Dec 3: Stop Trying To Be Good At Everything

When leaders stop pretending and start partnering, the brain relaxes.

The Strength You Unlock When You Stop Trying To Be Good At Everything

By Julia LeFevre

Have you ever noticed how much pressure lives inside the idea that leaders should know it all?

Most of the executives I work with feel it.

Heather Howell felt it too, even after leading global innovation for one of the most iconic brands in the world.

In our conversation, she named something honest and freeing.
She said that great leaders are not the ones who master every skill.
They are the ones who can say with confidence,
"I am not the best person for this part"
and then build a circle of people who are.

Her words stayed with me because they mirror neuroscience.

When leaders stop pretending and start partnering, the brain relaxes.
- Cognitive load decreases.
- Creativity rises.
- Collaboration becomes natural rather than forced.

Heather surrounded herself with people who could read a P&L with more clarity than she could, with advisory councils she trusted, and with people who were brilliant in the places she was not.

There is both humility and strength in that kind of leadership. Humility because it requires honesty, & strength because it protects your energy for the work only you can do.

In the Core Capacities, this sits inside Definition and Collaboration.
Definition gives you permission to stay in your lane without apology.
Collaboration invites others to bring their gifts without fear.

When these two capacities grow together, leaders stop striving for perfection and start building relational ecosystems.
- This is where teams find their rhythm.
- This is where work becomes lighter.
- This is where innovation accelerates.

A Next Step for Leaders

Ask yourself:

• Where am I carrying a responsibility someone else is wired to carry?

• What support would lighten my load and strengthen the team?

• Who is waiting to contribute if I invited them in with clarity?

Let one small shift this week become a signal to your brain that you do not have to lead alone.

Listen to the Full Conversation

If this resonated with you, you can listen to my full conversation with Heather Howell on the Wired to Lead podcast.

Let’s keep leading with clarity, courage, and definition.
Julia