In our world of Leadership and Executive Management, there’s a truth many are reluctant to discuss openly: not every professional acts with the integrity or accountability their title implies. It’s a topic that makes us uncomfortable, but it’s one we need to address, if we’re serious about creating cultures of respect and productivity.
By the end of 2024 I can sadly say: it is too often, many of us work with professionals who fail to honor their word: ghosting commitments, dragging out projects without clear purpose or wasting time and resources with little regard for their team or their organization’s bottom line.
What’s more: many of these actions cost their companies money, reputation and morale. Yet no one seems to care. Why? Because we’ve normalized it. But let’s be real: these behaviors don’t just vanish into the ether. They leave a trail, which is broken trust, exploited resources and wasted potential.
Here are a few of my thoughts, which I can easily turn into 2025 wish list, so that we all can make this New Year a truly new beginning.
1. Would You Work for Free? Before you ask someone to invest their time, energy or expertise without proper acknowledgment or compensation, pause. Imagine someone asking you to do the same. Would you agree? Reciprocity is at the heart of every strong professional relationship. If you wouldn’t walk the walk, don’t ask someone else to do it for you.
2. Your Word is Your Equity. Don’t Default on It. When you make a commitment, you’re giving your word. It’s not a placeholder or an optional suggestion: it’s literally a promise. If you treat it as such, you build trust. If you don’t, you create an invisible cloud of disappointments. And trust me, that cloud is very often, hard to chase away.
3. Time is the Most Expensive Resource. Use it Wisely. Every time you call a meeting with no clear purpose or drag someone into a project without direction, you’re not just burning their time: you’re throwing your company’s money to the bin. Be intentional. Ask yourself: Is this the best use of everyone’s time? If the answer is no, rethink.
4. Accountability is Not Amnesia. Don’t act as if people will forget poor behavior just because two weeks have passed. They won’t. If you’ve been unreasonable or unkind, don’t double down and ask for favors later. Instead, take responsibility. Accountability doesn’t weaken your authority. There is a big chance it would reinforce your humanity.
5. Companies Are People. Treat Them as Such. It’s easy to think of a business as a faceless entity, but remember: every organization is made up of individuals. When you waste resources, disengage or act carelessly, you’re not just hurting the company: you’re affecting the people who build it and depend on it.
Leadership is a Mirror. As leaders, the behaviors we model become the blueprint for those around us. If we want to cultivate environments where integrity, respect and accountability are present, it starts with us. Be the leader who remembers what matters: your word, your people and the value of a well-spent minute, hour, day.
In the end, leadership isn’t about having a title: it’s about earning trust. And trust? That’s priceless.