Are you a Starmer or a Fox?

There is a leadership moment I still wince about. It happens at the coffee machine or in the hallway when a team member catches you with a difficult question, and you give that classic, non-committal response: “I’ll get back to you.”

In that moment, I was the chicken.

Every time you hesitate, your team hesitates. When you avoid a decision, they learn to avoid them too. I used to think leadership was about the grand strategy sessions behind closed doors, but I was wrong. Culture isn’t built by what you say in a mission statement; it is built by what you do visibly in front of your people.

If you don’t have an answer on the spot, you should think it through right there or give them a firm promise: “I’ll have an answer for you in 15 minutes.” Your team needs to see you take decisive action. They need to see a fox, not someone hiding from the heat.

When a leader lacks courage, you see the results everywhere. Just look at Keir Starmer and the current oil crisis. It is a prime example of what happens when there is no clear, decisive direction. Is he a chicken or a fox?

Don’t let your team wonder where you stand. Leadership is won or lost at the coffee machine.