When the Leader Improves, Everybody Improves
If you’re a leader heading into Christmas feeling stretched, this is for you. I’ve felt it too. As we hit this Christmas time of year with the rush of family commitments, social gatherings, and end-of-year wrap-ups, there’s a natural pull to unwind… maybe even to retreat and disconnect entirely without recovering and refocusing.
I’ve learned the hard way that when I inadvertently retreat and disconnect, I don’t just lose momentum, I lose grounding. I go into the new year detached from my purpose, less present with my family, and less effective in my role. My patience drops. My focus scatters. My battery is flat before the year even starts.
That’s precisely why I want to challenge my own thinking (and share the challenge with you).
So, I’ve started reading two excellent books: Becoming Unstoppable by Gilbert Enoka, and The Score Takes Care of Itself by legendary NFL coach Bill Walsh.
Both are packed with insights from elite sport, but what they are truly about is leadership, and both speak to the need for all leaders to strengthen their character, resilience, and mindset.
In Gilbert Enoka’s work, he speaks to the three anchors that powered the All Blacks' transformation between 2004 and 2023: leadership, culture and mental performance.
Then you’ve got Bill Walsh. When he took over at the San Francisco 49ers, he established what he called a Standard of Performance: a set of beliefs, behaviours, and expectations that would govern everything.
Neither author talks hype. Not slogans; just a lived standard. It may be sport on the surface, but it’s leadership at the core. The same standards that shape champions on the field shape culture, energy, and execution in our teams, our businesses, and our homes.
Here’s the essence that has hit me hardest so far, and I'm only partway through both books:
Their collective mantra was not one of “win at all costs.”
It was standards. It was process. It was becoming obsessive about the quality of the people in the team - the thinking, the attitude, the actions, the details. Because when the standard rises… performance follows.
As Gilbert wrote: “When the leader improves, everybody improves.”
Did you hear it as I did? Reread it - slowly - and let it land:
“When the leader improves, everybody improves.”
That’s the code. That’s the call. That’s the challenge.
Just like a rising tide lifts all boats, will you intentionally raise the tide of your capability this Christmas season? If we are not careful and deliberate, we can end up resting without restoring, escaping without examining, coasting without cultivating and hiding without healing.
Don’t let the Christmas break become avoidance; use it for recovery, reflection, and intention.
Raise your standard. Lift the tide. Leave a legacy.
Carve out time to work on your growth and your health; to strengthen your character, your resilience, and your mindset.
It need not be hours a day. Just something consistent. Block out 60 minutes of “me time” to take a walk, do a workout, listen to a podcast, read a chapter of a book, or have a quiet coffee with a journal - pen in hand.
Do something that lifts your tide. Because if you don’t invest in yourself, you’ll start 2026 running on fumes. Or do what the All Blacks do weekly; journal answers to three great questions:
What did I lead? (It wouldn’t have happened without me.)
What didn’t I lead? (I saw it. I could have stepped in, but I didn’t.)
What did I miss leading? (I didn’t see it, but I should have.)
Powerful, right?
So, here’s my encouragement: during this Christmas / New Year window, don’t try to review your whole year if that feels too big. Start with the last quarter—or even the previous 4–8 weeks. Things move fast. Answer those three questions. Capture what comes up. Look for patterns.
Then build your ‘Leadership Legacy’ plan for 2026 – some initial plans for growth, impact, and excellence focused on you (not on fixing everyone else). Your Character. Your Capability. Your health. Mindset. Consistency. Standards.
Because when you raise your standard… You raise your leadership.
And when you raise your leadership… You raise the people around you.
Raise your standard. Lift the tide. Leave a legacy.
Yes indeed. A rising tide lifts all boats.
Wishing you a blessed Christmas, a great rest, and a strong, intentional start to 2026.
Gary Good
Founder — LeaderLegacy
P.S. A non-negotiable ritual that I revived four years ago is that I carve out a full, disconnected day to reflect, to journal, and to build a clear plan of priorities for the year ahead. To do this, I use a powerful resource from Darren Hardy called Living Your Best Year Ever. It is a worthwhile investment.
P.S.S If you are looking for more resources to reflect on where you are in your leadership journey, access this free resource on our website: Elevate your leadership: A Transformative Self-Assessment Journey | Leader Legacy