January 29, 2026

Leadership is a Skill: Why Practice Beats Perfection Every Time | Lazy Leverage #95

47 minutes

Leadership isn't a title you inherit. It's a muscle you build through deliberate practice.

In this very special episode, Jon opens the doors to Sagan's Emerging Leaders meeting, a live session with Sagan team members that pulls back the curtain on how real leadership development happens in real time!

Struggling with feedback doesn't mean you're bad at leadership. It just means you haven't practiced enough yet.

Leadership is kind of like going to the gym. Nobody walks in on day one and expects to lift the heaviest weight. Yet too many emerging leaders treat their first fumbled feedback conversation or difficult personnel decision as evidence they don't have what it takes.

The team discusses the value of this recurring commitment. It's like taking classes on anything challenging. You dread seeing the next session on your calendar, but by the end, you're grateful you showed up. It’s important to normalize the discomfort of leading while emphasizing feedback flows in all directions: up, down, and across.

Key Topics:

(01:46) The Two Ground Rules: No Multitasking & Psychological Safety

(04:17) Leadership Training as "Eating Your Vegetables"

(09:14) Why These Two Habits Alone Put You Ahead of Most Managers

(14:57) You Are Responsible for Everything, But You Shouldn’t Do Everything

(22:43) The Four-Step Feedback Framework in Action

(28:27) Focus Is a Leadership Discipline

(35:56) As a Leader, You Are Not Everyone’s Friend

(45:23) Leadership Is Practice, Not Talent

Stay connected for more insights and strategies by following:

Jon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MatznerJon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on X and at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠lazyleverage.beehiiv.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Peter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@pslohmann⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on X and at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠peterlohmann.com