I remember coaching freshman baseball—my first shot at leading a team. Baseball wasn’t just a sport to me; it was my life. Knowledge ✅. Passion ✅. Experience ✅. This was going to be easy. Or so I thought.

But it wasn’t. Practice plans were tight. The strategy was solid. The speeches? Pure SportsCenter. Yet, we got crushed. And I blamed the kids. They didn’t work hard, didn’t listen, didn’t get it. No way this was on me. 😬

But here’s the truth: The problem wasn’t them. It was me—the leader.

The 5 Lies That Destroy Leadership:

1. “It’s Not My Fault” (Blame Culture): Pointing fingers kills progress. Solutions start when you own the problem.

2. “More Control Means Better Results” (The Ownership Myth): Micromanagement suffocates creativity and trust.

3. “I Know Best” (Ego): Leading without listening stifles growth.

4. “Failure Is Unacceptable” (Fear of Mistakes): Fear of failure prevents the risks that lead to success.

5. “Someone Else Will Handle It” (Comfort Zones): Waiting for others to act forfeits your power to lead.

How to Own Your Leadership:

• Banish Blame, Focus on Solutions: Blame divides—solutions unite. Shift from fault-finding to problem-solving.

• Own Every Outcome: Start by asking, “What can I do to fix this?”

• Simplify Communication: Simple, clear instructions create understanding.

• Empower Others: Trust and delegate—ownership multiplies.

• Set the Standard with Discipline: Show up first. Apologize first. Lead first.

The best leaders lead themselves first. Own, not control, your outcomes. Own your results. And watch everything change.