Agribusiness Leadership provides the necessary tools to unveil the fundamental principles of
Empowered Leaders that Trust themselves and the relationships they lead and leaders who are curious to discover who they are and who they lead.
By Arlen Motz Leadership
Most leaders don’t miss opportunities because they can’t see the door. They miss them because they won’t turn the knob.
I’ve been there: facing a solid door with a simple handle, looping in my head. The loop feels like strategy, but it’s chatter. The moment of truth isn’t the walk to the door—it’s the reach, the twist, and the step through.
This blog is about that moment. Learning to own the decision before you know the outcome. Choosing not to let fear steer your leadership. And understanding the “fear factor”—how it keeps you pacing the floor—and what to do about it.
The loop is analysis, second-guessing, and blame. It sounds sophisticated, but it keeps you in motion without progress. It’s endless hallway pacing: more data, more advice, one more scenario.
The knob is simple. It’s a choice you can make right now with the information you already have.
Most small-business leaders I work with aren’t short on options; they’re short on ownership. Turning the knob says, I own my next move. . That’s uncomfortable, because once you turn, the hallway disappears. But so does the loop.
Fear doesn’t always say something. It hides under respectable labels:
Here’s the test: If you stripped away fear, would the decision be clear? If yes, you don’t have a knowledge problem—you have a courage problem.
Owning the decision isn’t bravado. It’s clarity: I will be the one who chooses, learns, and adjusts. That’s leadership.
Notice what’s missing: guarantees. You don’t need them. You need a clear move and a clear review.
Try this 10-minute exercise:
Then turn the knob before you rewrite the draft. Action first, refinement after.
These are not grand gestures. They’re doorknob turns: specific, time-bound, and owned.
You don’t need fear to drive urgency, and you don’t need control to create consistency. You need clarity and commitment. Turning the knob is how you move from reacting to the hallway to leading through the door.
When you choose, you teach your team how to choose. When you review, you teach your team how to learn. That’s sustainable influence.
Pick one door you’ve been pacing in front of. Use the five moves:
If you’re leading a small team and you’re done looping, let’s get specific:
Bottom line: The hallway rewards hesitation. Leadership rewards ownership. Reach. Turn. Step through.
