We’ve all been there, trying to push a project forward and everything slows to a crawl. People stop following up, unanswered messages and emails pile up, deadlines are missed, and everyone seems stuck in reactive mode. It’s the opposite of progress.
I’m someone who moves fast and wants to move faster. Most people are not like this. When an organization moves slowly, people often blame bureaucracy. I blame its leaders.
Lee Iacocca, the former Chairman of Chrysler, famously said, “The speed of the leader is the speed of the team.” This profound statement highlights an essential truth about leadership: As a leader, you set the pace, tone, and direction of your organization. Your influence—through conversations, actions, and focus—shapes the culture and ultimately determines the outcomes your team achieves.
If you want your team to embrace a new initiative, grow, or excel, you must champion that initiative with clarity, consistency, and conviction. Culture, after all, is a reflection of the leader. Your words may inspire, but your actions will decide whether your team fully adopts and thrives under the changes you pursue. Modeling the behavior you want to see in your team is not optional—it’s critical.
Your Team is a Mirror of Your Leadership
If your team feels stagnant, reactive, or constantly falling behind, ask yourself: What am I modeling for them? Leaders often forget that their behaviors and attitudes cascade down through the organization. A reactive leader will breed a reactive team, and a stagnant leader creates a stagnant culture. However, a proactive, growth-oriented leader inspires the same mindset in their team.
Look in the mirror. Are you leading with speed, purpose, and focus? Or are you holding back?
Your Role as a Culture Architect
As the leader, your responsibility is not just to manage tasks but to shape the culture. That culture will propel your team forward or keep them spinning. If you want innovation, you must model curiosity and risk-taking. If you want accountability, you must consistently demonstrate follow-through. If you want urgency and adaptability, you must show the same.
It’s not enough to direct others toward a goal; you must lead them by example. The speed of the leader truly is the speed of the team.
The Leadership Challenge
Leadership is about more than strategy—it’s about embodying the values, behaviors, and energy that inspire others to perform at their best. So, the next time you’re frustrated by your team’s lack of progress or results, pause and reflect:
- Are you demonstrating the level of commitment you expect from your team?
- Are you communicating the vision and goals?
- Are you modeling the urgency and focus needed to achieve them?
Great teams start with great leaders. And the speed of the leader will always set the pace for everyone else. So, lead boldly, act decisively, and create the culture you want to see. The results will follow.
Bottom line: The best leaders lead by example. So, if you’re serious about transforming your team or organization, start by transforming yourself. Lead with clarity, consistency, and conviction—and watch how your team rises to meet your example. After all, the speed of the team starts with the leader.