1. Stop Confusing Effort With Value
We start by tearing down the illusion that effort equals impact. Leaders will learn why activity theater is cheap, outcomes are scarce, and how to rewire evaluation away from busyness and toward value creation.
2. Assume Trust, Demand Clarity
Autonomy isn't a perk, it's the baseline. This section explains why leaders should start with trust, but pair it with unflinching clarity. You'll learn how to make direction undeniable and eliminate ambiguity before handing over freedom.
3. Replace Goals With Contracts
Aspirational targets don't run companies, agreements do. Here we contrast CBC with OKRs and show how enforceable commitments eliminate misalignment, scope creep, and the endless excuses that come from fuzzy goals.
4. Treat Leadership as Stewardship, Not Stardom
Leadership isn't about charisma or optics, it's about bearing weight. This section frames leadership as service: providing structure, shielding from chaos, and carrying responsibility, not curating a personal brand.
5. Apply the Three Gates Relentlessly
Coaching has limits. Leaders will learn the three-gate test — want, ability, and application — and why passing all three earns investment. Fail one, and the leader shifts from rescuing to reallocating resources.
6. Run Into the Fire
Crises don't pause leadership; they reveal it. This section explores why composure under pressure is non-negotiable and how leaders earn trust by stepping forward when systems, people, or situations collapse.
7. Scale Merit, Not Favoritism
Favoritism rots teams. Here you'll learn why meritocracy must be ruthless, how to define what counts as merit, and how to reward ownership, problem-solving, and elevation of others without succumbing to optics.
8. Separate Work From Worth
Work is transactional; life is sacred. This section reminds leaders to treat companies as contracts, not covenants. You'll learn how to keep devotion reserved for family and love, while treating business as disciplined exchange.
