As leaders, we're constantly bombarded with advice—some of it solid, some of it… well, not so much. Sorting through it all to figure out what actually helps can be tricky. Over time, I've learned that not every piece of leadership advice fits into my world or leadership style. In fact, there are a few common "rules" I’m glad I ignored, and today, I want to share them with you.

In this blog post, we’ll dive into the five pieces of leadership advice that I chose to pass on, why I think they miss the mark, and what you can do instead to lead with authenticity and effectiveness. Let’s jump in!

1. The Feedback Sandwich: "Good, Bad, Good"

Ah, the classic feedback sandwich. We’ve all heard this one: say something positive, give the critique (the "bad" part), and finish with another positive. It's meant to soften the blow of tough feedback. But here's the thing—people can see right through it. Instead of fostering trust, it can feel like manipulation.

When I first encountered this feedback technique, I thought it was the "right" way to deliver tough messages. However, after experiencing it myself, I realized that it undermines the sincerity of feedback. If I were to receive feedback this way, I'd immediately question whether the positive comments were genuine or just strategically placed.

What’s the alternative? I believe in delivering clear, direct, and sincere feedback. Feedback should always serve the recipient, helping them grow, not just cushion the blow for the giver. If you're looking for a better way to offer constructive feedback, check out Episode 21 of my Culture Keepers Podcast where I dive deeper into how to deliver honest, regular, and sometimes hard feedback without sugarcoating it.

2. "Don’t Get Too Close to Your Employees"

This advice suggests that leaders should keep a healthy distance from their teams to maintain authority and objectivity. While I get the intent—to protect boundaries and ensure respect—this advice often leads to leaders who remain emotionally distant from their employees, which can harm team cohesion and morale.

The truth is, connection is key to success. Genuine relationships and trust are built over time, and they don’t happen in a vacuum. As leaders, we don’t need to share every intimate detail of our lives with our team, but we do need to show up as human beings who care. Leaning in with curiosity, empathy, and authentic leadership is far more valuable than maintaining a distant, "superior" posture.

So, let's stop overthinking this. You don’t need to become best friends with your team, but you should absolutely know them, understand their strengths, and support them as whole people. This kind of leadership fosters an environment where people feel valued, trusted, and connected.

3. "Lead With Your Heart"

I’ve been accused of leading with my heart more than once. I’m a passionate person who values emotional intelligence, but I’ve also learned that leadership isn't just about feeling—it’s about making decisions with both your head and your heart.

Leading with heart is great, but as leaders, we also need to make strategic, objective decisions. Leadership in business requires balancing emotion with logic. As much as I resonate with deep feelers, I know that emotions alone can cloud judgment. Sometimes, decisions need to be grounded in data, logic, and long-term vision.

The best approach? Lead with both your heart and your head. Have a clear vision that excites you, but also make decisions that are informed and consider both short-term and long-term outcomes. A good leader is both a visionary and a strategist, able to combine passion with practical decision-making.

4. "Never Ask Your Team to Do Something You Wouldn’t Do Yourself"

At first glance, this seems like solid advice: a good leader should be willing to roll up their sleeves and dive into the work. However, here’s why I don’t follow it: As a leader, your role is different from your team’s role. Your job is to focus on the bigger picture, and trying to do everything yourself is a recipe for burnout.

If you try to do it all just to "lead by example," you're doing a disservice to yourself and your team. You might burn out, fail to do things as well as your specialized team members, and spend too much time in the weeds rather than focusing on strategic leadership.

Instead of doing everything, focus on empowering your team. Lead by setting the vision, providing support, and offering guidance, but let your team take ownership of their areas of expertise. Great leaders know when to step in and when to step back. Leadership isn’t about doing everything; it’s about creating an environment where others can thrive.

5. "You Can Never Communicate Too Much"

The idea here is that more communication is always better—keep people informed at all times. But the problem with this advice is that it’s not about the quantity of communication; it’s about the quality and clarity. We’ve all been in situations where we receive so much information that it becomes overwhelming and ineffective. Information overload leads to confusion, not clarity.

The key is to focus on clear, concise, and relevant communication. Instead of bombarding your team with endless updates, take time to prepare and deliver messages that matter. Use the right channels for the right type of communication—sometimes a quick chat or a simple email is all you need. And always aim for clarity over quantity. Effective communication is about what you say and how you say it, not how much you say.

The Bottom Line: Trust Yourself and Challenge Common "Rules"

Just because a piece of advice comes from someone with more experience or authority doesn’t mean it’s right for you. In leadership, it's crucial to sift through the noise and figure out what actually works for your team, your values, and your leadership style.

If there’s one thing I want you to take away from this post, it’s this: don’t be afraid to challenge the "rules" of leadership. Some advice may be well-intended, but it might not serve you or your team. Trust yourself to make decisions that fit your context and needs.

Your Challenge This Week:

Reflect on these five pieces of advice and ask yourself: Have I been following any of them? Are they truly working for me and my team?

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this! Have you ever received bad leadership advice? Feel free to message me on Instagram or LinkedIn, comment on this post, or shoot me a quick email. Let’s continue this conversation and learn from one another!

Until next time, keep leading with clarity, confidence, and connection. I’m cheering you on!

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