Leadership lessons from unexpected places

Jake’s been at his guitar lesson for two hours, which means I have the apartment to myself for processing last Tuesday’s drama at work.

Leadership lessons from unexpected places

Nothing like a quiet Sunday afternoon to really think through what happened when I had to call out Alex’s behavior during our team meeting.

Turns out there’s a big difference between being someone who avoids conflict and someone who chooses their battles wisely. When Alex kept interrupting Sarah’s presentation ideas and dismissing her suggestions, I realized staying quiet wasn’t keeping the peace - it was enabling the problem.

Working through thoughts on paper.

The moment I said “Alex, let her finish her thought” wasn’t comfortable, but it shifted the entire dynamic in the room.

What surprised me most was how natural it felt afterward. Not the confrontation itself - that still made my heart race - but the clarity that came with it. Sometimes leadership isn’t about having all the answers or being the loudest voice. Sometimes it’s just about creating space for the right conversations to happen.

The follow-up conversation with Alex went better than expected too. He actually thanked me for calling him out, said he didn’t realize he was doing it. Makes me wonder what other situations I’ve been tiptoeing around when a direct conversation might solve everything faster.