The Road to Nowhere: When Leadership Gets Lost

It was supposed to just be a shortcut.

The first turn felt right—less traffic, fewer lights. The second, a little less familiar, but still promising. By the third, the houses all looked the same, and the sun was sinking low. But instead of stopping to check the map, the driver kept going. After all, he had a good sense of direction.

By the time he admitted he was lost, it wasn’t a quick fix. The way back wasn’t clear. And the passengers? They had trusted him to know the way.

Leadership can feel like this sometimes. It starts with small detours—making judgment calls that seem harmless and wanting their team’s approval of them. A safety rule relaxed when the pressure is on. A policy enforced one day and overlooked the next. A standard that once felt firm… now seems flexible.

The leader never meant to lose their way. They meant well. They were just adjusting, adapting, trying to make things easier for everyone. But before they knew it, the team wasn’t following rules anymore—they were navigating the leader’s mood, stress level or shifting priorities. 

And that’s when things get dangerous.

Short-Term Gain = Potential For Long-Term Pain

No leader wakes up and decides to be inconsistent. It happens in moments that feel too small to matter. A manager turns a blind eye to a shortcut because the job is behind schedule. A supervisor enforces a rule on Monday but lets it slide on Friday. A safety standard is strict when auditors are around but "up to discretion" when they’re not.

The team picks up on these signals quickly. They learn that rules aren’t rules—they’re preferences. They learn that compliance isn’t about safety—it’s about who's watching. And most of all, they learn that when things get tough, corners can be cut.

And one day, something happens—a near miss, an injury, a violation that ‘no one saw coming’. And in the debrief, someone will say, “Well… last time, no one said anything.”

The Power of Intentional Leadership

John C. Maxwell, a thought leader in leadership development, says, “The secret of your success is determined by your daily agenda.” In other words—what you do consistently matters more than what you say.

Strong leaders don’t need to be perfect, but they do need to be predictable. If a rule matters on Tuesday, it has to matter on Thursday. If safety is a priority, it can’t be situational. And if a leader wants trust, they have to earn it—not through big speeches, but through small, daily actions that never waver.

Because leadership isn’t about knowing the way—it’s about making sure no one gets lost.

And the best way to do that? Stop. Check the map. And stick to the path that keeps everyone on the track to safety and success.

Intentional Leaders always keep sight of the big picture, the end game. They don’t get distracted by short-term situational detours.

Are you well-meaning or intentional?

Love to hear your thoughts.