The 5 Cores of Leadership
When you’re stepping into a new leadership position, you’re going to feel the pressure—internally and externally—to perform. People expect you to be confident, competent, and capable of navigating whatever storms come your way.
But here’s the truth: You don’t have to know it all.
You just have to lead from your core.
And over my years in public service—working across military, law enforcement, and leadership roles—I’ve learned there are five core principles that make all the difference when you step into that role.
1. Be Authentic
You can’t fake it. Not in this profession.
People can spot performative leadership from a mile away. They know when you’re putting on a show or trying to be someone you’re not. And worse—when they sense that, you lose trust.
Authenticity doesn’t mean oversharing or pretending you have it all figured out.
It means being real. It means making the mission and your team more important than your ego. It means being honest about your values and consistently living them out.
People don’t expect perfection. They expect truth.
2. Be Available
You can’t pick and choose when you lead.
Leadership doesn’t clock in at 0800 and clock out at 1700. You have to be available when it matters most—and you don’t get to choose those moments.
That means answering the call when someone knocks on your door.
It means listening when someone’s struggling.
It means showing up when your people need you—even if it’s inconvenient.
When you’re available, you build trust.
You show your team they matter.
And you create a culture where others want to show up, too.
3. Be Aware
Awareness is one of the most underrated leadership skills.
You’ve got to be tuned in. To your people. To your environment. To the tension in the room or the shift in morale that no one is saying out loud.
In leadership, especially as you rise in rank, you get less information, not more.
People start protecting you from the details.
They filter what you hear.
So you have to fight to stay informed—by listening deeply, paying attention, and asking the right questions.
You also have to stay aware of VUCA: Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity. That’s the reality of modern leadership, and if you’re not paying attention, it’ll take you out.
4. Be Able
Let’s be honest—sometimes you get promoted and feel like you’re in over your head. That’s normal.
What matters is that you stay humble and willing to learn.
You don’t need to know everything.
You do need to be capable of learning, adapting, and developing yourself.
Leadership isn’t about having all the answers.
It’s about growing yourself so you can serve others better.
It’s about knowing your weaknesses, building on your strengths, and surrounding yourself with people who can fill in the gaps.
5. Be Active
You can’t lead from behind your desk.
Leadership is not emails.
It’s not meetings.
It’s not memos and bullet points.
Leadership is presence.
It’s walking the floor. Sitting with your team. Seeing who’s quiet. Noticing who’s off. It’s investing in the people who are carrying the mission forward.
If you want to build a strong, high-functioning team, you have to actively engage. That means learning your people. Understanding their strengths, their blind spots, their values. It means staying in the trenches even as you rise in rank.
The Takeaway
If you’re stepping into a new leadership role—or even if you’ve been at it for decades—remember these five cores:
Authenticity builds trust
Availability builds presence
Awareness builds wisdom
Ability builds growth
Activity builds relationships
Leadership isn’t about a title.
It’s not about checking boxes.
It’s about who you are and how you show up—every single day.
So lead from your core.
Because that’s where real leadership lives.