’t just rah-rah and attaboys.
It’s learned skills: tough conversations, clear expectations, genuine accountability.
Much more.
There’s a quote frequently attributed to John Wayne, “𝐿𝑖𝑓𝑒 𝑖𝑠 ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑑; 𝑖𝑡’𝑠 ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑑𝑒𝑟 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑦𝑜𝑢’𝑟𝑒 𝑠𝑡𝑢𝑝𝑖𝑑.”
Whether he said it or not, the premise is true: If you don’t know what you’re doing, leadership can be harder than it needs to be.
𝐿𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑠 𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔–𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒’𝑠 𝑛𝑜 𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑐𝑢𝑡.
Wrap-up
These lessons might seem simple or even obvious.
But as with most leadership stuff, the hard part isn’t figuring them out; it’s putting them into practice.
You must do the heavy lifting yourself.
The best leaders I’ve come across this year weren’t necessarily the smartest or the most charming—they were the ones who knew these truths and acted on them over and over again.
Leading isn’t about getting it perfect; it’s about getting better.
It’s about being a bit better today than you were yesterday and even better tomorrow.
Get better in 2025.
Hope you found something useful in these observations from the field, and these lessons can help guide you on that journey.
I’d really love to hear your thoughts on your 2025 leadership journey.
Oh, and before my inbox fills up—no, that wasn’t about you. Unless, of course, you clearly see yourself in these lessons. In that case, maybe we should chat. You know how to reach me.
