Leadership sounds glamorous—until you’ve slept on the floor of a trade show, curled up between boxes and a half-assembled display, hoping you remembered to pack deodorant.
Ask anyone who’s ever built something from the ground up, and they’ll tell you: leadership isn’t about being in charge; it’s about being in it—every late night, every early morning, every time the plan goes sideways and someone has to step up.
And I’ve stepped up. Sometimes with a bed. Most times, without one. I’ve slept on cold concrete in trade show booths—just me, my wife and our crazy dream—setting up long before the crowd arrives.
I’ve crashed in factory offices more times than I can count, covering third shifts when the supervisor needed a break or when the line couldn’t stop just because someone called out.
I’ve pulled into customer parking lots in the middle of the night and caught two hours of sleep in my truck so I could deliver product at 5 a.m., because we promised, and I wasn’t going to let my team or our customer down.
I’ve slept in some of the sketchiest hotels you can imagine, and I’ve slept in airports, on dirty floors, with nothing but my backpack and the constant thought, “I wonder what kind of diseases live in this carpet.”
Why?
Because the mission mattered. Because the team mattered. Because leadership isn’t about perks—it’s about presence.
Anyone can hand you a title, but that doesn’t make you a leader. What earns you trust is when your team sees you tired, dirty and still willing to go the extra mile. When they know you’re not just delegating from a safe distance—you’re in the trenches, making the hard calls and doing the uncomfortable things when no one’s watching.
That’s how culture is built.
That’s how loyalty is earned.
That’s how real leaders show up.
Look, I’m not saying every leader has to sleep on a factory floor to prove their worth. We all deserve a good BarcaLounger and a nice cold drink occasionally. But if your leadership journey has been nothing but climate-controlled conference rooms and catered lunches, it may be time to check how close you really are to the people you’re leading.
Great leaders don’t insulate themselves from discomfort—they lean into it when their team needs them most. Because leadership isn’t a luxury; it’s a sacrifice and a sacred responsibility. It’s presence. It’s showing up—even when it costs you sleep, comfort, or convenience. And it will. A lot.
If you’re too comfortable, you might be too distant. Leaders should always be willing to do honest self-evaluations. So, ask yourself:
How would my teams describe me? As an ivory tower elite, a boots-on-the-ground warrior, or something in between?
Am I too comfortable? And where could I get a little more uncomfortable for the sake of the mission?
Leadership demands presence, all-in passion, and conviction. Rest when you can, of course. There’s a time and a place for putting those tired feet up and drifting off in your easy chair every once in a while. But work isn’t that place.