To Lead, or Not to Lead: That Is the Question!

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    Leadership has always been one of the most interesting topics for me. I enjoy watching videos and reading about leadership and its impact on individual and organizational success, or failure. When we look into the success stories of different organizations, leadership style and vision almost always stand out as key elements behind that success. A successful leader cares about people, and when people feel valued and supported, they naturally become more engaged, dedicated and care more about performance. This is when organizations begin to grow, innovate, and succeed.

    Leadership is not limited to companies or formal organizations. Leaders exist in every aspect of life including families, communities, and everyday interactions. Leadership is not defined by a title or a rank; rather, it is defined by influence, vision, and the ability to inspire others. I have worked with many leaders throughout my career and the most effective ones viewed leadership as a practiced, learnable skill, pretty much like a muscle, that requires constant exercise. Successful leaders empower their teams and supported employee growth. They understand that there is no competition between them and their team members and never fear having strong and capable people under their leadership.

    One of the speakers and authors I find particularly inspiring is Simon Sinek. His talks and books focus on what makes people truly follow a leader. One of his most well-known ideas is that great leaders and organizations clearly understanding why they do what they do. According to Sinek, people are not inspired by what organizations produce, but by the purpose and belief that drive their actions.

    Sinek emphasizes that leadership is about serving others, building trust, and creating environments where people feel safe and motivated to perform at their best. This perspective makes leadership shift from authority and control to responsibility and service. Sinek argues that a leader's real job taking care of those in their charge. When leaders practice empathy, they create a "Circle of Safety" where employees feel comfortable admitting mistakes or asking for help without fear of blame or retribution.

    Sinek's perspective resonates with me because this is what I have experienced and see happen in the workplace. His talks are reasonable and realistic, moving beyond plain theory to attainable objectives that can lead to sustainable organizational success. I am including videos of his inspiring talks. The first one is a little long, but the other other two are less than five minutes. 

I hope you enjoy watching them!






Comments

  1. Lora McLaurinMarch 6, 2026 at 6:53 AM

    I absolutely enjoy watching this man's videos on leadership and how using empathy in the workplace can help you create a psychologically safe work environment for employees to thrive, in turn helping the business thrive as well. I have been in both safe and unsafe work environments and I can tell you firsthand, it's never the job that has people leaving; it's the management and how they treat people. People who feel supported and heard stay longer and feel more loyalty toward the company and their management.

    ReplyDelete
  2. WessamMarch 7, 2026 at 12:49 PM

    Thank you, Lora, for your comment. You nailed it! Based on personal experience, it is the management, not the job, that makes people leave their jobs or feel oppressed and frustrated if they have no other option but to stay and tolerate the situation.
    At one point in my career, I worked with one of the worst managers on planet Earth. This person was the reason I left a job that I loved. His leadership style drained the passion I once had for my work, and my teammates and I constantly felt threatened and uncomfortable. As a result, we were never able to perform at our best.
    When I moved to another department, life changed and I became my true self once again. This time, I was working with a true leader who treated all of us with empathy and respect. Even though he was the Chief People Officer, he always introduced us, his subordinates, as his colleagues. He valued our contribution and experience and always emphasized that the people are the key of successful teams. He was the role model of a transformational leader.

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