Marco Franzoni

Leadership through fear isn't leadership.

It’s a shortcut to burnout, not brilliance. 

Fear may force results for a while, but at what cost?

When fear leads the workplace, people shut down:  
- They hide mistakes to avoid blame  
- They follow rules, not purpose  
- They play small to stay safe 

Weak leadership looks like this:

❌ Micromanaging every decision  
↳ Trust erodes when autonomy is missing.

❌ Rewarding only the loudest voices  
↳ Quiet talent gets overlooked and underused.

❌ Making everything “urgent”  
↳ Constant panic kills real progress.

❌ Ignoring feedback  
↳ If people stop talking, it’s not peace—it’s fear.

What strong leaders choose:

✅ Share the “why” behind the work  
↳ Purpose gives meaning to the grind.

✅ Let people own the process  
↳ Ownership breeds excellence, not excuses.

✅ Invite all voices to the table  
↳ Innovation needs diversity, not dominance.

✅ Admit their own mistakes  
↳ Humility builds trust faster than authority.

People don’t thrive when they’re scared.  
They thrive when they’re seen, heard, and valued. 

What kind of leader do you want to be?

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Most leaders block growth without even realizing it.

Words can either build or break potential. 👇

Leadership isn’t about titles.

It’s about empowering people to rise.

7 phrases that stop others from becoming leaders:

(and what to say instead)

1️⃣ “Just follow the process.”
↳ Limits creative thinking.
↳ Say: “How would you improve this?”

2️⃣ “That’s not your responsibility.”
↳ Restricts ownership and growth.
↳ Say: “Want to give it a try?”

3️⃣ “I’ll handle this myself.”
↳ Blocks learning opportunities.
↳ Say: “Let’s work on this together.”

4️⃣ “Stick to what you know.”
↳ Stifles curiosity and skill-building.
↳ Say: “Explore and see what you discover.”

5️⃣ “Failure isn’t an option.”
↳ Creates fear of taking risks.
↳ Say: “Mistakes are part of growth.”

6️⃣ “That’s how we’ve always done it.”
↳ Kills innovation and progress.
↳ Say: “What new approach can we try?”

7️⃣ “Good leaders are born, not made.”
↳ Discourages development.
↳ Say: “Leadership is a learned skill.”

Real leaders create space for others to shine.

The goal? Build people up, not hold them back.

Early in my career, I used to say some of these phrases—

until I saw how they limited my team’s growth.

What’s one leadership habit you’ve changed recently?

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