Why Powerful Leaders Look Twice

A Reflective Lens

We make snap judgments. It’s human. And leadership asks us to slow those down.

Recently, I had back-to-back encounters with two very different health professionals—and they reminded me just how easy it is to get it wrong if we're not willing to look deeper.

First Impressions Are Loud

I was referred to an oral surgeon, and within five seconds of meeting him, I had him pegged:

✖️ Barely smiled

✖️ Used technical jargon

✖️ Stiff and distant

“This guy’s chair-side manner could use some coaching,” I thought.

A few days later, I had an appointment with an alternative health practitioner. He came in hot:

☑️ Big smile

☑️ Gave me a nickname like we were old friends

☑️ Talked a mile a minute (mostly about himself), with plenty of jokes and compliments

On the surface? Total opposites. But both encounters taught me the exact same thing.

Truth Lives in the Space Between

Here’s what I’ve learned — especially as a coach and someone obsessed with leadership growth:

Our egos and instincts rush to protect us.

They judge to keep us safe, comfortable, certain.

But growth doesn’t live in certainty.

It lives in curiosity.

It lives in the pause.

Because once I gave that surgeon more time, a new truth emerged:

☑️ He was brilliant.

☑️ A perfectionist who took deep pride in his work.

☑️ Behind the introverted awkwardness was a humble, generous heart.

☑️ His team respected and adored him—and that always says more than a first impression.

As for the practitioner? Over time, cracks showed in his polished exterior:

✖️ High-pressure sales tactics

✖️ Shady billing

✖️ A “wellness program” that felt more like a cash grab

✖️ Constant staff turnover

Leadership Lives in Layers

Powerful leadership means developing what I call a Powerful Perspective.

It’s the ability to pause, get curious, and seek what’s beneath the surface.

To recognize that people will teach us who they are—if we’re willing to look past our assumptions.

Because let’s be real:

📌 Silence can hold strength. Noise can mask need. And polish doesn’t equal integrity.

Leading Beyond the Labels

The ego loves certainty. It wants quick labels: good or bad, safe or unsafe, leader or follower.

But real leadership—the kind that transforms families, teams, and communities—asks us to go deeper.

If you’re ready to lead with more clarity, courage, and truth...

If you're craving a leadership path that makes room for complexity, honesty, and growth...

👉 Join the Leadership Pathway Program.

Let’s strip away the surface and step into who you’re here to be.

Because leadership isn’t about always being right.

It’s about being real enough to keep growing.

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