The most powerful thing you can do as a leader is to see greatness in someone before they see it in themselves.
Don’t wait for proof of performance to invest in your team. Instead, flip the equation. Believe in people first, then watch people live up to those expectations.
Great leaders don't just manage what is—they manage what is possible. And when someone feels that level of belief from their leader they’re compelled to live up to the vision you’ve cast of who they can become.
It’s one of the best leadership lessons I’ve ever learned and it has shaped my life’s work. Here’s how it happened.
I was a junior on the Arizona State baseball team, and I was struggling with my swing big time. We were heading into the playoffs, and Iwas in a horrible slump. The night before our first playoff game against Western Carolina, my hitting coach John Pearson—we called him JP—took me out to dinner.
I thought he was going to give me some big rah-rah speech or pile on more pressure. I thought we were going to analyze my swing mechanics for the hundredth time.
Instead, JP simply connected with me. He told me he believed in me. He said he was proud of the year I'd had. And then he said something that changed my life: "Hey kid, just go out tomorrow and give it your best."
The next morning at 8 AM JP met me at the batting cages and threw me batting practice for two hours. Our game wasn’t even until 2 PM. He came not because I asked. Not because the schedule required it. But because he made time for me.
I had one of the best games of my life that day and it wasn’t due to mounting pressure. It was because I didn't want to let JP down. He believed in me before I even believed in myself.
The outcome was not only a great game, but I had one of the best series I ever played.
I want this for every person on your team.
Why Pressure-Based Leadership Fails (and What Works Instead)
Most leaders think that pressure drives performance.
It doesn’t.
According to Harvard professor Amy Edmondson’s research, when people don't feel psychologically safe at work, they're significantly more likely to stay in their comfort zones. They dodge risk. They hold back their best ideas. They play not to lose instead of playing to win.
According to McKinsey research psychological safety is consistently one of the strongest predictors of team performance, productivity, quality, safety, creativity, and innovation. It’s no wonder that 89% of employees believe that psychological safety in the workplace is essential.
The fuel for extraordinary performance isn't pressure—it's purpose, connection, and trust.
The Real Test of Leadership: Building Trust and Accountability
Ask yourself this question: Do your people know that you have their back even if they fail?
Respect is the key ingredient in great leadership, but it's not the kind you demand. It's the kind you earn.
If the answer to that question is yes, that's where real accountability begins. Not the fake accountability that comes from fear of consequences, but the authentic accountability that comes from not wanting to let down someone who believes in you.
Two Simple Leadership Practices to Build Trust and Respect
If you want to become the leader your team respects too much to disappoint, here are two simple things you can start doing this week:
Have conversations with your team members that go deeper than deadlines and deliverables. Ask them what drives them. What lights them up? Learn about their families, their hobbies, their passions outside of work.
When people feel heard and seen as whole human beings, they start showing up differently. They bring more of themselves to work because they know you see them as more than just a role or a function.
Give someone on your team a project that's just a little bigger than they think they're ready for. Then—and this is crucial—tell them clearly: “I gave this project to you because I believe you can do it.”
Back them up. Support them. Get out of their way and let them lead.
That combination of belief, autonomy, and support is an absolute game-changer.
Over the years at Learnit, I've been fortunate to see this philosophy in action again and again. At our recent 30th anniversary celebration, I had more than a dozen employees—past and present—come up to me and say, "Thank you, Damon. Learnit gave me my shot."
Here's the thing: We didn't just give them jobs. We gave them belief. In many cases, we saw greatness in them before they even knew it existed. And when they succeeded, I made sure they got all the credit.
That's what leadership is really about. It's not about being in the spotlight yourself. It's about giving your people a platform to shine.
Here's the real test of whether you've built this kind of culture:
If you stepped away from your team for six months, would they still care just as much?
Would they still bring their best, or would that energy fade without you?
If the answer is yes—if they'd still show up with everything they've got—then you've built something special. You've created a culture of belief, a place where people show up not just for the paycheck, but because they feel like they're part of something important. Because they matter. Because you, as their leader, see them as a person first and recognize the greatness they have inside them.
If you’re not there yet, that’s okay. It’s something to work towards.
This week I want you to pick one person on your team and tell them what you see in them. Not what they need to improve. Not what they should work on. What you see. What you believe about their potential. What you appreciate about who they are and what they bring.
And remember: When they succeed, don't take the credit. Deflect it and give it back to them.
If you want to be the kind of leader your team doesn't want to let down, start by seeing them, believing in them, and giving them their shot.
Because that's how you create the kind of respect that drives everything else.
You got this.
What leader in your life believed in you before you believed in yourself? Share this post with another leader who's looking to grow—because the best leaders never stop learning.
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