Leadership isn’t just about having a title, managing a team, or making strategic decisions. It’s about building trust, creating a culture of accountability, and fostering an environment where teams can thrive. Too often, leaders only realize the most critical lessons after experiencing failures—losing top talent, struggling with disengaged teams, or watching company culture deteriorate.
Nina Devouge, a leadership expert, lays out 28 hard truths that many leaders learn the hard way. These insights challenge conventional thinking and highlight the real costs of poor leadership—costs that can result in high employee turnover, damaged reputations, and weakened organizations. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, investor, or a leader in a growing company, these principles will help you navigate the complexities of leadership and build teams that are motivated, engaged, and thriving to success.
Highlights
1. Trust is Your Currency
Trust isn’t just a soft skill; it’s the backbone of every successful organization. Lose it, and everything else—your team’s loyalty, productivity, and morale—crumbles. Building trust takes time, but breaking it happens in an instant. Without trust, even the most talented teams will underperform as they second-guess leadership decisions and look for exits.
2. Actions Speak Louder Than Company Values Posters
Company values mean nothing if leadership doesn’t live by them. Employees observe how leaders behave, especially when no one is watching. Integrity isn’t declared—it’s demonstrated. A culture of hypocrisy, where leadership says one thing but does another, is a fast track to disengagement and skepticism.
3. “Entry-Level” Means No Experience Required
If your job posting asks for three years of experience for an “entry-level” role, you’re misleading candidates. True entry-level roles provide opportunities for fresh talent, not a disguised way to underpay skilled professionals. The best companies invest in developing new talent rather than expecting fully trained professionals at a discount.
4. Want to Lose Your Best People? Here’s How:
Great employees don’t leave companies; they leave poor leadership. Here’s how you push top talent away:
- Micromanage them—It signals insecurity, not leadership.
- Ignore their contributions until they quit.
- Treat pay raises as goodbye gifts instead of ongoing rewards.
- Tolerate toxic behavior, allowing one bad hire to damage culture.
- Let silence be your strategy instead of open communication.
5. The Real Costs of Leadership Mistakes
Many leaders underestimate the hidden costs of poor leadership decisions:
- Replacing employees is costlier than retaining them.
- Physical distance isn’t the problem—lack of trust is.
- A bad culture does more damage than lost revenue.
6. The Magic Formula for Strong Teams
The most successful leaders don’t just manage people; they invest in them. If you want a high-performing team, follow these principles:
- Invest in your people. Always.
- Give them the freedom to flourish. Micromanagement kills creativity and motivation.
- Build a foundation of safety, trust, and respect. Without these, engagement and innovation suffer.
- Provide regular feedback. Constructive feedback fuels growth and engagement.
- Support them—or lose them to someone who will.
Leadership is a Long Game
At the end of the day, leadership isn’t about quick wins or managing people for short-term performance. It’s about creating an environment where employees can do their best work, where trust is non-negotiable, and where culture drives business success.
Too many leaders underestimate the ripple effect of their actions—one poor decision, one broken promise, or one ignored toxic behavior can lead to long-term damage. The best leaders don’t just react; they proactively build thriving teams where people feel valued, respected, and empowered to succeed.
The real question isn’t whether these leadership lessons apply to you—it’s whether you’re willing to implement them before learning them the hard way. What are the hardest leadership lessons you’ve learned?
Highlights
Editor’s note: The original article was written by Nina Devouge on Linkedin, titled “28 Hard Truths Every Boss Must Embrace.”
Read this article in Chinese here.
