Everything You Know About Leadership Is a Lie—And It’s Costing You Growth

Imagine this: You’re running a business, managing a team, trying to lead people to success—and yet, it feels like you’re pushing a boulder uphill. You’re doing everything you’ve been told: taking charge, staying confident, keeping your foot on the gas. But something’s not working. Your people are disengaged. Growth has stalled. You’re exhausted.

Here’s the truth you probably haven’t heard: Everything you’ve been taught about leadership is a lie.

Not all of it, but the foundational stuff—the parts that drive how you think, how you lead, and how you expect others to follow. And it’s hurting your business.

Let me explain.

The biggest lie? Leadership is about being in control. We’ve been sold this image of the all-knowing, never-wavering, top-down commander who calls the shots and takes no prisoners. But real leadership—the kind that drives real growth—isn’t about control. It’s about clarity. It’s about being a guide, not a hero. Your job isn’t to have all the answers. Your job is to create a clear path so your team can win.

Second lie? Only certain people are cut out to lead. We think leaders are born with some magic charisma or talent. That’s garbage. Leadership is a skill. Like writing a book or running a marathon, you learn it, practice it, and get better over time. If you believe someone “just doesn’t have it,” you’re letting a lie kill their potential—and yours.

Another myth: You have to be the smartest person in the room. No, you don’t. In fact, if you are, you’re in the wrong room. Leadership isn’t about being impressive. It’s about building a team where everyone plays their role with confidence because you’ve given them permission to own their part of the story. Your job is to hand out assignments and build belief.

Here’s a hard truth: If your leadership depends on you being the hero, your business will always depend on you. But when you step into the role of a guide—someone who creates clarity, gives people a mission, and gets out of their way—growth scales. People grow. The culture thrives. And the pressure on you disappears.

Here’s the bottom line: Most people are chasing leadership myths, and it’s costing them deeply—lost talent, wasted energy, stalled revenue, and burned-out teams.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. You don’t need to lead louder. You need to lead clearer, with clarity. Drop the lies. Redefine your role. Step out of the spotlight and start setting the stage for others to succeed.

This is what real leadership looks like. And that’s how your business grows.