Foundational Leadership Truths

The Leadership Series

Welcome to The Leadership Series here at The Wealthy Ironworker! This article is first – and it’s first for a reason. No matter what leadership model you decide to use/build upon, there are specific truths you must deal with. They don’t change, go away, or diminish because you have chosen to be a more informed and intentional leader.

Quite the opposite, really. Some of these truths you will deal with precisely because you’ve forayed into greater leadership. Let’s begin with an understanding of what foundational leadership truths are.

NOTE: This article is part 1 of a series on Leadership here at The Wealthy Ironworker

Foundational Leadership Truths
Leadership and The Three Areas of Your Life
Personal & Professional Development in a Leadership Context
Leadership, Management, and The Skilled Trades
The 4 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader
Leadership and The Task-Oriented Trades
Situational Leadership and the Skilled Trades
Leadership and The Art of Intentionality
1. Skills Developed From The Art of Intentionality
Leadership and Emotional Intelligence
1. Skills Developed From Emotional Intelligence
Leadership and Humility
1. Skills Developed From Humility
Leadership and Listening to Understand and Not to Respond
1. Skills Developed From Listening to Understand and Not to Respond
Skills Developed Overall in the Leadership Process
Mentored & Mentoring in Leadership
Influence Vs. Inspiration
Inspiration – Going Beyond Influence

***The above is subject to change as this series expands***

What exactly are Foundational Leadership Truths?

That’s a good question.

At their core, they are the bedrock of leadership experience – truths that, no matter what style/model you employ, are unavoidable. Indeed, as mentioned before, many of these you’ll only face when you decide to develop your leadership seriously. What’s more, there is plenty of anecdotal evidence to substantiate each of these Foundational Leadership Truths.

There are a few things we should discuss before we begin, however.

First, while these truths are not listed in any concrete linear order, nor are they anecdotal, they ARE LISTED in the order that makes the most sense to me. That is to say, they are listed in the order that I encountered each one.

Second, the degree you encounter these Foundational Leadership Truths varies depending on your own leadership experience. There are some you will experience more than others, and that’s natural.

Third – and this sets the stage for the rest of this entire leadership series – these Foundational Leadership Truths are approached from a skilled trades perspective. Yes, they are true, no matter what leadership model you use. And yes, the experiences are certainly dependent on what model you employ. So, for this article – and the Foundational Leadership Truths contained in it – they have a particular blue-collar/skilled trades flavor.

To that end, let’s start examining them one by one.

Foundational Leadership Truth #1: People Are Messy

This shouldn’t come as a surprise since everyone – if they are honest with themselves – knows they are messy. Everyone has dealt with issues, everyone has made mistakes, and everyone has shortcomings. We are all flawed, and we bring that with us wherever we go – especially at work.

What’s more, it is THIS Foundational Leadership Truth that’s given rise to Human Resource Departments in mass. What may have started as a legitimate department meant to help employees has morphed into a company preservation mechanism. And how do they protect the company? One way is to create processes for everything, and their main attempt is to remove the human element as much as possible. If we can do this through a process – one that is rather cut and dry – then that should make things easier to manage.

But, for several reasons (maybe explored more thoroughly in its own article), that isn’t true. For my part, it adds a level of complexity because you don’t manage people; you lead them. This leads us to Foundational Leadership Truth #2.

Foundational Leadership Truth #2: You Lead People And Manage A Process

I have said this repeatedly – you manage a process, but you lead people – and each time, it’s worth mentioning once more. For over a century now, we’ve clung to Scientific Management Theory and promoted industrial management aggressively. This in and of itself wouldn’t be a bad thing if we didn’t abandon leadership.

But we did. Our belief in increased management, coupled with the significant increase of company preservation HR departments, has led us into the leadership void we’re in currently. And nature abhors a vacuum. Something will take its place.

You manage a process – you lead people

Read the above one more time before continuing – It’s that important.

Foundational Leadership Truth #3: People Do NOT Like Being Held Accountable

People will do a lot to get “out” of being held accountable

When I embarked on my leadership journey as a foreman, I quickly realized this Foundational Leadership Truth. But when I was introspective and thought about it, I knew it to be true long before becoming a leader.

How did I know this?

Because I don’t like being held accountable, either. No one does – if they are honest about it.

Having said that, the intentional leader takes steps to ensure that not only are those they lead held accountable but that they (the leader) don’t escape it, either. Accountability is a useful tool, removing dross and refining what’s important.

This is a good segue into our next foundational leadership truth, which is…

Foundational Leadership Truth #4: Leadership Tone MUST Be Set ASAP

If you don’t, you will only increase how hard it is to lead people and, most importantly, change – should it become necessary. The longer you wait (including holding someone accountable), the more difficult it will be to make any necessary changes and be an effective leader. I’ve seen this happen time and time again. Don’t waiver; be consistent and start early on. Trust me – I’m speaking from experience here – you’ll be glad you did.

Foundational Leadership Truth #5: People Do Not Want to be Responsible

It’s always someone else’s fault

The vast majority of people do not want responsibility. Most flee from it when it darkens their door. That’s because it demands something from them, and people don’t like constraints; they want to be free. The belief is that you, as the leader, should be responsible for everything; that’s what you’re paid for, after all.

So goes the thinking, anyway.

But when it comes to work, people MUST take responsibility for what they do/create/produce – it can be no other way, despite what people believe. Everyone has some responsibility (and, in this case, responsibility to perform the work); the trick is getting others to understand and embrace this truth. This is not easy because, as you likely already know, people LOVE excuses – which is our next point.

Foundational Leadership Truth #6: People Love Excuses

And I mean they LOVE excuses

People have a million and one excuses as to why something isn’t their fault, why something didn’t turn out right, why things got messed up, why it wasn’t completed on time, and so on and so forth.

People LOVE excuses. No, seriously, I’m not sure we really know the depths of that love. They allow people to avoid not just responsibilities but also accountability. A double win!

Rare indeed is the person who accepts responsibility and accountability and shuns excuses.

Foundational Leadership Truth #7: Leaders Will/Must Make Unpopular Decisions

If you are a brand new leader, let me tell you something EVERY established leader already knows: You WILL make unpopular decisions – but make them you must. Some of those decisions will be linked to accountability, some due to responsibility, and others to scheduling, priority, and keeping people on task – you name it, and you’ll encounter it at some point.

People get mad over the most trivial of things. It could be your choice of who gets what task, who will work on what job – it may even be the way you communicated something – to everyone instead of just one-on-one. It always amazes me how we make mountains out of molehills over the most insignificant things.

I’m not talking about those things here, though.

I’m talking about the impactful, contentious, and difficult decisions no one wants to make. You know – when you have to send people home for making poor choices that could impact the company negatively. Or when they have clearly broken the rules. Or when favoritism rears its head, and you have to intervene. Perhaps it’s confronting a member of your leadership team (foreman or above) when they’ve overstepped boundaries. You may find yourself having to dismiss an employee due to some decision(s) they’ve made. Maybe work is slow, and you have to lay off a couple of guys until work picks back up – only the guys you have to let go are ones you cannot grow the company without. Or maybe a superintendent quality individual becomes available, but funds are tight, and you are unable to hire them despite several employees advocating for that person.

Whatever it is, these unpopular decisions have to be made. Once you realize they are not only unpopular but also yours – the leader – to make, you can begin to build inner resolve to do what must be done. The alternative – opting not to make the decision(s) and allowing things to fall into chaos – is not a viable option. You are only making something worse when you do not deal with something right away.

You are the leader. Act like it and make the decision.

Foundational Leadership Truth #8: You Will Have to Make Decisions You Do Not Like/Want To

On the heels of having to make unpopular decisions is having to make decisions you do not want to make. While this could have been a part of Foundational Leadership Truth #8, the reality is there are decisions you’ll make that are unpopular – but you don’t mind making them. You intuitively know they need to be made, and while you know they will be unpopular, you’re prepared for the blowback.

These decisions, however, are the ones you do not want to make. In your gut, you know you have to – but you understand how uncomfortable the outcome will be – and not just for others involved. Usually, we do not want to make decisions because of how it will ultimately affect us.

Go ahead – think about it and tell me I’m wrong.

You instinctively know it to be true. We are quick to make decisions that have no apparent effect on us – but when difficult decisions need to be made that WILL affect us – we can hesitate. We can deflect. We can (and sometimes do) decide by not deciding. We invite chaos in as a result.

Do yourself a favor and internalize that unpopular decisions must be made – and you are the one to make them.

Foundational Leadership Truth #9: It’s Impossible to Please Everyone

If you are a people pleaser, your leadership journey WILL be a tough one. There’s accountability, responsibility, duty, obligations, unpopular decisions, and even ones you do not want to make – which makes for a tension-filled environment. You can’t even please yourself, much less others.

So why bother? Why try? Why waste enormous amounts of energy attempting to please everyone when you could simply do what’s right, making decisions, and standing by them by being tough but fair? You can’t make someone like you no matter how much you’d like.

Truth is, we spend far too much time/effort/money, and everything else concerned about what others think of us, to no avail. We fear criticism and attempt to control situations by trying to please others. Although we are focused on a leadership context, this is a universal truth: We want people to like us.

For my part, I’d rather make the tough decisions, know I was right and justified, and let the chips fall where they may – hoping for the best but preparing for the worst. It’s impossible to please everyone, after all.

Foundational Leadership Truth #10: Some People Will Never Like You

Once we understand it’s impossible to please everyone, we come to the truth that no matter what you do, how much effort you exert, or time you spend, there are some people who will never like you. This comes as a surprise to most people the first time they discover this truth. What’s more, some people are crippled by this revelation.

In any case, personality conflicts do exist, and sometimes, that’s all it takes to have someone not like you. Couple that with decisions you have to make as a leader and how they amplify someone’s dislike of you, and you have a recipe for significant difficulty.

No one I know promises that leadership will be easy. But if you have a solid foundation, the right frame of mind and understanding, and intentionality at your core, you can overcome this Foundational Leadership Truth some find debilitating.

Nevertheless, even when some people do not like you, they can (but may not) respect you. Why? Because you are authentic.

Therefore, strive to be genuine and authentic.

Foundational Leadership Truth #11: Leaders will feel the pressure from all sides

Until now, we’ve focused mostly on the people that you lead. Now, however, we explore the truth by examining people all around us.

People you work for – like bosses and customers.

People you work around – like other leaders and workers.

People who work for you – like employees.

In short, leaders can – and will – feel pressure from all sides. Those we work for want us to do more and often with – and for – less. Customers ALWAYS want more and want it faster. Other leaders want you out of their way. Your employees – the ones you lead – want you to leave them alone. Some of them also believe they can do your job better than you.

The pressure to provide what others want will come from every angle – be prepared for it.

Foundational Leadership Truth #12: Other People Will Try to Derail You

Following the truth that pressure will be felt from all sides is this one – that some will attempt to derail you, also. What does that look like?

Well, those you work for may not give you all the information you need to succeed, deliberately holding back info for their own purposes. Those you work around may see you as their competition. Those who work for you – your employees – may lay down on you to try and sabotage you; others in your peripheral may try to make themselves look better by making you look worse.

There are plenty of other examples, and perhaps you’ve seen/experienced some of them already. No matter what they are, look like, or even the “reason” (people will give all kinds of “reasons” why they are justified in doing these things) some give, recognize this Foundational Leadership Truth, and be prepared to experience it.

Foundational Leadership Truth #13: It Can Be Lonely at the Top For Leaders

There are plenty of people, leadership models, gurus, and the like who will tell you it shouldn’t be lonely at the top because you have others buy into your vision and style – and they are along for the ride.

Tell that to the leader in the trades who has to make unpopular decisions (Foundational Leadership Truth #7) and decisions even they do not want to (Foundational Leadership Truth #8). Couple these with Foundational Leadership Truths #3, 5, and 6 (People do not want to be accountable, do not want responsibility, and love excuses) and how people in the trades are different from their white-collar counterparts, and you have a perfect storm of difficulty and sometimes loneliness.

Listen, the truth is that being the leader can – and sometimes does – mean you are alone. Sure, you may get others on board with the direction needed, but that takes time. How much? It depends on too many variables to nail down specifics.

A good rule of thumb is to expect enough time to have to earn their respect AND THEN earn their loyalty. That doesn’t happen overnight – it takes time. And before you have done this?

It’s often lonely.

Foundational Leadership Truth #14: Respect is Earned – Not Given

When we consider the previous Foundational Leadership Truth – It Can Be Lonely at the Top for Leaders – I am reminded of how hard it is to build respect. It isn’t free, doesn’t come naturally, and isn’t our default mode, either. Instead, we are prone to be prideful and arrogant – and with that comes a lack of respect for others. It’s human nature.

As leaders, you must familiarize yourself with this Foundational Leadership Truth and overcome it.

But it is NOT easy.

You will have to make good, sound decisions, stick to them, be tough but fair, and understand that in our instant gratification society, we will not see results for quite some time. We have to build up a reputation with others in order to get respect – because you’ll gain it no other way.

By now, I can hear someone say, “Wait a minute: I get respect from others because of my position, authority, or power I have.”

No, you don’t.

The respect you “have” is not the respect you should strive for. Put another way, there is ‘coerced’ respect – and then there’s inspirational respect. The first one closely resembles rank, like the military; the latter is someone who actually respects you.

There IS a difference. Know it and strive to be respected.

Foundational Leadership Truth #15: Despite Your Best Efforts, You Will Fail

Listen, I don’t know who needs to hear/read this, but you will NOT succeed in everything. I know some people operate from a point of view they only undertake something they will succeed in – but as the old saying goes, “nothing ventured, nothing gained.”

Imagine living your life always scared of failing to the point you never try anything new. You always play it safe. You never took chances. You constantly avoid anything considered “risky,” and all the while, you are setting yourself up to “live in the land of what-if” – one of the worst places to ever find yourself.

What’s more, when it comes to just about anything in life, you’ll partake in something you don’t know the outcome. You could fail. And if you do? You have an opportunity to learn – a great segue into the next Foundational Leadership Truth.

Foundational Leadership Truth #16: You Learn FAR MORE From Failure Than Success

We fear failure far more than we should.

While success breeds confidence (important in its own right), it doesn’t hold a candle to failure because we really learn when we fail – and that seems rather odd to us.

The reason? Because when we fail, we are uncomfortable. There’s an old saying many believe: “People do not like change” – but it isn’t correct. It’s true that people do not like change – but what they do not like even more is being uncomfortable.

People may not like change – but when failure makes them uncomfortable, watch as they pursue change at breakneck speed. And the source of that comfort? Learning the lesson. Whatever mistakes a leader has made, he can learn exponentially when it comes from failure. Don’t miss the importance of this.

Foundational Leadership Truth #17: Your Integrity Will Be Put to the Test

On the heels of failure, we have integrity. More specifically, your integrity will be put to the test. How do we know this?

Decades of anecdotal evidence. I’ve been in the trades for 23 years, and during that time, I’ve NEVER – and I mean NEVER – met someone who didn’t have their integrity put to the test.

It may have been in the form of cutting corners to get something done on time; perhaps it was lying to those you work for – or to those who work for you – about something; maybe it looks like allowing one person to get away with something but not others (i.e., favoritism); whatever the test(s) happen to be – and by now, I suspect you can think of some I didn’t list – your integrity WILL be tested and it is one of the most important possessions you have. Don’t sacrifice it for some short-term victory; it’s not worth it. In fact, nothing is. Be prepared for this.

Foundational Leadership Truth #18: You Will Be Accused of Forgetting Where You Came From

This is NOT true

When you are working and are just responsible for your own work, there’s freedom in that. You don’t have to worry about others and what they are doing; after all, you aren’t responsible for them.

That all changes when you find yourself in a leadership position (foreman is the prime example here since it is usually the first position a journeyman finds themselves in). The guys in the field working around you can – and will at some point – accuse you of forgetting where you are from – an insult because they believe you’ve changed.

Of course, you have. You are now responsible for not just your own work but the outcomes of others, completion, timeframes, etc. If you think you aren’t going to change, then you are either an intentionally poor foreman or you need some professional training.* Either way, your mindset/skills need some attention.

***I agree with Mark Breslin and his take: We take a great guy off his tools, make him a foreman (leader), put him in charge of millions of dollars of work, and give him no professional training AT ALL. This is a travesty – and, to some degree, is a factor in the creation of The Leadership Series.***

In the end, it’s a bit of a slur to say, “You forgot where you came from,” especially when many do not understand the nature of someone in leadership. Most people do not forget where they came from – they are just leading to the best of their ability.

Foundational Leadership Truth #19: There Will be People Who Think They Can Do A Better Job Than You

Stormtroopers secretly think they can do a better job

This Foundational Leadership Truth closely resembles #12: Other People Will Try to Derail You. There is one major difference, though: People can think they can do your job without sabotaging you. They may believe you’re not doing enough, should focus your priorities elsewhere, or simply do things differently.

Is this a problem?

Not at all.

Different people have different strengths, different leadership styles, and different things they like to emphasize – in short, there’s nothing wrong with another style or approach.

At the time of writing (late 2025), I recall a conversation I had with another superintendent about mentoring, leadership, and apprentices. It’s a common complaint of apprentices: Journeymen won’t train me because they believe I’ll take their job.

His reply?

“If they can take my job, they’ve earned it.” You only have this perspective when you are working to the absolute best of your ability. His point was that he works to provide ultimate value and if someone is exceeding that, then they are really doing something.

Last point before moving on: IF someone can do things differently – and this may be perceived as “better” in different areas by some – then celebrate with them, allow them their time in the spotlight, and learn from that.

Foundational Leadership Truth #20: No Matter What You Do or How Hard You Try to Explain, Some People Will NEVER Gain Perspective

Some people never see things clearly

The longer I lead, the more I realize this Foundational Leadership Truth. No matter what I do, how much effort I put in, or explanation I endeavor, some people will never gain perspective. EVER. And after 23 years in the trades – along with countless testimonies and stories from others – I’m left to conclude that this is absolutely true. Remember this throughout your leadership journey.

Foundational Leadership Truth #21: Genuine Leadership WILL Cost You Something

I have said this for years now: IF you want to be a good leader – authentic, genuine, and intentional – THEN it WILL cost you something. It may cost you time. It could cost you effort. It’s probably going to cost you mental energy. It will likely cost you your comfort. It may cost you “friends.” Whatever it costs to be the best leader you can be, it WILL cost you something.

This is a decided break from numerous other leaders who view leadership through a different lens. Then again, you are exploring this leadership model for a reason: to be the best leader you can be. You don’t get to be an intentional leader for free; you WILL pay a price.

It’s worth saying it again before moving on:

Genuine Leadership WILL Cost You Something

Foundational Leadership Truth #22: Leaders Can Delegate Work But Not Responsibility

This is tough for some to accept – but true nonetheless. As the leader, you are ultimately responsible. Yes, earlier, I did write that while people do not want to be, they should be responsible for the work they produce. But the responsibility I’m referring to is overall – for everything, as it were. Others will try to deflect responsibility, but as the leader, you cannot.

You are responsible for the delegation of work. To ensure things are done in a timely manner. To provide others with what they need. For the schedule. For the material. For resolving conflicts. The development of yourself – along with others. And, of course, for the overall outcome.

I could go on, but you get the point. As the leader, you have to delegate work, but the overall responsibility stays with you. Be prepared for this Fundamental Leadership Truth.

Foundational Leadership Truth #23: You Cannot Avoid Stress – But You Can Manage It

Ahh, stress. We all have to deal with it, and there is no way to get around that. Stress gets a bad wrap – and for good reason. Chronic stress is widespread and debilitating – and it is what most people know as stress. Over time, it wears people down, draining them of their energy and health, and ultimately can take years off of your lifespan. However, there IS such a thing as good stress – and it actually benefits you. It’s called Eustress.

There are tools you can use; some of them are applicable to general life, while others are industry-specific, like construction. No matter what type of stress we encounter – and encounter it, you will – you cannot avoid it; it MUST be managed.

Foundational Leadership Truth #24: Your Soft Skills Will Matter More Than You Can Imagine

Listen, far too many people believe their experiences (work and otherwise) are what set them apart. If you are not a leader, then yes, that makes sense. Your experiences are highly valuable and are likely what enabled you to get – and keep – a job in the first place. However, once you enter into leadership, you are working with a different set of tools.

I don’t want to take anything away from your experiences – they are what have brought you this far. But I do want to put them in their proper place: at the bottom. You read that right. They are the foundation upon which you build. They have brought you this far – allow a different set of tools to take you the rest of the way.

What, you ask, are those tools?

Your soft skills. Investopedia defines soft skills as “character traits and interpersonal skills that characterize a person’s ability to interact effectively with others.”

In other words, they are describing a leader’s emotional intelligence – one of The 4 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader. These tools matter more – and can carry you further. Recognizing this is a good place to start.

Foundational Leadership Truth #25: Being a Leader is Hard

After exploring all of these Foundational Leadership Truths, how could we come to any other conclusion? Despite what others may say, being a leader is hard. There are plenty of reasons why – some we’ve explored through this article – but one of the main reasons is people. You have differing personalities with different backgrounds, different experiences, different thought processes, different biases, different agendas, different values, morals, and different goals – all this and more you will find in your leadership journey.

People are messy, and leadership is wading into the mess, trying to navigate through it for the benefit of everything and everyone – the task(s) at hand, the people you serve, and the people you lead.

Intentional leaders will understand this truth in time – it is hard to be a leader.

Wrapping This All Up

With the above Foundational Leadership Truths in mind, we now have a firmer starting point to build upon. No matter what leadership style you use, industry you work in, or application – each of these is true: you WILL encounter them. Know this, be intentional in all you do, and give yourself the best possible start to your leadership journey.

You’ll be glad you did.

NOTE: This article is part 1 of a series on Leadership here at The Wealthy Ironworker

Foundational Leadership Truths
Leadership and The Three Areas of Your Life
Personal & Professional Development in a Leadership Context
Leadership, Management, and The Skilled Trades
The 4 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader
Leadership and The Task-Oriented Trades
Situational Leadership and the Skilled Trades
Leadership and The Art of Intentionality
1. Skills Developed From The Art of Intentionality
Leadership and Emotional Intelligence
1. Skills Developed From Emotional Intelligence
Leadership and Humility
1. Skills Developed From Humility
Leadership and Listening to Understand and Not to Respond
1. Skills Developed From Listening to Understand and Not to Respond
Skills Developed Overall in the Leadership Process
Mentored & Mentoring in Leadership
Influence Vs. Inspiration
Inspiration – Going Beyond Influence

***The above is subject to change as this series expands***

Foundational Leadership Truths

The Leadership Series