The 5 Things Successful Leaders Avoid

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THE RUCKUS MAKER MONTHLY THEME: PLAYING YOUR GAME

My Leadership Playbook: 5 Things I No Longer Do

Leadership is often defined by what we do — the meetings we attend, the systems we build, the fires we extinguish before our second cup of coffee.

But I've discovered something counterintuitive: some of my biggest breakthroughs have come from what I stopped doing.

Here are five things I've eliminated from my leadership playbook.

Dropping these habits didn't make me less effective …

It made me more present, more authentic, and significantly more human.

1. I No Longer Chase Perfection

I used to agonize over every email, polish every presentation until it gleamed, and obsess over flawless execution for every initiative.

The result?

Paralysis by analysis and a team that learned to wait for my approval instead of taking ownership.

Now I aim for clarity over perfection.

I'd rather ship something real and iterate, rather than get trapped in endless revision cycles. Schools are living ecosystems, not museum exhibits — they're supposed to be a little messy.

Leadership isn't Tetris. You don't need every piece to fit perfectly before you can move forward.

2. I No Longer Attend Every Meeting

There was a season when I believed my leadership value came from physical presence. I was in every room, at every table, for every decision.

My calendar looked like a game of Frogger. Frantically jumping from meeting to meeting, trying not to get flattened by the endless stream of obligations rushing past.

Now I ruthlessly protect my time and energy for what moves the needle.

I skip meetings that don't require my input, delegate others to represent our team, and regularly ask the revolutionary question: "Do we actually need to meet about this?"

The world didn't end. In fact, it got better.

3. I No Longer Pretend to Have All the Answers

For years, I thought leadership meant being the person with the plan, the solution, the immediate fix.

I wore my quick responses like armor, afraid that admitting uncertainty would expose me as a fraud.

But that performance was exhausting, and it robbed my team of the chance to problem-solve and grow.

Now I lead with curiosity instead of certainty.

I ask more questions than I answer. I say "I don't know, but let's figure it out together" without shame. Turns out, vulnerability builds more trust than false confidence ever did.

4. I No Longer Confuse Motion with Progress

My old calendar was a masterpiece of time Tetris — every slot filled, every minute accounted for. I was constantly in motion, which felt like leadership.

But motion isn't progress.

Being busy isn't being impactful. I was playing leadership like Asteroids, constantly spinning and shooting in all directions, but never really getting anywhere.

Now I guard my calendar like I'm playing chess instead of checkers. Every move is intentional. I block time for deep thinking, relationship building, and strategic planning.

I've learned that rest is the foundation of productivity.

And I say no more often, without apologizing for protecting what matters most.

5. I No Longer Lead for External Validation

This one cuts deep.

For too long, I shaped my leadership around what would earn applause — the recognition from supervisors, the public praise, the moments when someone would say "You're crushing it."

But leading for applause is exhausting.

It turns authentic leadership into performance art. Like trying to spell impressive words in Scrabble instead of just playing to have fun.

Now I lead from my values, not for validation. If the work aligns with my principles and serves our mission, that's enough.

Even if no one's keeping score.

Playing Your Own Game

Here's what I've learned: letting go of these five habits didn't make me less of a leader. It made me more of myself.

I'm still in the leadership game. I'm just not playing by someone else's rulebook anymore — like finally realizing you don't have to buy Boardwalk and Park Place to win at Monopoly.

The rules that matter most are the ones you write for yourself. Based on your values, your vision, and your definition of what makes work worth doing.

What's one thing you're ready to eliminate from your own leadership playbook?

I'd love to hear what you're letting go of this year. Hit reply and share. Your insight might inspire the next newsletter.