Leadership Tenets

Short, memorable principles for how you lead when nothing else spells it out — not rules, just the reflex you fall back on under pressure.

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Team's Tenets guide how a group decides when a process doesn't spell out the next step. Leadership Tenets work the same way, one level up — they're about who you are as a leader, not what a team is optimizing for this quarter. And like Team's, "unless you know better ones" keeps them a living guide instead of a fixed law. For what actually separates a real tenet from a value or a platitude, see Core Skills' Defining Tenets — that's also where Disney's Five Keys live as the sharpest real-world example.

The Tenets

Seven, each a real tie-breaker — it resolves an actual tension, not just states something nobody would disagree with. Ordered as a cascade: the first is the one everything else depends on, not just the first one listed.

1

Lead by Example — if you wouldn't do it yourself, don't ask it of your team. Your own behavior sets the real standard; saying it isn't the same as living it.

2

Complain Up, Comfort Down — route frustration to whoever can actually act on it, never to the team below you. Route reassurance the other way, to whoever's closest to the uncertainty.

3

First, Seek to Understand — not all problems require solutions. Make sure you fully understand an issue before deciding whether it warrants action; time is a precious resource, use it wisely.

4

Be Optimistic — default to "how might this work" before "why this won't." The first reaction to a new idea sets the tone for every reaction after it. See Core Skills' Yes, And — answer with "yes, and" before reaching for "no, but."

5

Embrace Change — when faced with obstacles, find a way forward rather than resisting. Adopt a mindset of adaptability; success often requires the ability to pivot when necessary.

6

Dare to Be Different — your personal brand matters. Aim to create unmatched, exceptional experiences. Pay attention to detail, and know when it's appropriate to break the rules; innovation often comes from challenging the status quo.

7

Connect and Communicate — when it's heads-down work versus a relationship-building conversation with no immediate ask, take the conversation. Trust gets built in the moments that don't look urgent.

Try It

Paste this into ChatGPT, Claude, or whatever AI tool you use:

Help me draft 4-6 Leadership Tenets — short, memorable principles for how I lead when nothing else spells it out. Ask me about moments I was proud of how I led and moments I wasn't, what I actually fall back on under pressure, and what I want people who've worked for me to say about me years later. Push back if an answer is too generic to actually change a decision, and help me tighten each one down to a short, sayable name plus one or two sentences on why it matters.