You know how, as leaders, we’re always trying to fix stuff?
A problem pops up on the team, or at home, and our brains instantly jump to, “What policy do I need? What rule do I need? What do I need to say right now to make this stop?”
That’s leading from practices.
The problem is, when we lead from practices first, we end up reacting to symptoms instead of slowing down long enough to ask, “What’s the principle at play here?”
When policies become our first response
Most of us have been taught to lead at the level of practices.
We inherit policies, handbooks, and procedures. We sit in meetings where the agenda is almost entirely about what we’re going to do next quarter. We’re rewarded for solving visible problems quickly, not for naming invisible principles clearly.
So when something goes wrong, we reach for the only tool we know: fix it with a new practice.
Write a policy.
Create a rule.
Have a stern conversation.
Tighten the system.
Sometimes those things are necessary. But if we start there, we miss two big opportunities.
First, we miss the chance to grow as leaders who know how to slow down and look for the underlying principle that matters most. We stay reactive instead of reflective.
Second, we cheat our team members out of a chance to grow. We end up treating the presenting problem instead of the deeper issue. We control behavior for a moment instead of shaping character over time.
Let me give you a real example.
I was working with a leader who was frustrated with his team. A pattern had started to show up: as soon as some of his people finished their tasks for the day, they would pack up and leave, even if their coworkers still had a mountain of work left.
On paper, no one was breaking a rule. Their jobs were technically done. They were allowed to go.
But it bothered him. A lot.
His first instinct was to respond at the level of practice. He thought about creating a policy that said, “No one leaves until all the work is done,” regardless of whether the remaining work was part of their formal responsibilities.
That is a practice. It might “work” in the short term. It would certainly change some behavior.
But it would also send a message the leader didn’t really intend. It could create resentment. It could encourage people to do the bare minimum until the clock runs out. It could reinforce the idea that people only help one another when they are forced to.
So we slowed the moment down.
Instead of asking, “What policy do we need?” I asked him, “Why is this actually bothering you? What’s the principle underneath your frustration?”
Rediscovering the principle underneath
That question changed everything.
As he thought about it, what surfaced was something much deeper and much more personal. He realized the real issue was not about schedules or job descriptions.
The principle he cared about was this: “We’re becoming a team that treats others the way we want to be treated.”
That’s how he sees the world. It is part of his operating system as a leader and as a Christian. When he saw people walking out while someone else was buried in work, it violated that principle.
Once he named the principle, the response shifted.
Instead of rolling out a hard rule about when people could go home, he started framing the conversation around the kind of people they were becoming together.
“In this team, we don’t abandon each other. Before you leave, I at least want you to check in and ask, ‘Hey, is there anything I can do to help before I head out?’”
It doesn’t mean they always stay late. It does mean they are becoming the sort of people who care enough to ask.
That is the difference between leading from practices and leading from principles.
Practices say, “Here’s what you can and can’t do.”
Principles say, “Here’s who we are and who we’re becoming.”
Practices are easier to write.
Principles are harder to name, but they shape everything.
When you lead from principles, the policies and practices you do put in place make a lot more sense. They fit. They feel less like control and more like clarity. People understand the “why,” not just the “what.”
What this changes for your leadership
So what does this look like in your leadership this week?
The next time you find yourself getting frustrated by a situation on your team, resist the urge to fix it immediately at the surface level. Before you pick up your metaphorical policy pen, pause and ask yourself a better question:
“What’s the principle at play here?”
Why does this really bother me?
What value is being violated?
What kind of people are we trying to become?
Sometimes you’ll realize you’re about to overreact. A relatively minor principle got poked, and your emotions made it feel bigger than it really is. Naming the principle helps you right-size your response.
Other times you’ll realize you’re about to underreact. The presenting problem looks small, but it actually points to something much deeper and more serious. Naming the principle gives you the courage to address the real issue instead of pretending it’s nothing.
Either way, slowing down to find the principle will make you a more grounded leader and will give your team a better chance to grow.
Policies and practices still matter. They create clarity and guardrails. But they should flow from clearly named principles, not replace them.
A simple question for your next frustration
So here’s the simple invitation:
The next time you’re tempted to react to a situation that frustrates you as a leader, pause for just a moment and ask, “What’s the principle at play here?”
If you can consistently lead from that place, you will fix fewer fake problems, address more real ones, and slowly build the kind of team that doesn’t just follow the rules, but shares the same heart.
To thriving,
Zach
