{"id":5433,"date":"2025-10-06T07:26:24","date_gmt":"2025-10-06T11:26:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog-alexis.monville.com\/en\/?p=5433"},"modified":"2025-10-06T07:26:27","modified_gmt":"2025-10-06T11:26:27","slug":"leadership-is-contagious-heres-how-to-spread-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog-alexis.monville.com\/en\/2025\/10\/06\/leadership-is-contagious-heres-how-to-spread-it\/","title":{"rendered":"Leadership Is Contagious. Here\u2019s How to Spread It."},"content":{"rendered":"\n

We often talk about leadership as if it\u2019s a role, something that begins when you\u2019re promoted or when your title changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the truth is, leadership is a collective capacity, not a position.<\/strong> It\u2019s something we build together, moment by moment, through how we show up, communicate, and make decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This month, I\u2019d like to explore a few simple ways to practice leadership wherever you are<\/strong>, drawn from the conversations I\u2019ve had with inspiring guests on Le Podcast on Emerging Leadership<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Lead by Clarity and Care<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In my discussion with Russ Laraway<\/strong>, author of When They Win, You Win<\/em>, we talked about how great leadership is measurable. It shows up in clear direction, thoughtful coaching, and meaningful career conversations.
Russ\u2019s advice was simple: set clear expectations, offer real feedback, and invest in people\u2019s growth.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Try this:<\/strong> Pick one person this week and ask, \u201cWhat\u2019s one thing I could do to better support your success?\u201d<\/em> Then act on what you hear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Build Trust by Talking About How You Talk<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

With Jeffrey Fredrick<\/strong>, co-author of Agile Conversations<\/em> with Douglas Squirrel<\/strong>, we explored the idea that every problem in an organization is ultimately a conversation problem.
Jeffrey shared that high-trust teams don\u2019t just talk about what<\/em> they\u2019re doing; they talk about how<\/em> they talk. They examine their assumptions, make their reasoning visible, and invite challenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Try this:<\/strong> In your next meeting, pause to ask, \u201cWhat assumptions might we be making here?\u201d<\/em> or \u201cIs there something we\u2019re not saying?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You might be surprised how quickly this opens up honesty and alignment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Empower the People Closest to the Work<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In my conversation with Maria Bracho<\/strong>, CTO for LATAM at Red Hat, she shared that the most effective leaders are those who trust their teams to make decisions.
Her insight was clear: People closer to the work usually know best what needs to happen.<\/em> The leader\u2019s role is to create the conditions for them to act.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Try this:<\/strong> Instead of giving solutions, ask: \u201cWhat do you think we should do?\u201d<\/em> Then, genuinely listen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Empowerment is not a slogan; it\u2019s a daily choice to let others lead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Make Change Feel Possible, One Step at a Time<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When I spoke with Tamar Bergovici<\/strong>, VP of Engineering at Box, she described how real transformation doesn\u2019t come from big speeches, it comes from small, consistent actions that build trust and momentum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Try this:<\/strong> Choose one thing your team has been struggling with. Instead of planning a massive fix, take one visible step forward this week. Then, celebrate it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sustainable change isn\u2019t imposed, it\u2019s co-created.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Leadership Experiment for This Month<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s a simple exercise to try over the next two weeks:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Pick one area where you want to see leadership emerge. I<\/strong>t could be clarity, trust, empowerment, or change.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Name one small behavior<\/strong>\u00a0that would make a difference.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Invite others in<\/strong>: tell your team what you\u2019re trying and ask them to join you.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Reflect<\/strong>: What shifted in you? What shifted in others?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Leadership grows when it\u2019s shared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Keep Exploring<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    If these ideas resonate, listen (or re-listen) to these episodes of Le Podcast on Emerging Leadership<\/em>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n