Average Leadership Misses This
What to do once a plan is in motion (Part 2 of 4)
Leadership doesn’t stop at giving clear directions.
That’s only step one.
Once a plan is in motion, a leader’s real job begins: paying attention to details
Are people following through?
Are small issues starting to snowball?
Are there details that—if adjusted—could change the entire outcome?
Big wins don’t come from big moves.
They come from small details.
And I saw this firsthand on Saturday’s trail run at Tribal Training Camp:
Seeing The Bigger Picture
Saturday’s trail run kicked off Tribal’s first ever “Run. Write. Build.” workshop.
My plan was simple:
take on a challenging and rewarding training session
head to a coffee shop after to reflect, write and connect the experience to life
And here’s the thing…
I knew that my guys could under-fuel and still get through the run.
But they’d be low energy when we wanted to reflect, write, and think clearly afterward.
So the night before, I set the expectation:
But here’s what I’ve learned about leadership:
Just expectations isn’t enough…
You have to follow up.
So 20 minutes into the run, I checked on their fuel:
"Have you eaten anything?"
No one had…
So I encouraged them:
"Stay on top of it. Take something in."
The small detail shifted their awareness.
They weren’t just running up a mountain - they were learning to refine their process.
Directing Effort at the Right Time
As we approached the final stretch of the climb, I gave clear direction:
"This last section to the summit is where we’re going to push.”
The terrain flattens out and switches to more jagged red rock.
It’s a great opportunity to practice footwork, accelerate up minor climbs in the trail, and learn to bring your hear rate down on the descents with extended exhales.”
Hard Effort + Intentional Strategy = Skill Development
When we regrouped at the summit, I checked fuel again.
We were 1 hour in - the perfect time for a bar.
Everyone ate one.
On the descent, I set up the next challenge:
"When we get back to the smooth, straight section—open it up.”
I prompted
to lead the group, and he rose to the occasion.Not only did he set the tone on the fast stretch - he showed intuitive pacing.
on the long, straight section we hit threshold speeds
on the tighter switchbacks, he throttled down to tempo - staying in control through the turns
These small details in awareness and execution?
That’s where real growth happens.
The Small Details That Show Up Later
By the time we reached the coffee shop (after crushing breakfast burritos), the Tribal guys weren’t just physically present.
They were mentally sharp.
Because when the right details are addressed early, everything that follows runs smoothly.
Without proper fueling, fatigue would have blurred focus
Without structured effort, the session would have felt scattered
Without a plan for recovery, the learning wouldn’t have fully landed
Good training isn’t just about what you do—it’s about when and how you do it.
And in any high-performance environment—whether in endurance, business, or family leadership—the best results don’t come from just working harder.
They come from seeing the details before they become problems, making adjustments in real time, and creating the conditions for success.
More on that tomorrow…
P.S. Miss Part 1 of this series? Read it here:
Maxxing it out in body, mind, and spirit 🙏