“This generation of leaders… we’re like, don’t tell them how to do it. Teach them how to do it.” And sometimes that’s a mistake.
In this episode of Leadership DM, J. Scott walks through a realization that hit him in the middle of the night: Sometimes you just have to tell people exactly what to do. Not because autonomy is wrong. Not because expertise doesn’t matter. But because non-directive leadership only works when you’re relying on someone’s subject matter expertise. If you’re not? Directive is better.
In this conversation:
- Why trying to teach sales to “be marketing” never works Why giving people copy and a link isn’t the same as giving them instruction
- What happens when a non-negotiable is asked like an option How a Fortune 500 executive meeting turned into an hour of talking with no ball advanced
- Why busy leaders “literally don’t know what to do”
- And how writing down simple instructions eliminates swirl, rework, and escalation
- You’ll hear the moment clearly: “They don’t know how to do what they don’t know how to do.” And the shift: “If the outcome is fixed, the instruction should be clear.”
This episode isn’t about being controlling. It’s about knowing when you need expertise… and when you just need execution. Because swirl doesn’t come from rebellion. It comes from ambiguity. And sometimes the most responsible thing a leader can do is stop coaching and start specifying.
Leadership DM is a founder-led diagnostic show where real execution breakdowns are surfaced in public. No inspiration. No theory. Just leadership under pressure. Learn how you can install the full Execution Leadership System J Scott and 120VC use with their clients.
👉 The Executive Leadership Performance Accelerator www.120vc.com/ELPA
📌 Subscribe for more conversations on execution leadership, reducing stress, and turning leadership effort into measurable ROI.