The Good, the Bad, and the Exhausting. After 25 years working with business leaders, heads in education, and the sporting elite, I’ve seen leaders who could (and at times have) inspire entire nations… and others who couldn’t inspire a dog to chase a stick. Forget the textbook diagrams and the 10-step leadership pyramids. In the real world, leaders tend to fall into one of five camps. I’ve worked with them all. Sometimes I’ve admired them. Sometimes I’ve avoided making eye contact and prayed for an early coffee break. Here are the big five. 1. The Guide (Walk with me.) The Guide wants you to walk the journey with them. They don’t march ahead barking orders. They invite you to join the trek, to share the view from the same path. They listen. They value your contribution. They make you feel like an equal partner in the goal. When it works, this style is beautifully inclusive. People feel heard, invested, and valued. A Guide leader can build fierce ‘do or die’ type loyalty. But… Guides sometimes forget to actually draw the map for others. You can end up in a lovely group discussion with no clear idea of who’s doing what by when. And when results aren’t coming in, the same team that once walked beside you might turn and question whether you know the way at all. Difficult conversations with underperformers? Not their favourite thing. Famous examples: Sir Ernest Shackleton (Antarctic explorer who kept his crew alive through sheer trust and togetherness), Richard Branson (inviting teams into the adventure). 2. The Hedonist (Eureka! No, wait, I’ve got a better idea!) The Hedonist is a walking idea machine. A hundred sparks a day. High-energy, passionate, buzzing. When their ideas work, the results can be spectacular — innovation, change, new opportunities. The trouble is, when those ideas flop (and some inevitably will), it’s exhausting for the team. There’s no consistent direction, no considered plan. Staff begin to wonder if the leader’s running on impulse rather than insight. Doubt sets in. That’s when the

How many times have you told yourself, “Enough is enough” but stayed stuck in the same place? Today’s your moment to break the cycle. Stand up, take action, and move one step closer to your goals. Progress starts with a single decision: to do something. What’s one thing you’ll do today to move forward? Share below and let’s inspire each other!