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Premise:
Life and work are never static; they operate on an emotional roller coaster where peaks of success are inevitably followed by valleys of struggle. Far too many leaders view their teams as “resources”—cogs in a machine designed for output—rather than recognizing the complex human beings behind the results.
The most effective leaders possess the strategic agility to serve as both a sanctuary and a catalyst – they act like a thermostat (constantly adjusting the culture) and not just as a thermometer.
Our core mandate is to build an environment where we provide psychological safety for the struggling while simultaneously disrupting the complacency of those hitting a stride of peak performance.
Takeaway 1: Stop Managing “Resources,” Start Leading People
Leadership excellence begins with the paradigm shift of viewing every team member as a “whole person.” This means acknowledging that every individual brings their own aspirations, challenges, strengths, and weaknesses to the office every single day.
When we move beyond transactional management, we cultivate a culture of deep mutual respect. By understanding that our people are on the same emotional roller coaster as us, we transform the leadership relationship from a cold exchange of labor into a human-centric partnership.
Takeaway 2: The Critical Responsibility of Comforting the Disturbed
Every high-performer eventually hits a “lean period” where nothing goes according to plan, regardless of their effort. During these downturns, the leader’s mandate is the preservation of human dignity over the scrutiny of short-term metrics.
Our strategic intervention during a crisis is to ensure the individual feels seen and valued despite their current performance dip. This human-centric support is what builds a lasting legacy and identifies us as a role model worth following.
We need to make them feel seen heard and that they matter, not just their performance, but they as a human being, that they are not just a resource to be exploited.
By offering comfort when it is least expected but most needed, we earn a level of loyalty that cannot be bought. We prove that our leadership is an investment in the person, not just the output.
Takeaway 3: The Success Trap—Why “Winning” Can Be Dangerous
Operating in a season of abundance can be deceptively hazardous for organizational health. When luck and success align, people naturally begin to reside in “comfy worlds” where they take their winning streaks for granted.
This comfort is a precursor to stagnation, as it often leads to a subtle decline in intention and energy. As a strategist, we must recognize that the very success someone on the team is enjoying can become the catalyst for their future decline if they stop putting in the necessary work.
Takeaway 4: The Strategy of “Disturbing” the Comfortable
When a team member is riding a wave of success, it is our responsibility to “shake things a bit” to prevent complacency or avoid cognitive drift. It is easy to start believing that the success is due to their innate talent or genius and reduce the intensity and focus on the process, which eventually leads to performance drift.
This isn’t about creating unnecessary stress, but rather about believing in their potential to achieve even more than they originally thought possible.
Disturbing the comfortable serves to extend the winning streak by demanding a return to the “smart or hard work” that created the success in the first place. It forces the individual to reconnect with the energy and intention required to maintain peak performance.
We need to disturb them and their comfy world in a way that they realize that they can’t take things for granted and start putting in the intention energy and effort.
Furthermore, this disturbance prepares the individual for the moment the streak inevitably ends. By keeping them disciplined, we enable them to face future challenges with gratitude and acceptance, enabling them to move on without bitterness.
In Conclusion
The most profound leadership strategy is a simple dual mandate: comfort the disturbed and disturb those who are comfortable, creating a culture that is both supportive (when needed) and challenging (when required).
This balance ensures that we are providing a safety net for those in lean periods while preventing the risk of stagnation during periods of peak performance.
We must pay it forward by emulating the role models who stood by us and comforted us during our own professional trials. True leadership is about observing the emotional and professional state of our team and having the courage to act as the specific catalyst they need at any given moment.
Let’s look closely at our team today. Which individual is currently weathering a lean period and needs our comfort, and who has become so comfortable that they require a strategic disturbance?
You can also watch me talk about this on this video here.
