Would You Follow You?

If you could clone yourself, would you follow you?

I’ve been sitting with that question all week.

What would it actually feel like to follow me? 🤔

Would I trust my decisions?

Would I feel steady under my leadership?

Would I feel challenged? Supported? Clear?

That question has exposed strengths…and gaps.

It’s easy to think leadership is about the spotlight.

But strong leadership has depth.

Depth with yourself.

Depth with people.

And depth is what makes leadership sustainable.

If we want to lead for decades, we have to build the kind of leadership someone would actually choose to follow.

Here’s what I believe shapes that kind of leader.

Humility > Ego

Humility is knowing the world doesn’t revolve around you.

It’s not shrinking yourself.

It’s not pretending you have nothing to offer.

It’s simply understanding you are not the center.

Ego constantly asks:

“How does this affect me?”

“How do I look?”

“Do I get credit?”

Humility asks:

“What does the team need?”

“What serves the mission?”

“How do I elevate others?”

I’ve had moments where I wanted to control the room.

Where I wanted to make sure my voice carried the most weight.

And I’ve also seen what happens when I step back and let someone else shine. The team gets stronger.

Ego protects image.

Humility builds trust.

If you can’t move your ego out of the way, people may follow your title. But they won’t follow your heart.

Lift Others > Lift Yourself

Servitude is a posture.

It’s intentionally looking for ways to lift and strengthen the people around you.

It’s easy to serve when it’s visible.

It’s harder when no one sees it.

I’ve learned this the hard way. There were seasons where I thought I was leading well because I was casting vision loudly. I wasn’t slowing down to actually help people execute it.

At work, it may mean investing time in someone who can’t give you anything back.

At home, it may mean stepping into responsibility without being asked.

You won’t consistently lift others unless you’re actively looking for opportunities to do so.

That requires awareness.

And awareness requires care.

Proof > Intentions

Integrity is alignment.

It’s when your actions match your words.

I’ve felt the tension of overcommitting. Saying yes too quickly. Wanting to be seen as capable. Then realizing I stretched beyond what I could actually deliver.

Integrity forces you to slow down.

If you say you value family, your calendar should reflect it.

If you say you value growth, your habits should reflect it.

If you say you value excellence, your preparation should reflect it.

Leaders don’t usually implode because of one catastrophic failure.

They erode because of small inconsistencies.

Integrity closes the gap between who you say you are and how you actually live.

Reps > Motivation

Consistency is clarity plus repetition.

Most people don’t struggle with motivation.

They struggle with repetition.

Consistency is deciding what matters and showing up for it again and again.

There have been seasons where I felt “on fire.”

High energy. Big momentum.

There have also been seasons where I didn’t feel it at all.

Reps carried me when motivation didn’t.

Weekly check-ins.

Daily disciplines.

Follow-ups.

Preparation.

Consistency builds trust because it removes unpredictability.

When people know what to expect from you, they can rest under your leadership.

Trust compounds.

Most leadership failures aren’t explosions. They’re slow leaks.

Relationship > Transaction

Leadership is relational.

Being relational isn’t about being liked.

It’s about knowing the value you bring and offering it generously while also identifying and drawing out the value in others.

There was a time when I thought connection meant being impressive.

I’ve learned it actually means being invested.

It’s remembering what someone told you last month.

It’s following up.

It’s asking questions and actually listening.

When people feel known, they lean in.

Connection creates equity.

Equity gives your leadership weight.

I’ve walked into rooms before thinking about who I needed to meet. I’ve walked into other rooms thinking about who I could serve. Those two mindsets create two completely different kinds of interactions.

Honesty > Hiding

Vulnerability is self-aware honesty.

I used to feel like I needed to have it all together to lead well.

But I’ve realized something. Pretending you’re fine doesn’t inspire confidence. It creates distance.

There have been moments where I’ve had to say,

“I missed that.”

“I need help.”

“I’m still growing here.”

Instead of weakening leadership, it deepened it.

Reflection is a leadership discipline.

If you can’t see your own gaps, you will eventually lead blind.

Honesty builds depth.

Hiding builds fragility.

Conviction > Charisma

Inspiration is embodiment.

Yes, words matter.

Tone matters.

Vision matters.

But the deepest inspiration comes from alignment.

Anyone can deliver a powerful message once.

Few people live it consistently.

There’s a difference between someone repeating something they heard and someone expressing something that is already inside them.

I’ve felt that difference.

When growth is real in you, it carries weight.

When it’s borrowed, it feels hollow.

People don’t just want your advice.

They want your example.

When your actions, language, and life align, people don’t just feel motivated.

They feel conviction.

This Is Not Plug and Play

This is not a formula.

You don’t install these qualities and suddenly become a leader for decades.

Leadership erodes slowly.

It strengthens slowly too.

Most people reflect on their leadership when something breaks.

The best leaders reflect on it regularly.

You don’t have to fix everything overnight.

You won’t fall apart overnight either.

Little by little, your habits shape your character.

Your character shapes your leadership.

So ask yourself:

Would you follow you for a year?

Would you follow you for a decade?

Would you trust your leadership long term?

If the answer isn’t fully yes yet, that’s ok.

You now have clarity.

And clarity is where growth begins.

If you care about healthy, sustainable leadership, that’s what we’re building inside Growdie.

Decades > Days.

Let’s build the kind of leadership people would actually choose to follow. 💯