How I Failed as a Leader—and the 4 Pillars That Would Have Prevented It

What’s the true cost of unclear leadership? For me, it was over a million dollars. In this solo episode of The Next Interview, I share one of the hardest (and most valuable) leadership lessons of my career—a time when a well-intentioned team member, acting without the right systems of accountability, took down an entire company’s operations. You’ll learn why great leadership is not about trusting blindly or managing tasks—it’s about building an environment where empowered people operate with clarity, trust, and accountability. In this episode, I cover: • The difference between managing and leading—and why that difference matters • How to pair autonomy with clear boundaries and trust • The importance of communication norms to surface changes and prevent costly mistakes • How to build systems of accountability that scale with your business I also break down how my Four Pillars of Empowered Leadership would have prevented this million-dollar mistake—and how you can apply them to your team today. If this resonates, follow or subscribe to the show and leave a review—it helps other leaders discover these lessons. And if you know two leaders who could benefit from this episode, share it with them.