Knowing What to Do Isn’t the Same as Knowing How to Lead
“I know what I should do, but…”
I hear some version of this sentence almost every week from founders and managers.
“I know they should be an employee, but I don’t want to pay payroll taxes.”
“This isn’t working—can I just fire them?”
“I know I should have the conversation, but I don’t know how. Can you just do it?”
These aren’t careless leaders.
They’re thoughtful, well-intentioned people who know what good leadership looks like, at least in theory.
They don’t struggle with awareness, they struggle when too much information meets real life problems.
Where Leadership Advice Breaks Down
Most of us consume leadership content in calm moments. We read the book, we listen to the podcast, we nod along and think, Yes, that totally makes sense.
We absorb this information, but leadership rarely asks for our best thinking when things are calm.
It shows up when:
A mistake happens
Tension is high
Emotions are involved
There’s risk—legal, financial, or relational
That’s when knowing what to do stops being helpful because the moment requires more than insight, it requires confidence in how you handle the situation.
The Gap No One Talks About
Here’s what I see over and over again:
Leaders hesitate not because they don’t care, but because they’re unsure how to show up.
They worry:
Am I being too hard?
Am I being too soft?
Am I overreacting?
Am I letting too much slide?
So instead of acting, they freeze, avoid, or outsource the discomfort. They may step in and fix “it” themselves, over explain, or pass off to someone else entirely instead of addressing the root of the problem head on.
Not because they can’t lead, but because they don’t yet trust their leadership instincts.
Leadership Is a New Role (And That Matters)
Most founders didn’t start businesses because they wanted to manage people. They started because they were good at what they did, and then—almost overnight—they were expected to:
Give feedback
Set boundaries
Navigate conflict
Make people decisions that carry weight
That’s a whole new role and one most people were never trained for. There’s a learning curve here, and it’s not a personal failing. Every leader, regardless of industry or business size, struggles with people leadership at some point. That’s not a sign you’re doing something wrong. It’s a sign you’re growing!
Why Insight Alone Doesn’t Create Change
Books and podcasts are great for awareness. They help you name what matters but what they can’t do is translate leadership into your real-world context.
They don’t know:
Your personality
Your values
Your team dynamics
Your tolerance for risk
The nuance of your situation
Leadership doesn’t change because you know better. It changes when reflection turns into practice, and practice happens in real moments, with real support.
That’s why so many leaders feel stuck even when they’re doing “all the right things.”
Real leadership development isn’t a single insight or conversation. It happens over time, when:
You’re given space to think things through
You practice responding instead of reacting
You reflect on what worked and what didn’t
You build trust in your own judgment
Confidence doesn’t come from having the perfect answer. It comes from learning how to navigate uncertainty without losing yourself, and that’s a skill.
A Next Step (If This Resonates)
If you’re reading this and thinking, This explains so much, you don’t need more leadership advice.
You need support translating insight into action—your action.
I offer a free 30-minute Leadership Audit for founders and managers who feel stuck between knowing what to do and knowing how to lead.
We’ll look at:
Where you’re getting stuck right now
What’s coming up in your leadership
What would actually help you move forward with more confidence
Comment “Leader” below and I’ll send you the details.
You don’t have to figure this out alone—and you don’t have to have it all mastered to be a good leader.
You just have to be willing to learn how you lead.
