She sat down to write her bio. “Two hundred words about myself…” The cursor blinked like a dare. Blink. Blink. Blink.
This was a woman who could defuse a negotiation, steady a team in crisis, speak to hundreds without stuttering. Yet here she was, stalled by a blank page. She typed. Deleted. Typed again. Nothing felt right. Finally, she leaned back and laughed. The hardest part of her career wasn’t the high-stake meetings or major deals that went sideways. It was describing herself.
We all want people to just get it, to know what we stand for and how we lead. What to expect from us without having to spell it out. But leadership doesn’t work that way. People can’t read your mind. The blinking cursor is a reminder: if you don’t name what you stand for and how you show up, others will be left to guess. And their guesses shape trust, confidence, and how people follow you.
People Are Wondering… About You
I used to think people would just get it. Know what mattered, understand how I led, follow my cues. The truth? They often didn’t, and it wasn’t their fault. I left them guessing. Even now, I still catch myself leaving a trail of shifting priorities and unclear decisions. It’s humbling to see how much confusion I can create without even realizing it. Ambiguity doesn’t just slow teams down, it erodes trust.
One leader I coached told her team, “You can always expect me to tell you the truth, even if it’s uncomfortable. And I’ll always expect you to do the same with me.”
It wasn’t just a statement, it was a relief. Suddenly, the energy in the room changed. Every hard conversation after that had a place to stand. No one had to tiptoe.
Show Them What Matters
Words matter. But behavior makes them real. If you say, “Collaboration is my priority…”, but you reward the one person who hits the target at everyone else’s expense, your actions rewrite your message. Pick two or three non-negotiables and let people see you live them. Over time, your consistency will make those expectations contagious.
Ask People
“What do you count on me for? Where do I confuse you?” You might be surprised. One leader thought his team valued his big-picture vision most. What they actually valued was his calm presence when things went sideways. He focused on that calmness, and his credibility skyrocketed.
Your Leadership Bio
So let’s circle back to the blinking cursor. If you were to write your leadership “bio” in just two sentences, not your job description, but what people can expect from you, what would it say?
It doesn’t have to be polished. It has to be true. It could be something as simple as:
- “You can count on me to stay calm under pressure and make the tough call when it matters.”
- “I’ll always give you direct feedback, and I’ll always listen when you disagree.”
- “I’ll never ask you to do something I wouldn’t do myself.”
Whatever yours is, put it into words. Share it with your team. Then live it.
