10 Shifts for Joyful & Trustworthy Leadership

We often talk about “soft skills” in the workplace, and joy sometimes comes up in that conversation. Friends, joy in leadership isn’t soft. It is strategic. And in the strongest organizations and among the most effective leaders, it is also visible. 

This week’s Tuesday Ten is for leaders – but not just any leader. This is for leaders who want their work to be impactful, sustainable, and joyful!! For leaders who want their work to matter and want to create a leadership legacy that lasts. 

1. Replace constant urgency with clarity. What matters most right now? That’s where you should target your energy and effort. People will see your clarity and it will provide a steadiness that makes everything – and everyone – a little more calm.

2. Make people feel valued, not just evaluated. This one’s easy. Say hello. Ask about their day. Talk about their professional aspirations. Most of all, say “thank you.”

3. Celebrate progress over perfection. Perfection is elusive. Progress is not. A gym I used to attend had the motto, “get better every day.” When you see better, celebrate it! And next thing you know, better eventually becomes the absolute best.  

4. Have the hard conversations, and ground them in relationship, honesty, and respect. But know this: relationship makes all the difference when it comes to coaching and correction. Without a relationship, hard conversations become just another evaluative conversation with no real impact and the potential for damage. With a relationship, however, you can lean on the mutual respect and honesty that make a hard conversation a little bit easier. So, build the relationship so you can have easier hard conversations, and ground them in honesty and mutual respect.

5. Protect your energy. Friend, you don’t have to answer the doorbell every time it rings. You don’t have to react to every complaint. You don’t have to immediately reply to every email. There are energy vampires out there waiting to attach themselves to you. Don’t take the bait! Reserve your precious energy for impact and deal with everything else strategically.  

6. Name your personal and professional purpose often and live it daily. Who are you professionally? What is your professional purpose? What do you hope to accomplish through your work – and why? Do people know that? More importantly, do people see that? Name it. Repeat it. Then live it. 

7. Create safety for team members to grow and make space for them to contribute to the work. There’s so much power in just inviting someone’s perspective. A simple, “Here’s what I’m considering. Help me with my blind spots. Where would you push back on my approach?” or “What else should I be thinking about here?” conveys to someone that they have something to contribute and that you value their thinking. Giving space for them to do so without judgment ensures that they will continue to take the intellectual risks that ultimately lead to growth.  

8. Always give the credit and always take the blame. Hey, you’ve reached your peak! Now, make the way for those around you to reach theirs. When someone has a great idea, acknowledge it publicly. When someone knocks a deliverable out of the park, celebrate it among the whole team. When someone’s work leads to a key organizational milestone being met, shout their name from the rooftop. And conversely, when the target isn’t met, own it. When the product isn’t great, own that, too. As leaders, the credit is always theirs, and the ownership is always ours.

9. Model rest and balance; don’t judge it. Sure, encourage people to take their PTO and to go home on time. But don’t just say it; show it. You take your PTO. You go home on time. You stop sending late night e-mails. When you just say it, it’s just a policy.  But when you show it, it’s a value. 

10. Be clear about everything with everyone all the time. Brene Brown says, “Clarity is kind; unclear is unkind.” Say what you mean, and mean what you say. About expectations. About performance. About everything. Here’s the truth – the problem is rarely what we say; it’s usually how we say it. So, don’t be afraid to be clear, and also don’t be a jerk about it.

    
    

    Which of these is strongest in your leadership right now?

    Which are missing?

    What would change for you and your team if joy became an intentional leadership strategy, not an afterthought?

Friends, great leadership is hard, but it’s necessary. It’s also incredibly rewarding. So, don’t just lead this week; lead well.

Wishing you joy at work, joy in life, and joy in leadership!

Sharla  

About Me | My name is Sharla Horton, and I am a speaker, strategist, and leadership expert. I help people work well, lead well, and live well. My work centers on one central conviction: when people expand their sense of possibility and lead with purpose, courage, and joy, meaningful and lasting transformation becomes not only achievable, but inevitable.

Through inspiring keynote addresses, thoughtful team retreats, and engaging professional learning experiences, I guide leaders, teams, and organizations across sectors and industries to reclaim their joy and take bold, transformative action in their personal and professional lives. With a career spanning education, nonprofit leadership, organizational strategy, and culture change, I bring deep expertise and strategic clarity to my work and blend it with emotional intelligence, humor, transparency, and contagious energy to create empowering and impactful experiences that audiences remember long after the moment ends.

If this week’s Tuesday Ten resonates, I’d love for you to share it with your team, organization, or community. Let’s connect!

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