Leadership is about where you look

Stormy Skies or Beautiful Sunset? Leadership Is About Where You Look

Leadership is often less about changing your circumstances and more about changing your perspective. You can be standing in the exact same spot, facing the same reality, but what you choose to focus on determines what you see—and ultimately, what you create. Look over one shoulder, and the sky may appear stormy, filled with dark clouds and turbulence. Turn the other way, and there’s a breathtaking sunset, full of warmth, color, and possibility. Both are true, but only one fuels better outcomes.

The Power of Focus

Every leader has to navigate challenges: missed targets, team conflicts, unexpected changes. These moments can feel like storm clouds hovering overhead. If you constantly stare at the storm, your outlook narrows. You see problems, risks, and limitations everywhere. This doesn’t just affect your mood; it shapes your leadership decisions. Teams sense your pessimism, and it creates a ripple effect of stress, disengagement, and reduced performance.

But focus is a choice. Just like shifting your gaze from storm to sunset, leaders can choose to focus on opportunities, strengths, and solutions. This doesn’t mean ignoring problems or pretending difficulties don’t exist. It means refusing to let them dominate your view. By intentionally directing your attention, you change the energy you bring to your team—and the outcomes you produce.

The Attitude Connection

Attitude follows focus. When you look toward what’s hopeful and constructive, your mindset shifts. Optimism grows, resilience strengthens, and creativity sparks. This matters, because your team doesn’t just hear your words—they feel your energy. A leader with a defeated perspective spreads discouragement. A leader who chooses to see potential ignites confidence.

Think of it like driving a car: wherever your eyes go, the steering wheel follows. If you fixate on the ditch, you’ll drift toward it. But if you keep your eyes on the road ahead, you’ll stay on course. Leaders who lock onto problems drive their teams into frustration. Leaders who keep their eyes on solutions guide their teams to progress.

Practical Ways to Shift Your Focus

1. Start with gratitude. Each day, identify three things going right in your organization. This builds the habit of scanning for wins instead of only spotting flaws.
2. Reframe challenges. Instead of asking, “Why is this happening to us?” ask, “What can we learn from this?” or “How can this make us stronger?”
3. Celebrate progress. Highlight small victories in meetings, emails, or one-on-one conversations. What you celebrate gets repeated.
4. Lead with questions. Invite your team to share opportunities and solutions, not just problems. You’ll train collective focus toward possibility.

Outcomes of a Focused Leader

When leaders change their focus, they change their outcomes. Storms will always be present, but sunsets will always be within view too. By choosing to focus on what inspires, motivates, and builds momentum, leaders cultivate better attitudes—not just in themselves, but across their teams. This leads to stronger collaboration, higher engagement, and better long-term results.

Great leadership isn’t about eliminating the storm. It’s about turning toward the sunset, again and again, until your team learns to do the same.