How to Share Direction

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“A leader is anyone who holds him or herself accountable for finding potential in people or processes.” – Brené Brown

Years ago I was talking with a man who was a member of the last church my dad led. Were we talking about my dear father and the man quipped, “You can’t say ‘no’ to Dick Leon.”

I had a good laugh about the truth of that statement. My dad asked a lot of people to do a lot of things – serve on committees, volunteer, contribute to a capital campaign. And if you said, “no,” it wasn’t that my dad would judge you, get mad, try the silent treatment, or blackball you. It was worse.

He’d get to know you.

When I talked with him about his leadership style, my dad told me:

“One of the problems that I see with a lot of young pastors is that they’ve been attracted to the ministry because they have seen someone up front doing a nice job preaching or teaching and they love the presentation side.

I keep saying to them, ministry is in the details. It’s getting systems that work in terms of management of the church, people who want to get involved, you want to make sure that they have a meaningful task and that they are rewarded, listened to, and that they feel befriended.

One of the things that I would often teach is when you have an elder that is going to give themselves to leadership for three years, the question you should ask yourself is, ‘At the end of the three years, do these people love the Lord, love the church and love their sense of ministry more than when you met them?’ It’s not ‘How do I put up with them for three years?’ but ‘How can I help them grow as people during their three years?’

It changes the whole sense from how do I get my things done to how do I serve these people? How do I befriend them? How can I help them? How do we nurture them? With a committee or an elder or a deacon or an officer of the church, you’ve got a window into their life that you’ll never have again so how do you use that? How are you doing? What is going on in your life? How can I be of help?”

Yeah…very few people said “no” to Dick Leon. But it’s a hard example to put into action, especially in different industries or scenarios. When heading a volunteer team full of big personalities or working within a competitive company where everyone is super smart, how do you bring that same attitude of empowerment and sharing?

To answer that question, I recorded a How To Share podcast conversation with my friend and climbing buddy, Doug Hauger. Doug had a very successful career as a technology executive and leads personal and professional projects with a similar style to my father’s.

In this episode, Doug and I talk about the intricacies of leadership, emphasizing the importance of sharing, vulnerability, and empowerment. We explore how confidence plays a role in leadership, the necessity of embracing uncertainty, and the dynamics of team interactions, especially when faced with challenging personalities. Doug shares insights from his extensive experience in tech leadership, highlighting the value of wisdom and the importance of creating an environment where team members feel empowered to share and learn from failures. The conversation culminates in the realization that true leadership involves being open, vulnerable, and willing to adapt, ultimately leading to a more liberated and effective leadership style.

We also tell quite a few climbing stories which are very good analogies for leadership success and direction.

Takeaways

  • Leadership requires confidence and the ability to embrace uncertainty.
  • Being open to feedback is crucial for effective leadership.
  • Vulnerability fosters trust and encourages team sharing.
  • Successful leaders create an environment of two-way communication.
  • Wisdom and experience are essential in guiding teams.
  • Empowering others leads to a more productive team dynamic.
  • Acknowledging failure is part of the learning process.
  • Humility allows leaders to learn from others.
  • Navigating team dynamics requires transparency and honesty.
  • Lack of transparency can add weight that hinders success and leadership effectiveness.

This is a great episode that delves into the heart of sharing power and the power of sharing. I know you’ll love it!

Here’s a short clip from our episode to give you a taste of the great conversation with the always amazing Doug Hauger:

Here are some ways you can listen and watch to the full episode:

Please listen, watch, provide feedback and subscribe.

Brand Strategy for Humans with Nancy Martira – The Life of Try: Personal growth, one try at a time.

In this episode of The Life of Try, Wynne Leon talks with brand strategist Nancy Martira of Clew Strategy about how to market yourself, promote your work, and build a personal brand without losing your humanity.Nancy helps expert-led businesses, authors, job seekers, and knowledge-based professionals find what makes them impossible to ignore. Together, Wynne and Nancy explore the difference between brand and reputation, the “say-do gap” between what we claim and how people experience us, and why authentic personal branding begins with believing you have something of real value to offer.This conversation is especially helpful for writers, creators, entrepreneurs, and professionals who feel uncomfortable with self-promotion. Nancy offers a practical and compassionate reframe: instead of trying to be everywhere or shouting into every algorithm, go where you’re wanted. Find the people who are already looking for what you have to give.Wynne and Nancy also talk about finding your unique value proposition, identifying your “iconic space,” using storytelling in book marketing and job searches, and navigating AI tools without sacrificing your voice, ethics, or originality. Nancy’s approach to brand strategy is deeply human, clear, and encouraging — perfect for anyone trying to become more visible while staying true to themselves.If you’ve ever wondered how to market a book, promote your business, refresh your LinkedIn profile, stand out in a crowded job market, or build a personal brand that feels authentic, this episode will help you think more clearly about reputation, positioning, storytelling, and the courage to be seen.Key Takeaways• Marketing works better when you go where you’re wanted. Instead of trying to be everywhere, focus on the audiences already looking for what you offer—readers, clients, employers, or communities who are most likely to value your work.• Find your iconic space. The goal isn’t just to list credentials or follow a formula. It’s to discover the unique value, story, and perspective that only you can bring.• Use AI as a tool, not a substitute for voice. Technology can help with SEO, titles, and tactics, but the strategy, values, and humanity behind your work need to come from you.🌐 Nancy Martira at Clew Strategy: https://www.clewstrategy.com/ Show notes and more inspiration: https://wynneleon.com🔔 Subscribe to The Life of Try for more conversations on: personal growth, creativity, reinvention, resilience, writing, and mindset.📌 Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel & Stay Updated: ABOUT MEHi, I’m Wynne Leon — host of The Life of Try, a personal growth and self-improvement podcast exploring resilience, reinvention, uncertainty, and the courage to keep trying.Through thoughtful interviews, reflective conversations, and real-life stories, I share insights to help you navigate change, get unstuck, and move forward with more intention.🌍 Website: https://wynneleon.com━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━🎥 Watch NextIdentity Before Strategy: How to Break Through Invisible Ceilings with Kevin YoderThe Power of Looking At Your Life Through a New LensHow to Tell Relatable Stories
  1. Brand Strategy for Humans with Nancy Martira
  2. Identity Before Strategy: How To Break Through Invisible Ceilings with Kevin Yoder
  3. The Power of Looking At Your Life Through a New Lens
  4. How To Tell Relatable Stories About Life
  5. Why Second Place Might Be Preparation, Not Failure

Links for this episode:

Doug Hauger on LinkedIn

(featured photo is a picture of Doug and his daughter atop Mt. Adams – one of the climbs we talk about in this podcast)

59 thoughts on “How to Share Direction”

  5. Wynne, you have given me something to listen to later today, I look forward to it. Being willing to learn and grow is so important. Enjoy your day and the remainder of the week. Looking forward to this week’s sign! Stay well, peace.

    Liked by 1 person

  7. This is very timely for me. I quit my board position for the women’s group that fundraises for sex-trafficked victims because of a new leader. She is make unilateral decisions opposite to what the board has voted to do — including no longer supporting the residential facility helping the victims. She needs to listen to your podcast!

    Liked by 1 person

  8. This is a really insightful list of qualities for successful leaders, Wynne. And the enlightened leader needs to empower his/her colleagues to embrace the same principles. An overly ambitious/self-interested team member can be just as disruptive as having a leader with those unhelpful characteristics. I was very fortunate in my work life that way.

    Liked by 1 person

  10. oh, these are all such good qualities that are so very important for a leader to embrace. it makes all the difference. no matter your political leanings, I believe our country could benefit from a leader who embodies this approach and what are are sorely lacking, I look forward to listening to your conversation with Doug –

    Liked by 1 person

  12. Love your dad’s leadership style! The reminder in your interview to not carry extra weight is such a perfect motto. This was such an eye-opening interview about how to do leadership better, even for us who don’t lead teams at work. Many of us lead in our private lives and these tips are so beneficial to be better leaders, even at home.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you so much for the great comment, Rose! You are so right about being leaders at home. It’s why I love the Brene Brown quote for this post so much. “A leader is anyone who holds him or herself accountable for finding potential in people or processes.” Right!

      I appreciate you tuning in and for your feedback. Thank you!

      Liked by 1 person

  15. The leadership style of your father’s is a rarity, especially these days. I don’t know what has happened to so many of our “leaders” and their “inability” to lead, truly lead and help people be their best selves. Great advice and bullet points Wynne! 🤗🙏🏼😊

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Such a good point, Kym. I think people have gotten put into leadership positions without any training or qualifications except for being good at a job. At least that’s what I see in my industry. Thanks for the great comment, my friend!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Oh you’re so very welcome Wynne. I was fortunate to be under a few narcissistic and untrained, non-compassionate leaders…because they were the ‘BOSS.’ I say fortunate because they taught me what type of leader not to be. I don’t question my leadership ability when I held such positions, because I’ve been a subordinate who put up with some crappy leaders (not all, but a few).

        Have a wonderful weekend my dear! 🥰💖🌞

        Liked by 1 person

  16. I feel like I’m synthesizing really here, but I’m processing. 😊 Honesty, honesty, honesty. Whether it’s in writing or leadership, you have to be transparent/authentic. Otherwise, teams will pick up almost immediately that you seem to have another agenda; that your goals are different. And even when you can “see” the end and you are trying to help the team get there by sharing the puzzle pieces of the path, you do have to listen, you have to be open to their ideas and maybe get to the end another way. That’s a leader. This was quite fascinating, Wynne, I aptly listened to Doug. He has a lot to say! (And the photo is so cool that it is not Pexels, but Doug at the summit with his daughter. ❤️

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Oh, I love how you pulled this all together, Melanie. What an insightful comment. And now that you’ve put it all together, I see it too. Yes, it’s writing or leadership or maybe even great people at the grocery story, people can tell if we’re not authentic. I love that you commented on that picture. Isn’t it great? Notice how he’s beneath her on the summit? How’s that for symbolic? Thanks for the great insights, Melanie! I love how you consistently further my thinking!

      Liked by 1 person

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  21. I listened to this episode on a long drive across town to observe one of my team members’ program. It was a timely inspiration the qualities that make a good leader and a good team where trust is implicit and fosters a culture of safe sharing. I agree that two-way sharing is so important and for leaders to try to empower their team. And love the interweaving of mountain climbing stories! 😊 Great way to start the work week – and final week of school! Have a great time in SF!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I thought you might like the mountain climbing stories, Ab! Thank you for the feedback. I’m sure you are a two-way sharing kind of leader so it might have been redundant for you but I appreciate your insights! Thanks, my friend!

      Liked by 1 person

  22. I listened to the podcast, and it was excellent. While I’m not a mountain climber, I can relate to the story about the cigar. Every detail matters when one is carrying a heavy load.

    Liked by 1 person

  24. Catching up on my podcast listening on my walk this afternoon. I enjoyed this one. I especially loved the concept of humility being liberating. I can’t imagine the energy it would take to always need to be right. It reminded me of the concept of confident humility from Adam Grant’s book “Think Again.” Good stuff!

    Liked by 2 people

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