"Time is the scarcest resource, and unless it is managed nothing else can be managed." - Peter Drucker

Late Decisions Are the Most Expensive Ones Leaders Make

In leadership, we often mistake busyness for responsiveness. We wait for the data to dip or the culture to fray before we pivot. But by then, the price tag has already gone up.

When leaders wait for urgency to dictate their timing, the cost shows up immediately, usually in sales results and team culture.

• Late conversations lead to friction.
• Late investments lead to missed targets.
• Late clarity leads to a team that is busy but never ahead.

By the time many leaders finally take action, the pressure is already on. Even a good decision feels rushed and defensive when you’re already behind the curve.

Ever watched someone sabotage their own leadership in real time? I have and it all comes down to a sneaky habit called side-mouthing.

I was reminded of it during a recent conversation with a guest on our UH-OH Conversations with Cohesive Leaders podcast (that episode drops in February 2026). Something our guest said snapped me right back to a story from Becoming a Cohesive Leader, and it’s one worth revisiting.

If you’ve never heard the phrase side-mouthing, don’t worry. You’ve definitely seen the behavior.

It’s what happens when someone gets so locked in on the negative that they lose the plot. They can’t see possibilities, opportunities, or solutions… they can only broadcast what’s wrong. And when that mindset takes over, they’re not contributing to the change. They’re fueling resistance.

Today’s podcast conversation centered on the same theme: Mindset is everything. If you don’t catch your negative thoughts early, the mental ANTs that crawl in, you end up amplifying the very thing you say you don’t want.

And that brings us to my story.

Mistakes happen.

Sometimes they teach us invaluable lessons, and other times, they leave us muttering, "Well, that was an expensive lesson."

When it comes to AI, the cost of an "UH-OH" moment can be measured in lost time, wasted resources, or even damaged trust.

But what if we flipped the script? What if mistakes, our own or others', became our greatest mentors?

Allow mistakes to be your mentor.

Before reading this edition, make sure you’ve read Part 2 of this series in the Leading On Purpose blog by Ben-Jamin Toy. That newsletter explored how personal values shape decisions, energy, and resilience in sales leadership.

This installment continues that conversation by looking at leadership through the lens of sales teams, while showing how these same principles apply to leadership in any context.

Leadership in any field requires navigating conflict, managing priorities, and guiding people under pressure. Sales teams provide a highly visible example of these dynamics, but the lessons extend to all leaders, from operations to project management. By examining how values shape decisions and behaviors in sales, leaders can better understand and influence their own teams, no matter the function or industry.

"When leaders think they know everything, that’s when the trouble starts."

The impact of executive leadership on an organization's success and culture is undeniable. Yet, the challenges faced by executives are more demanding than ever. To ensure organizational prosperity, leaders must consistently evolve, expand their skills, and excel in their roles.

The realm of leadership coaching has emerged as a powerful catalyst for personal and organizational advancement. Studies reveal that 96% of leaders derive value from leadership coaching. This transformative process surpasses conventional leadership development initiatives, providing a personalized and tailored approach to leadership enhancement.