Leadership Skills Are the Foundation of Everything

If you want to be a good father, husband, entrepreneur—or just a human others can count on—you need leadership skills. It’s not optional.

I’ve led military teams, business teams, and my own family for over 15 years now. And what I’ve realized through all of that: leadership is leverage. When you develop your leadership skills, everything else becomes possible. Without them, nothing works—not at the level you want.

Leadership Skills Start with Listening

Leadership isn’t barking orders. It’s not being the loudest voice in the room. Real leadership starts with listening. Your team, your spouse, your kids—they all have feedback. They all have insight. And you’ll never hear it if you're always the one talking.

Silence is okay. Let conversations breathe. You don’t need to fill every gap with noise. You need to hear what’s really going on so you can lead from truth, not assumption.

Have the Plan (Even If You’re Not 100% Sure)

Leadership also means being the one with the plan. Even if you’re not 100% certain, people are looking to you for direction. Don’t pass that responsibility off.

You don’t have to pretend to know everything, but you do have to take action. Lay out the vision for the quarter. Paint the picture. Own the process.

Humility Is Not Weakness—It’s Power

I’ve seen it firsthand, especially in my military days: no one wants to follow an arrogant leader. The ego-driven commander who blames others and refuses to own up to their missteps? They lose the respect of the team fast.

Be real. Be human. If you don’t know something, say so. But don’t let it paralyze you. Make a decision and move.

Make Decisions, Execute Swiftly

Speaking of decisions—make them. Don’t sit in limbo. It’s not only killing your momentum, but your team can feel the hesitation. And they won’t always call you on it, but they know. Leadership means executing, even if you’re still figuring it out as you go.

Explain the Why

If you want buy-in from your team (or your family, for that matter), explain why something matters. A new marketing strategy? A shift in operations? Tell them why you’re doing it.

People won’t commit to tasks they don’t understand. Even if the goal is more money—explain what that money is for. More capital means more impact. Let them feel that.

Build Relationships with Trust, Care, and Respect

Leadership is a relationship. Not a transaction. And relationships are built on three core things: trust, care, and respect.

You don’t get to demand those things—you have to earn them. That happens through consistent action, genuine interest, and accountability.

If your people feel trusted, cared for, and respected—and they return the same—you’ve built something powerful.

These aren’t just tactics. These are the leadership skills that separate average from exceptional. They’re not checkboxes. They’re practices. And you have to live them daily.

If you want your business to grow, your marriage to thrive, and your life to matter—get serious about your leadership. Try harder.

Time-Stamped Show Notes

00:30 – Why leadership is the foundation of success
01:10 – Listening is your #1 leadership skill
01:45 – Your responsibility: Have the plan
02:25 – Humility in leadership builds trust
03:05 – Make decisions and execute quickly
03:45 – Communicating the “why” behind the work
04:35 – Why your team needs a bigger mission
05:15 – Building real relationships in leadership
06:05 – The three pillars: Trust, care, respect
07:00 – Leadership is daily—not a checkbox