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.
A few weeks ago, I was getting ready for the day when I slipped on an old pair of shoes.
At first glance, they seemed fine. They were comfortable. Familiar. Broken in. I had worn them for years. The problem there was a small hole on top. Not a big hole. I didn’t think it was a big deal.
But I found out that day that, my socks got wet and dirt found its way in. By the end of the day, I was uncomfortable and frustrated. What struck me was how such a small hole could create such a big mess.
Leadership is often the same way. Most leadership challenges don’t begin with a major failure. They begin with small gaps in intentionality.
A missed conversation. An unclear expectation. An assumption that someone knows what to do. A lack of follow-up. A moment when we avoid addressing something because it seems too small to matter.
Yet over time, those small holes allow confusion, frustration, and uncertainty to creep into our teams. Just like my shoes, everything may appear fine on the surface. But underneath, trust is getting wet. So before we ask whether our team is performing, perhaps we need to ask a different question:
Do the shoes fit?
Does the way we lead serve the situation we’re in? Are we using the right approach for the right application? Are our actions aligned with the purpose we are trying to accomplish?
Intentional leadership isn’t about being perfect. It’s about making sure the small things support the bigger purpose. Because every time a team is uncertain about direction, expectations, or purpose, trust begins to leak. And trust is much harder to rebuild than a pair of shoes. That’s why I believe leadership comes down to three things:
Purpose. Intentionality. Trust.
Purpose gives people a reason to move. Intentionality gives them direction.
Trust gives them confidence to follow. The next time something feels off within your team, don’t just look at the outcome.
Look at the shoes.
Ask yourself:
Because sometimes the smallest hole creates the biggest mess. And sometimes the smallest adjustment creates the greatest transformation.
Your Factor: Purpose. Intentionality. Trust. That’s what keeps leadership moving forward—even when the ground gets wet.
