In leadership and teamwork, we often judge others by what we see—their behavior. Someone misses a deadline, and we quickly form an opinion: They’re careless.
But when it comes to ourselves, we don’t judge our behavior; we judge our intention. I didn’t push back to be difficult. I just wanted to improve the idea.
This gap between how we see others and how we see ourselves creates friction.
Strong leaders close that gap. When they hold themselves accountable for their behavior and give others the benefit of the doubt, dynamics change: conversations open up, collaboration gets stronger.
Where might your intentions be good, but your behavior tells a different story ?
What would change in your team if everyone assumed positive intentions first ?
