Such a great example of how a leader can grow into the role. Also a solid reminder that sometimes the best leaders aren’t the ones who come in loud and decisive—but the ones who surprise you by quietly stepping up and doing the work.
BTW Bette this was THE BEST opener "Today's guest post comes from the wonderfully unpredictable Neela 🌶️. She’s part poet, part truth-teller, and part “did-she-just-say-that?” philosopher. Reading her stuff is like thinking you’re getting a casual stroll through the park and then realizing—oh wait, this is actually a trapdoor into something way more profound." LOL
Neela I just love this. I love how your personal example backs up the story you told about Claudius. Wonderful storytelling.
And I love your personal example! What a wonderful idea to avoid layoffs, but more than that, what an incredible team-building exercise! The entire team had to pull together and rally around each other to win the account, so everyone kept their jobs. I suspect productivity for the group greatly increased from that point forward. So smart!
Hey Mack! The team coming together to avoid layoffs isn’t just a smart move, it's a more human way of leading. It shows we are all in this together but actually mean it. I hope you're having an amazing Thursday! 😊
Yes it’s such a good example. And I’m sure several team members thought they could possibly be laid off, then when the team won the account, those people felt indebted to the entire team and wanted to perform better for them. So smart, that @Neela 🌶️, she’s going places!
A lot of places throw around the ‘we’re all family’ line, but it’s just noise. Moments like this separate the talkers from the ones who actually mean it. And that's real leadership.
Such a great read! Interestingly, in all my leadership lessons over the past 10 years, charisma has never been a topic of concern or interest.
I instead choose to live by the following compass: (humility & curiosity) + (courage & confidence).
That can take many shapes and forms. You don't have to be an extremely charismatic or visionary leader to empower a team around common goals and objectives.
You have to embrace who you are, show up in alignment with your values, and care about the people around you. The competencies will follow suit.
Charisma might get you the job, but it won’t help you understand your people, build real strategy, or bring a vision to life. That takes skill, emotional intelligence, and actual passion for the work.
Love this approach, Josh! Humility and curiosity create a strong foundation, while courage and confidence drive action. Charisma can be overrated.. Thanks for sharing and for taking the time to read :)
I agree 💯. Without a moral compass, real drive, passion, and compassion for your people, you won’t build a strong culture—no matter how charming you are.
Neela, please write a book. Please, please, please! 🙏 Your insights, born from unfiltered creativity, a fertile mind, and years of experience demand that the rest of us benefit from your knowledge and expertise combined into a single volume.
I’m sure that’s probably on her list. I believe she’s already published a couple of journal books. She could just pull together many of her posts she’s written.
Apparently the production values are quite bad, but the script and acting is great. Or stick with the latest version. I had a lovely weekend, thanks. Hope you did, too.
You didn’t just tell us about Claudius—you embodied him. The way you folded history into your own curtain moment was seamless and brave. It’s rare to read something that makes you laugh, wince, and rethink your entire definition of leadership in the same breath.
You gave the quiet ones a battle cry. Not by shouting—but by showing that observation, restraint, and well-timed courage can shift the course of everything.
Thank you for writing something that doesn’t just inspire—it reminds.
Neela has successfully upended the 'is it only men who think about the Roman Empire' meme and turned it into a great demonstration of leadership. Bravo!
Great post Neela, I love the parallels you've drawn here and how your own example of doing a Claudius worked out. You could have made your own awesome story the whole thing and it would have worked, but intertwining the historical element was chefs kiss 👨🍳😘
Outstanding! “We still worship charisma” is the absolute killer line here. The confident, charismatic blow hard instead of the competent, credible leader. Brilliant piece.
Exactly - she nailed it. I figured you would like it and it might be right up your street. The week is winding down. I still feel like we should be in March. Not sure how it’s already mid April 😱
💯 agree Wilfred. It should be a bare minimum requirement. But yet, somehow, it's not always! Thanks for stopping by and reading. Hope you have a fabulous weekend!
1. I want Bette to write all my introductions. How 'bout that one, Neela! " wonderfully unpredictable Neela 🌶️. She’s part poet, part truth-teller, and part 'did-she-just-say-that?' philosopher."
2. This made me laugh hard: In today's office, HR would've shoved this guy into a back-room compliance role faster than you can say "cultural fit."
3. " The man was a sponge in a world of hammers." There are highly perceptive "sponges" in every organization. They likely keep what they recognize and learn quiet though, out of anxiety or fear, yet they can offer tremendous insights and value if asked.
4. "The six-point plan in PowerPoint." Ah, the PowerPoint horniness (and Excel addiction).
5. "What if we didn't do layoffs at all?" I loved this because it wasn't anger, which gets too often dismissed, it's a question to inspire a different train of thought. Almost movie like! That you followed with a solution was the 1-2 combination that smart leaders often respect and need.
6. "I just did what Claudius would have done: observed the details others missed, offered practical solutions over dramatic gestures, and prioritized sustainability over short-term glory." Boom.
LOL yeah, they would’ve shoved him in a broom closet, wheeled him out for PR shots, and never let him speak. That line made me laugh, Michael—and I’m so glad you liked the intro! Happy to write more, I’m here all week. And yes, I absolutely love this story—I think it’s one of her best.
Such a great example of how a leader can grow into the role. Also a solid reminder that sometimes the best leaders aren’t the ones who come in loud and decisive—but the ones who surprise you by quietly stepping up and doing the work.
BTW Bette this was THE BEST opener "Today's guest post comes from the wonderfully unpredictable Neela 🌶️. She’s part poet, part truth-teller, and part “did-she-just-say-that?” philosopher. Reading her stuff is like thinking you’re getting a casual stroll through the park and then realizing—oh wait, this is actually a trapdoor into something way more profound." LOL
You REALLY get me lol
Yeah, I thought that pretty much said it all. But I'm glad you liked it! And thank you so much for this piece. It was fantastic – I loved it! 😊
Thank you Chris for re-sharing this! Appreciate it. Hope you're having an amazing Thursday!
Interesting perspective. Looking back, it seems many of the best leaders in my life were people that weren’t jockeying for it.
Exactly! Leadership isn’t about claiming authority but earning trust. The most impactful leaders I’ve known led quietly, without fanfare.
Thank you so much for taking the time :)
They are because they are the people that come in do the job and don't need the validation and accolades. They are there for the work.
Exactly! I've said this so many times over the years, that the people who really should be leading are the ones that say they don't want to.
Neela I just love this. I love how your personal example backs up the story you told about Claudius. Wonderful storytelling.
And I love your personal example! What a wonderful idea to avoid layoffs, but more than that, what an incredible team-building exercise! The entire team had to pull together and rally around each other to win the account, so everyone kept their jobs. I suspect productivity for the group greatly increased from that point forward. So smart!
Hey Mack! The team coming together to avoid layoffs isn’t just a smart move, it's a more human way of leading. It shows we are all in this together but actually mean it. I hope you're having an amazing Thursday! 😊
Yes it’s such a good example. And I’m sure several team members thought they could possibly be laid off, then when the team won the account, those people felt indebted to the entire team and wanted to perform better for them. So smart, that @Neela 🌶️, she’s going places!
yeah to see ACDC tomorrow night - woooooo!
Wow, enjoy!
thank you :)
Mack, you nailed it
That team did become unstoppable afterward. To date, it is the best job I've ever had.
I love that boss, and I would do anything for him. His family is MY family, and he never let me forget that.
Crisis has a way of stripping away pretense.
Thank you for always taking the time...
A lot of places throw around the ‘we’re all family’ line, but it’s just noise. Moments like this separate the talkers from the ones who actually mean it. And that's real leadership.
Such a great read! Interestingly, in all my leadership lessons over the past 10 years, charisma has never been a topic of concern or interest.
I instead choose to live by the following compass: (humility & curiosity) + (courage & confidence).
That can take many shapes and forms. You don't have to be an extremely charismatic or visionary leader to empower a team around common goals and objectives.
You have to embrace who you are, show up in alignment with your values, and care about the people around you. The competencies will follow suit.
Charisma might get you the job, but it won’t help you understand your people, build real strategy, or bring a vision to life. That takes skill, emotional intelligence, and actual passion for the work.
Completely agree!
Love this approach, Josh! Humility and curiosity create a strong foundation, while courage and confidence drive action. Charisma can be overrated.. Thanks for sharing and for taking the time to read :)
I agree 💯. Without a moral compass, real drive, passion, and compassion for your people, you won’t build a strong culture—no matter how charming you are.
Neela, please write a book. Please, please, please! 🙏 Your insights, born from unfiltered creativity, a fertile mind, and years of experience demand that the rest of us benefit from your knowledge and expertise combined into a single volume.
I’m sure that’s probably on her list. I believe she’s already published a couple of journal books. She could just pull together many of her posts she’s written.
remind me to tell you about this book tomorrow Bette. It’s a story - the way these publishing companies operate.
Well, if I don’t remind you - you need to remember to tell me! lol
And I remembered - I rambled an awful lot today.
As always, thank you for your time :)
What!?! It was a good convo as always. I thoroughly enjoyed it :)
I am working on it LMAO friend.
Appreciate the positive feedback.
You should see my head lol
Happy Tuesday Paul
Your head? Is it growing in size? I must be to contain that amazing brain of yours. You're not actually an AI, are you? ;-)
Last time I checked, I wasn't - but it's always good to call me out because you never know these days, Paul lol
One day, we all will be. You know -- resistance is futile; you will be assimilated.
Apparently the production values are quite bad, but the script and acting is great. Or stick with the latest version. I had a lovely weekend, thanks. Hope you did, too.
I did, thanks - The long weekends are always so short. We have another holiday coming up in May, which is something to look forward to.
Enjoy the rest of your week, Lisa.
Neela, this was a masterclass in quiet power.
You didn’t just tell us about Claudius—you embodied him. The way you folded history into your own curtain moment was seamless and brave. It’s rare to read something that makes you laugh, wince, and rethink your entire definition of leadership in the same breath.
You gave the quiet ones a battle cry. Not by shouting—but by showing that observation, restraint, and well-timed courage can shift the course of everything.
Thank you for writing something that doesn’t just inspire—it reminds.
Hey Alexandra
Thank you so much for stopping by!
I remember I Claudius on TV when I was too young to understand it. I must re-watch.
When leadership is thrust upon someone it is, amazing what can ensue. They are driven by the need to solve a problem, not merely to hold power.
Once you found your voice, there was no holding you back, Neela!
Hey Lisa
Yes, there is an older movie about him.
I completely forgot about that.
I need to look for it sometime.
I hope you had a good weekend.
Thank you for taking the time...
Neela has successfully upended the 'is it only men who think about the Roman Empire' meme and turned it into a great demonstration of leadership. Bravo!
I am a huge fan of Roman history - Actually, I am a fan of history period lol
Thank you so much, Scott.
I hope you had a good weekend.
Yes, she crushed it with this one! Happy Easter Scott!
Is Claudius eating chips and drinking whiskey? Maybe that's why he wanted the UK so much
Hey David
YES, he is LMAO
courtesy of ChatGPT lol
maybe - maybe
I wouldn’t mind some fries and whiskey - seems fitting for emperor! lol
Anyway, Happy Easter David!
Had lots of fries and whisky this past weekend lol
I bet you did! lol
Great post Neela, I love the parallels you've drawn here and how your own example of doing a Claudius worked out. You could have made your own awesome story the whole thing and it would have worked, but intertwining the historical element was chefs kiss 👨🍳😘
Thank you so much Mark :)
I appreciate you ....
Appreciating you stopping by to read Mark! Happy Easter!
Outstanding! “We still worship charisma” is the absolute killer line here. The confident, charismatic blow hard instead of the competent, credible leader. Brilliant piece.
Hey Michelle. Happy weekend 🙌
Thank you for taking the time..
Exactly - she nailed it. I figured you would like it and it might be right up your street. The week is winding down. I still feel like we should be in March. Not sure how it’s already mid April 😱
Wonderful. Exactly how leaders should act, with humility and knowledge.
💯 agree Wilfred. It should be a bare minimum requirement. But yet, somehow, it's not always! Thanks for stopping by and reading. Hope you have a fabulous weekend!
Agreed...
Thank you for taking the time Wilfred 🙌
1. I want Bette to write all my introductions. How 'bout that one, Neela! " wonderfully unpredictable Neela 🌶️. She’s part poet, part truth-teller, and part 'did-she-just-say-that?' philosopher."
2. This made me laugh hard: In today's office, HR would've shoved this guy into a back-room compliance role faster than you can say "cultural fit."
3. " The man was a sponge in a world of hammers." There are highly perceptive "sponges" in every organization. They likely keep what they recognize and learn quiet though, out of anxiety or fear, yet they can offer tremendous insights and value if asked.
4. "The six-point plan in PowerPoint." Ah, the PowerPoint horniness (and Excel addiction).
5. "What if we didn't do layoffs at all?" I loved this because it wasn't anger, which gets too often dismissed, it's a question to inspire a different train of thought. Almost movie like! That you followed with a solution was the 1-2 combination that smart leaders often respect and need.
6. "I just did what Claudius would have done: observed the details others missed, offered practical solutions over dramatic gestures, and prioritized sustainability over short-term glory." Boom.
LOL yeah, they would’ve shoved him in a broom closet, wheeled him out for PR shots, and never let him speak. That line made me laugh, Michael—and I’m so glad you liked the intro! Happy to write more, I’m here all week. And yes, I absolutely love this story—I think it’s one of her best.
"Into the closet you go," Claudius!"
"I'm here all week." lol
Agreed, she crushed it on this one. :)
This made my day Michael, thank you!
First off, yes please, let’s get Bette on retainer for all intros going forward.
Honestly, I read your comment with a huge grin and a loud “yes!” at the PowerPoint horniness part. 😄
The sponge line lives in my bones a little. We all know someone like that.
Truly grateful you took the time to engage so fully.
This was a great read, Neela. Thought provoking, interesting, skillful writing (a strength of yours) and with your usual humor to punctuate points.
thank you Michael