Can They Make the Leap?
Every leader must answer...
Are your people capable of making the leap?
Before you embark on any major change or transformation initiative you need to ask yourself one critical question…
Are my people capable of making this leap with me?
How you answer this question will dictate your transformation strategy, the speed at which your organization can manage change, and the level of risk you need to undertake to effect these changes.
If you determine that your team is capable of making the leap with you and embracing the desired changes, great! You can likely move far and fast with limited risks. This is ideal.
But it’s not common.
If, instead, you determine that your team is not capable of making the leap with you, it may require that you delay your change initiative while you address other internal challenges. In many instances this discovery leads to the realization for leaders that they have the wrong people in key roles. You may need to restructure your team so that you have people in key roles who aren’t just “ok” with your vision for transformation, but who are excited and energized by it.
One of the most insightful and clarifying things I’ve ever heard on this very subject was a talk that Evan Marwell, Founder & CEO of EducationSuperHighway and Co-Founder of Ignite! Reading shared with a group of founders and leaders recently at Camp Redwood 2025. In sharing his insights on organizations that are in heavy growth mode he said, “You will likely need to churn your leadership team every 3-5 years if you are in a high-growth mode. It’s too difficult for most people to grow at the same pace as your organization is changing.”
This also reminds me of the story of famed Arctic explorer, Ernest Shackleton, who when he decided to embark on a treacherous Arctic expedition, knew that he’d need a different kind of person to join his efforts. It wasn’t enough that the men on his crew be “experienced” explorers. It wasn’t enough that they be strong, capable, etc.
No.
They needed to be all-in for the reality of a journey that would be difficult, painstaking, challenge every aspect of their minds and bodies, and potentially result in death. To ensure that his crew was able to “make the leap” with him, Shackleton’s advertisement for men to join his expedition is said to have been simple and direct:
Men wanted for hazardous journey. Low wages, bitter cold, long hours of complete darkness. Safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in event of success.
There’s a certain type of person who would respond to that ad. And another type of person who would shy away from it. That’s the point.
In your own transformation efforts, this same level of clarity is both helpful and appreciated by your team members. They may not say it out loud, but they will be grateful if you tell them ahead of time what you expect, how difficult you believe it will be, and what both the benefits and consequences of your journey will be.
Having this information allows them to determine whether they want to make the leap with you or not. And both answers are acceptable.
Leadership Link Roundup
The 5 Responsibilities of the CEO. You might think your job is to “do the work.” It’s not. You have five responsibilities as a CEO, and “do the work” isn’t one of them.
Focus on What You Can Control. You’re going to experience grief, loss, tragedy, and difficulty at some point in life. It’s unavoidable. When I was younger I burned tons of energy and effort trying to control those things. But then I realized that it’s impossible to control them. Instead, all I can control is how I respond.
You Set the Tone. You might not realize this, but your attitude, words, and actions set the tone for your entire organization. If you show up tired, grumpy, aggressive and isolated, your organization and your people will mirror that. But if you show up engaged, inspired, and collaborative, your organization will follow your lead.
Do This One Thing. If you want to build a thriving organization where people show up every day to make great things happen, do more of this. It’s simple. But it’s not always easy.
6 Tips to Hold Your Team Accountable for Performance
Take the 90-Day Leader’s Journey!
If you want to become a leader of significant impact, you need to take the 90-Day Leader’s Journey. In this 90-day email course I’ll share with you 90 key insights on leadership Character, Culture, and Competence that I use to train leadership teams in professional service firms every day — and that you can use to accelerate your own leadership impact!
Optimize Your Salesforce CRM
Does your organization struggle to get your Salesforce CRM to do the things you need it to do? Do you want to pull your hair out because you feel like your CRM is working against you instead of for you?
If this feels familiar, my friend Jim Krizan over at Higher Rock LLC can help you.
His team of expert Salesforce consultants can help with anything from Salesforce implementations, platform integrations, maintenance, reporting, and anything else you need to effectively use your Salesforce CRM.
You can get the help you need to maximize the impact of your Salesforce CRM.
Book a no-cost, no-obligation call with Higher Rock LLC today!
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This reminds me of the interview process and how it would be helpful if interviewers were more upfront about what they’re actually looking for.
I’ve been in interviews as a candidate and on the other side as part of a committee, and I’ve seen how what they say they want isn’t always what they really want. They’ll claim they’re looking for someone who thinks outside the box and takes initiative, but in reality, they want someone who follows instructions and doesn’t challenge authority.
That mismatch leads to frustration on both sides.
I’ve seen this play out more times than I can count. It's not just about technical skill, but mindset and hunger for the journey. Evan Marwell’s insight resonates because I’ve seen firsthand how team churn is almost inevitable in high-growth businesses. That said, when handled thoughtfully, it’s an opportunity to level up the organization.