Beneath the Bloom™ Are you leading the work or carrying it?

A monthly look at what's happening, what's emerging, and what's possible just Beneath the Bloom™

During the month of May, many leaders struggled with the growing weight of leadership and I can relate. I recall the exact job, more than 20 years ago, that became my leadership origin story.

My first management role came with a team of five and a learning curve I never saw coming. Ironically, I celebrated by purchasing my first plant…giving little thought to whether an office without windows could support its growth.

I operated as if my priorities automatically became my team's priorities. I assigned work, checked in periodically, and expected results, much like I occasionally watered that plant and expected it to bloom. I rarely provided the vision, context, or tools for them to take ownership. And my idea of support was making myself the first stop for every obstacle, decision, and frustration they were faced with. My intentions were good, but my leadership skills hadn't caught up to my responsibilities. I burned out, walked away, and feared leadership for many years.  

What's Beneath the Bloom™

Many of the challenges leaders described this past month are rooted in a common misunderstanding. A belief that accountability and ownership are the same thing. L2B defines accountability as leading the vision, reducing barriers, and cultivating growth. Ownership means personally carrying not only the outcome, but every step it takes to get there. This distinction may seem small, but it shapes how we lead, what we carry, and whether we have the capacity to keep growing ourselves. Are you leading the work, or carrying it?

What becomes possible?

The L in the Lead2Bloom PLANT Principle™ stands for Learn to Lead.  Having led teams and coached executives across industries, it's still my little office plant that reminds me how to lead. Today, cultivation looks like providing clarity, sharing knowledge, offering support, and creating space for others to practice, stumble, and grow. That's the environment I intentionally create at Lead2Bloom™.

Imagine what becomes possible when we partner to develop the following skills:

🪻 Strategic alignment

Connecting organizational priorities to individual and team goals so people understand how their work contributes to the bigger picture.

🪻 Performance and growth conversations

Setting meaningful goals, navigating annual reviews with confidence, and creating accountability that supports cultivation rather than compliance.

🪻 Leadership systems and processes

Building clear processes, expectations, and routines that reduce confusion, increase consistency, and make leadership more sustainable.

🪻 Communication and influence

Communicating with clarity, facilitating productive discussions, and delivering presentations that engage, inform, and inspire action.

🪻 Purposeful meetings Moving beyond status updates to conversations that deepen relationships, center strategy, and build shared ownership.

When you pause and learn to lead, it’s not a distraction from the work to be done. It’s an investment in making that work easier.

In gratitude + growth 💜 🌱

Marshawn