What do I own?

Early in my career, I worked with a leader who said no a lot.

Not to people.
To requests that didn't align with what her team was trying to accomplish.

At the time, it made me uncomfortable.

Shouldn't a good leader be collaborative?
Flexible?
Willing?

I was wrong.

She wasn't saying no to be difficult.
She was saying no to protect her team's focus.

She knew that every yes to the wrong thing was a no to the right thing.
That lesson stayed with me.

The most effective leaders I work with aren't the ones who say yes to everything.
They're the ones who are clear about their priorities.

And they're willing to protect them.