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Do you mean it?

Most companies want to stand for something bigger.
Few actually do. Here’s how it becomes your strategic advantage.

It’s actually simple.
And one word summarizes it well: Commitment.
Mean what you say.

Do you?

So many businesses talk about values, purpose, the planet.
But how many of them actually mean what they say?
Most crumble at the first difficult trade-off.

Patagonia didn’t.
You’re probably familiar with their purpose:

“We’re in business to save our home planet.”

It sounds almost too idealistic to be true. But unlike almost every other business they mean it. For them, it’s not just a clever spin. It’s their actual business model.

And they made some bold moves most brands would never risk. For example:

  • A New York Times ad that begged you not to buy their jacket.
  • Mobile workshops that repair gear for free.
  • A legal structure that funnels every dollar beyond reinvestment straight into environmental work.

No, really! We mean it!

This level of commitment is hard to find elsewhere. But it’s one of eight patterns I’ve found when researching for my book The PATH to Strategic Impact.

Statements so bold other businesses will find them ridiculous.

This opens up a strategic advantage that’s hard to match because it’s a commitment so costly, other businesses would never dare to copy it.

And it’s a perfect example of the four PATH principles in real life: Plain and simple, Actionable, Transformative, and Heartfelt.

In the Clarity Lab, Harald Krytinar and I, will uncover more patterns of successful strategy communication.

We will dig into real examples from real businesses and pull them apart until we clearly see why they work and how you can adapt the pattern for you business.

Hope to see you there …

Keep lighting the path!

Hidden Priorities

What do you do when no one says what they really want?
Everyone cringes. But no one dares to name it.

One client put it this way:
“In our case, we have so many competing interests but people won’t openly communicate what they are.”
Ouch …

When people won’t name their priorities, it’s not just hard to align … it’s almost impossible to even begin.

Often, that silence is a symptom of fear.
→ Fear of being exposed.
→ Fear of losing influence.
→ Fear of making a bad deal.

Or simply:
→ Fear of being the only one to commit.

When that’s the atmosphere, simply pushing for agreement won’t work.

Even if people nod and politely smile during the meeting, it’s unlikely they will follow through.

What you need at this stage is not their agreement but their honesty.

But how do you create a space that makes people feel safe enough to be honest?

Often, that starts with one person naming the tension and inviting a shared direction.

For example, by asking something like this:

“Can we try to name what we do agree on — even if it’s only the bigger picture? Let’s see where we’re already aligned before we get stuck in the details.”

That kind of move shifts the focus.
From trade-offs to common ground.
From defensiveness to collaboration.
From protecting interests to building trust.

It won’t resolve everything. But it opens the door.

And sometimes, that’s all it takes — a few well-chosen words that help people see the possibility of standing together, not just apart.

The goal is to figure out what it would take for the people in your org to say: “Yes, that’s what we stand for, even if we still debate the details?”

So no, you can’t control the others.
But you can make the first move.
And the right words can give others permission to follow.

Sometimes, clarity begins with making others feel seen.

Keep lighting the path!

People trust you. But with what?

The moment you step into leadership, people start trusting you.
Not because you’ve earned it yet. But because they have to.

They trust you to set the tone.
They trust you to shape the culture.
They trust you to decide what matters.

Even before you say a word, they trust you with all of that.

The question is never if they trust you.
The question is: with what?

With their energy … or their compliance?
With their curiosity … or their caution?
With their voice … or their silence?

They trust you with the question: is it safe to care?
They trust you with the thought: will it matter if I speak up?
They trust you to show them if effort leads to progress or if it vanishes into a void.

Ignore this trust, and they’ll still follow.

But they’ll follow the unwritten rules, not your ambitions.
They’ll follow the fear, not the opportunity.
They’ll follow the safe path, not the bold one.

Leadership always sets the tone.
Whether you choose to, or not.

The question is:
what will you signal them to trust you with?

Through your actions …
And the words you use …

Keep lighting the path!

Get people’s attention

You’ve been told to get people’s attention.

As if that was the hard part …

But attention is cheap.
Everyone gets attention – for a second.
(If in doubt, throw money at the problem.)

But what happens after they notice you?
That’s where most messages die.

Picture a crowded room.
Voices everywhere.
(Could be LinkedIn, your meeting room, …)
Someone raises their voice, loud and sharp.

For a moment, everyone turns their heads.
But they’re already asking themselves:

→ “Do I trust where this is going?”
→ “Do I believe you see what I see?”
→ “Do I feel this is going to be relevant?”

If the answer is no, it doesn’t matter how polished your words sound.

People turn away again.

Because attention was never the actual problem.
It’s what happens after you get it.

How would your communication change if,
instead of fighting for attention, you focused on
earning their trust for what comes next.

Perhaps by showing, in every word, that
you understand their reality better than anyone else.

When they feel that, they lean in.
You’ve got their attention.
But more importantly, you’ve got their permission to guide them.

Keep lighting the path!

Deep conversations

You’re invited! The 3rd edition of “The Leaders Light the Path Session” will be on March 11th.

Pam wrote about the previous edition:
“I loved the depth, the conversation – how everyone listened – the intent in answering your questions and everyone else’s. Your summations were thoughtful, requiring us to dig deep.”

Others have called it a relaxed format and a great moment for reflection.

Don’t expect a lengthy presentation and over-complicated frameworks. We’re more interested in conversations and real, actionable ways to help you find better words.

This time, it will be all about clarity:

→ The shift that turns vague ideas into compelling messages
→ How to make your message easy to remember and impossible to ignore
→ How to say exactly what needs to be said… nothing more, nothing less

March 11th | 11am Eastern · 5pm CET | Zoom

Whether you want to drive change, unite people around a vision, or ensure your words spark action instead of hesitation, this session will help you communicate with irresistible clarity.

It’s highly interactive, in a small group setting with like-minded peers.

Would love to see you there.

It’s free but seats are limited! Reserving your spot is easy, though. Simply reply to this email (I prefer the process to be as plain and simple as possible).

Keep lighting the path!

The mirror of trust

Trust is like a mirror. Once it’s cracked, no matter how much you try to fix it, the reflection is never quite the same.

Honesty has a difficult standing in some leadership circles. People believe they can’t trust their team or customers with the truth. Or that they’d need to protect their team from it. And so, they avoid it.

And I get it. It’s tempting to promise the moon in the moment to give a little extra motivational boost. Or to beautify the situation to give some false assurances.

But that’s like tapping a hammer against that mirror. Each small crack harms the surface. Until at some point it eventually shatters.

The strongest teams I’ve worked with, had a very different approach.

People can handle uncertainty far better than they can handle broken promises. Honesty, even when it’s uncomfortable, keeps the mirror intact.

If you’re unsure, say so. If the road ahead is unclear, admit it.

Every time your team sees that your words and actions are perfectly aligned – even in difficult times – they trust you a little more. And that means that trust is intact when it matters.

Keep lighting the path!

Leading with clarity

The clearer the path, the less important the leader becomes.
Anyone can lead when the sun shines bright. But what about when it’s not?

In the fog, when you can barely see a step ahead, that’s when your leadership matters.

Not by pretending you know every turn or faking clarity that’s not really there. Your team doesn’t need false clarity. The fog is real. You can’t just make it disappear.

But you *can* show them how to move through it.
→ By staying clear on your values and vision.
→ By showing them how you make choices, even when the next step is uncertain.
→ And by giving them the confidence that, together, you’ll make it through.

This is the kind of clarity that guides them not only in clear weather, but also when it matters most: in the fog.

Keep lighting the path!

Unmasking Leadership: How to Lead Without the Tricks

Some leaders wear masks pretty much all the time.
They play the game of manipulation and trickery.
To them, it’s just how business works.

They don’t think there’s anything wrong with it.
In fact, they have many excuses to justify it.

Each of them sounds perfectly reasonable.
Until you care to look closer.

Here’s how to respond to their excuses and lead differently.

  1. “It’s just how the game is played.”

→ Leadership isn’t about playing games; it’s about changing them. The best leaders set a new standard — one worth following.

  1. “It works, doesn’t it?”

→ It works … until it doesn’t. Manipulation only holds as long as the mask stays on. Once it slips, trust is lost, and it’s nearly impossible to regain.

  1. “Everyone does it. I’m just better at it.”

→ Being better at playing a broken game doesn’t make you a leader—it makes you a better player of a broken game.
But once the game is exposed, the better you played, the worse it looks.

  1. “If I don’t do it, someone else will.”

→ Who cares what others might do? Let them do it. Winning doesn’t come from doing what they do. It comes from doing what they can’t.

  1. “I can’t afford to lose.”

→ Maybe you can’t afford to lose—but can you afford what it takes to win? When you rely on a mask, every win comes at a cost: the constant fear of being exposed.

  1. “I’m protecting my true self.”

→ You’re not protecting your true self—you’re protecting a weakness. The stronger play isn’t hiding—it’s building a foundation no one can break.

  1. “It’s for their own good.”

→ Leaders don’t decide what’s good for others; they inspire others to see it for themselves. Influence that lasts is built on trust, not control.

  1. “People don’t want the truth; they want a story.”

→ The best stories don’t hide the truth—they illuminate it.
If the truth isn’t enough, make it stronger—don’t cover it up. Telling the truth might take courage, but it’s how you earn trust that lasts (and get honesty in return).

Keep lighting the path.

The Challenger

In most larger organizations, the overwhelming impression is that ‘the game’ is the only path to success.

Communication tactics, office politics, manipulative strategies.

Everyone hates it. Yet everyone seems to play it.

Do you?

Now here’s the thing: It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy. The game only works because it’s the default.

It works because no one offers an alternative.

In other words, it works until someone shows up who leads with rigorous honesty, empathy, and trust … and succeeds because of it.

This someone could be you.

Defaults are meant to be challenged.

You don’t have to play along. You could be the one who proves that there’s a better way.

Will you?

Keep lighting the path!

Influence

True influence begins where force ends.

Force creates counter-force.
Push and people instinctively push back.

What’s worse, when the force stops, the actions stops.

What’s even worse, you’ll never know whether people actually support your ideas.

That’s not really influence, is it?
It’s control.

Well, of course that’s precisely what some managers will find attractive. But if you’re reading this, it’s likely that you’re not one of them.

True influence is when people choose to support you. It’s the result of a voluntary shift in belief, behavior, or perspective.

It can happen when
→ you earn their trust so they’re willing to hear you out.
→ you create clarity so they can see it for themselves.
→ you speak to what matters so it resonates deeply.

And then … you step back.
You let them decide.

When they make the choice to act, not because you pushed them,
but because they believed it was the right thing to do …

That’s true influence.

Keep lighting the path!

Spread the Word

Picture of Dr. Michael Gerharz

Dr. Michael Gerharz