Your Greatest Leadership Strength Might Be the One You’re Suppressing

I noticed a near-invisible wrinkle on a laminated document my son made for me.

He looked at me and said,

“Mom… how did you even see that? You can be such a perfectionist.”

Sometimes. I responded, smiling.

For a long time, I hated that about myself.

I hated that my eyes went to uncrossed T’s and undotted I’s first.

I thought it made me too critical.

Too Judgmental. Too intense. Too much.

Now I see it differently.

What I once tried to mute is actually an edge (Leadership Strength), because I’m aware of it.

I’m not a faultfinder.

I’m not a party pooper.

I’m your “check the requirements before we wreck the code” person.

Every team needs that voice.

Just not as the only voice

Leadership isn’t about fixing your personality.

It’s about understanding it well enough to use it on purpose.

I know myself well enough to know I’m not perfect.

I’m a necessary piece of the puzzle.

And that self-knowledge? It’s what separates reactive leaders from effective ones.

Do you know yourself well enough to leverage your edge, especially under pressure?

If you want clarity on how your natural style shows up in decision-making, communication, and teamwork, take a quick leadership style assessment.

I’m happy to help https://shorturl.at/ci9K0

Insight is often the first step to better leadership impact.

@BISOLA MOGAJI

If You’re Not Being Talked About, You Might Be Playing It Too Safe

Being the subject of gossip hurts.

At work.

In church.

In family group chats that should be holy… but aren’t.

What makes it worse is this:

The story always finds its way back to you, edited, embellished, and emotionally violent.

Part of you wants to schedule a press conference: “Let me tell you my side of the story.”

Another part of you wants to go full TED Talk plus clapback combo…

Let’s be honest, we’ve all been there.

I’ve been there too.

After receiving two promotions in quick succession, my name suddenly became a topic of discussion. And not in a flattering way.

People had very creative ideas about how I got promoted.

None of them involved competence, consistency, or hard work.

Ouch.

The Lesson Gossip Taught Me After Realizing That If You’re Not Being Talked About, You Might Be Playing It Too Safe

Over time, I learned something that changed how I see gossip forever.

There are two categories of people in life:

Those who talk about people

Those who give people something to talk about

And here’s the uncomfortable truth:

People who talk about others are often not busy building anything meaningful.

People who are talked about?

They are visible. They are moving, despite imperfections. They are growing.

They are quietly or boldly winning.

Visibility attracts opinions.

Progress attracts commentary.

Growth attracts noise.

Rewriting the Narrative

At some point, I made a decision.

I stopped explaining. I stopped defending. I stopped auditioning for approval.

I focused on doing the work.

And something interesting happened.

Gossip lost its sting.

It became background noise. Sometimes, it even became free publicity.

Not every rumor is a threat.

Some are proof that you’re no longer invisible.

A Leadership Reminder

If you’ve ever been talked about for leveling up, let this land:

You don’t owe everyone an explanation remember, If You’re Not Being Talked About, You Might Be Playing It Too Safe

Your consistency will speak. Your integrity will speak.

Your results will speak.

Sometimes, that is more than enough.

So, ask yourself:

Am I shrinking to stay comfortable?

Or am I growing, even if it makes some people uncomfortable?

Because playing it safe may keep you quiet.

But growth will always make noise.

Bisola Mogaji

RESET or REGRET: Your Call

Walking away is often labeled as failure.

In reality, it’s one of the most strategic leadership decisions you can make.

While walking through the corridors of Scripture, I paused at what is often described as one of the saddest passages in the Bible — Genesis 6:7–13 (MSG).

God was pained.

He regretted creating mankind.

His heart was broken.

And He chose to start over.

That stopped me.

After all the investment of Genesis chapters 1–5… why reset?

As I sat with that question, a deeper leadership reflection surfaced:

Why do we cling to paths we already know are failing — simply because we’ve invested so much in them?

Most times, it isn’t confusion holding us back. It’s fear.

• Fear of ridicule

• Fear of embarrassment

• Fear of wasted effort

• Fear of the unknown

• Fear of failing again

• Fear of losing what we’ve already built

  
  

Yet Genesis 6 quietly offers a powerful leadership playbook for reset moments.

1. Evaluate reality honestly

God assessed the situation exactly as it was. Leadership requires brutal honesty. Denial doesn’t protect destiny, it delays it.

2. Acknowledge the emotion, don’t suppress it

God felt grief, regret, and pain. Feeling doesn’t make you weak; it makes you human. Process the emotion, but don’t live there.

3. Speak decisively to yourself

Verse 7 begins with “God said…”Leaders must learn to speak clarity into chaos.

A closed mouth often leads to a closed future.

4. Decide and resolve quickly

Indecision is a thief of time. A fresh start always costs something. For God, it meant releasing everything built in Genesis 1–5.

Leadership often means choosing courage over comfort.

5. Remember: there is always a remnant

For God, there was Noah. There is always something preserved, a skill, an idea, a relationship, an investment, if you’re paying attention.

So pause and ask yourself:

What do I need to honestly evaluate, courageously release, and decisively restart?

If you’re leading people, a team, or your own life, this might be your reset moment.

RESET… or REGRET. Your call.

If this reflection resonated with you, consider sharing it with someone who might be standing at a crossroads.

BISOLA MOGAJI