The Leadership Edge: Belief, Perspective, Energy, Responsibility, Consistency, Listening, Courage, and Legacy

Leadership isn’t found in titles or big speeches—it’s built in the daily choices we make. Every interaction with a customer, every coaching moment with a teammate, every decision under pressure—they all add up to the story people will tell about us as leaders.

But here’s the truth: none of it matters if we don’t start with belief. We have to truly believe if we are to achieve. Belief in ourselves, belief in our teams, and belief in what’s possible is the foundation that makes every other leadership action come alive.

These aren’t abstract concepts for me. They’ve been tested both in the history of my career and in the reality of today—on the sales floor, in huddles, and in conversations with my current team.

Here are seven principles that guide me as a leader—each fueled by belief, and each lived out yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

The Power of Perspective

How you see the world is how your team will live in it. A negative outlook weighs people down, but a hopeful perspective creates possibility.

Earlier in my career, I learned to stop focusing on the “what we don’t have” mindset—traffic, margin, or time—and instead ask, What’s possible with the customer right in front of us? That lesson still shapes me today.

Just last week, in a huddle at Store 240, I reminded my team that while traffic might be lighter than we’d like, every single guest walking in has needs we can solve. That perspective shift brought energy back into the room and turned hesitation into confidence.

Energy Multiplier

Energy is contagious, but belief fuels energy. If I don’t believe today matters, why would my team?

I’ve seen this play out for decades—but it’s just as true now. When I walk into the store with energy, focused and engaged, I can feel the shift. Even on a Monday morning, my presence can set the tone for the rest of the day.

Just yesterday, I circled the sales floor with a few recognition shoutouts and an intentional coaching moment. It wasn’t a big speech—it was small sparks of belief. And almost instantly, the team’s posture and performance rose.

Radical Responsibility

It’s easy to believe in ourselves when things are going right. But leadership belief shows up strongest when things go wrong.

I can think of years past when I stood in front of a team and said, “This one’s on me.” That ownership built trust and created a culture of accountability.

And today, I’m still doing the same thing. When we missed our attach goals recently, I told my supervisors plainly: “I own this gap. Let’s fix it together.” It’s not about blame—it’s about showing that accountability is safe, and belief is strong enough to drive us forward.

Consistency Over Intensity

Anyone can show up fired up for a day. The leaders who make the biggest difference believe enough to show up with consistency.

I’ve seen leaders burn bright and fade fast. But what people remember is the leader who shows up steady.

This is something I’m practicing right now. At Store 240, my team doesn’t just hear from me when we’re behind. They hear from me every day—on the good days, the tough days, and everything in between. They can count on me to be the same Joe on Monday morning as I am on Friday night. That reliability is what builds trust.

Listening as Leadership

When we listen, we’re not just collecting words—we’re demonstrating belief.

Years ago, I realized my job wasn’t to have all the answers—it was to hear the questions. I’ve carried that forward to today.

In my current role, I’ve had young leaders come to me with frustrations. Instead of rushing to fix, I’ve leaned in and just listened. More often than not, they walk away lighter—not because I gave them solutions, but because they knew I believed their perspective mattered. That’s leadership.

Courage in Action

Courage is impossible without belief.

I’ve had to make bold moves throughout my career—decisions that weren’t easy but were necessary. And those moments shaped me.

But even now, courage is tested daily. Whether it’s addressing performance directly with a high-potential supervisor or making tough calls in staffing, the fear never fully disappears. What gets me through is belief—belief in the decision, in the person I’m coaching, and in the vision we’re driving toward. Courage today is just as important as courage yesterday.

Legacy in Motion

Legacy isn’t about titles or trophies—it’s about the belief others carry forward because of how you led.

My legacy will never be defined by a single store ranking or a quarterly award. It’s defined by the leaders I’ve built, the teammates I’ve believed in, and the culture we’ve created together.

Even now, I see my legacy forming daily in Store 240—in how supervisors step up, in how consultation agents grow, and in how our team shows pride in the Wolfpack identity. Legacy isn’t waiting for me at the end of my career—it’s being lived out right now, in motion, every day.

Closing Reflection

Leadership is not complicated, but it is intentional. It’s lived out in perspective, energy, responsibility, consistency, listening, courage, and legacy. But the driving force behind it all is belief.

If you don’t believe in yourself, you won’t risk. If you don’t believe in your team, you won’t invest. If you don’t believe in what’s possible, you’ll settle.

And here’s what I’ve learned—both in 26 years of leadership and in the daily grind of leading today:We have to truly believe if we are to achieve.

That’s The Leadership Edge—leading with courage, candor, heart, and an unwavering belief that the best is yet to come.