The Leadership Question Most People Get Wrong

Most leaders can tell you what they do. Some can even tell you how they do it. But ask them why, and you'll often get the kind of answer that looks great on a website or a poster, but doesn't actually move anyone.

Here's the truth: if your WHY doesn't fire you up, it's not going to light up your team either.

People can feel it. They know when you're genuinely driven by something, and they know when you're just clocking in. There's nothing wrong with needing a paycheck, that's reality for all of us, but if you want to lead in a way that's deeply impactful, your WHY has to run deeper than that.

I recently revisited how I define mine. And when I stripped it back, it was simple: I believe better leaders build better businesses, better businesses build a better world, and none of us can do it alone. We build the best businesses together — with teams that connect, care, and serve the people and communities around them.

That's why I pour into leaders and their teams at Two Roads. It's why I host women entrepreneurs in masterminds and retreats through The Dovetail Community. My WHY isn't a tagline. It's the through-line for everything I do.

If your WHY doesn't feel like a fit anymore, it might be time to peel back the layers and find the one that does. Not the polished version, the real one. The one that makes you want to get out of bed and do the work even on the hard days.

When you find it, share it loudly.

People don't follow titles or revenue numbers. They follow your WHY.