Leadership: 8 Don’ts
I recently came across a leadership graphic that stopped me in my tracks. Not because it was clever or trendy, but because it captured—simply and honestly—mistakes I’ve seen repeated over decades of leadership experience.
Army. Corporate leadership. Community governance.
Same patterns. Same outcomes.
So I recreated the graphic to reflect what I believe leadership should look like, and to spark a broader conversation about how leadership works—or fails—inside organizations like ours.
At the center of it all is a simple idea:
Simplify. Decide. Deliver.
Not flashy. Not theoretical. Just practical leadership.
What follows are eight leadership mistakes I’ve watched derail good people, strong teams, and well-intentioned boards. Avoiding these doesn’t guarantee success, but ignoring them almost always guarantees frustration.
1. Don’t delay decisions
Indecision creates anxiety and doubt.
Leaders don’t always have perfect information, but they do have responsibility. Waiting too long to decide creates uncertainty, invites speculation, and drains momentum. People can live with a decision they disagree with. They struggle with silence.
2. Don’t ignore red flags
Ignoring red flags creates a tolerant culture.
Every organization knows when something isn’t right. The question is whether leadership chooses to act.
When issues around behavior, performance, process, or communication are tolerated, they become normalized. Over time, that is the culture.
3. Don’t chase popularity
Liked does NOT equal respected.
Leadership isn’t a popularity contest. It’s stewardship.
Chasing approval leads to avoiding tough conversations and postponing hard choices. Respect comes from consistency, fairness, and follow-through—not applause.
4. Don’t pretend to know it all
Vulnerability beats ego.
Strong leaders ask questions, listen carefully, and admit when they don’t know. That doesn’t weaken authority—it strengthens credibility.
5. Don’t do it all yourself
It blocks growth and burns people out.
When leaders try to carry everything themselves, they become bottlenecks. Delegation isn’t abdication. It’s trust paired with accountability.
6. Don’t forget the human side
People work best when they’re seen.
Processes, budgets, and policies matter—but people matter more. Clear communication and respect aren’t “soft”; they’re effective.
7. Don’t micromanage every task
It suffocates ownership and creativity.
Micromanagement signals distrust. Over time, capable people disengage. Good leaders set expectations, define guardrails, and then allow others to execute.
8. Don’t avoid hard conversations
Silence creates confusion and distrust.
Avoiding uncomfortable conversations doesn’t preserve harmony. It postpones conflict and magnifies it later. Clear, timely conversations build trust—even when the message is difficult.
How this applies to a POA Board, Management, and Committees
Boards don’t lead the same way executives or managers do—but they do lead.
A POA board’s role is to set direction, establish priorities, and provide disciplined oversight. Management’s role is to execute. And in a community like Big Canoe, there’s a third critical element that often gets overlooked: board committees staffed by resident volunteers.
When boards, management, and committees work together clearly and respectfully, the organization functions well. When they don’t, confusion and frustration follow.
Boards must decide—clearly and on time.
Once management and committees have done the work, surfaced risks, and presented options, boards owe them a decision. Endless deferrals sap momentum and signal uncertainty.
Boards cannot ignore red flags—especially when committees raise them.
Committees like Finance and AECD exist for a reason. They bring depth, continuity, and resident perspective. When recurring concerns are dismissed or sidelined, problems don’t disappear—they compound.
Boards shouldn’t chase popularity.
Good governance requires long-term thinking. Committees often see uncomfortable tradeoffs early. Boards that listen, weigh the facts, and decide earn credibility over time.
Boards don’t need to know everything—but they must respect expertise.
No director can be an expert in everything. That’s why committees matter. Strong boards rely on analysis, not gut feel alone.
Boards must resist micromanaging management—and committees.
Clear roles matter. Committees are not rubber stamps, and management is not an extension of individual directors. When lines blur, accountability breaks down.
Boards should remember the human side—especially with volunteers.
Committee members are residents giving their time because they care. Treating that effort with respect—even when disagreeing—preserves institutional knowledge and trust.
Boards must have hard conversations—in the room, not outside it.
Healthy boards debate openly, decide clearly, and then stand behind the decision. Undermining outcomes after the fact erodes trust with management, committees, and owners alike.
What effective board–management–committee interaction looks like
At its best, it’s straightforward and disciplined:
- Committees analyze, advise, and flag risks early
- Management develops options and recommendations
- The board asks hard questions and decides
- Management executes and reports progress
- Committees continue oversight within their charter
No surprises. No back channels. No blurred authority.
Why this matters in Big Canoe
Big Canoe is a complex community with significant assets, long-range obligations, and a deep bench of resident expertise. Getting the structure of leadership right—board, management, and committees working in concert—is how we make steady progress instead of reacting to one issue after another.
That’s why this graphic resonated with me—and why these leadership principles matter here.
Leadership is doing the right work, the right way.
A final thought—and an invitation
Strong communities don’t just elect good board members. They rely on engaged residents willing to serve, ask hard questions, and contribute their expertise through committees.
If you care about Big Canoe and want to help shape its future, I encourage you to get involved. Committee service matters—and it makes a difference.
If this resonates with you, I’d welcome the conversation.
