17. You’re Not Leading a System—You’re Leading People

EPISODE 17: You’re Not Leading a System—You’re Leading People

Arc: It’s All Personal (Part 1 of 5)

Your systems don’t create excellence — your people do.

In this first episode of the It’s All Personal series, James unpacks the real reason your business feels stuck when the systems are strained, leaders are still in the weeds, and the tools you’ve outgrown are slowing you down.

The truth? It’s not just about the systems. It’s about the people behind them — and whether they’re able to bring their best work forward.

If you’re a founder leading a team of 20–100 employees, this episode is for you.

You’ll learn how to spot the difference between operational headaches and people problems — and what to do when “good enough” starts quietly becoming your standard.

Takeaways:

• The signs of strain go beyond broken systems — they reveal under-engaged talent.
• Most employees don’t disengage because they don’t care, but because the work environment keeps them from diving in.
• Systems can’t deliver excellence on their own — people do.
• Leaders must remove barriers that limit deep thinking and creative problem-solving.
• The goal isn’t just to get work done — it’s to unlock the best work your people can do.

Practical Application:

1. Review your meeting structure.
2. Where do meetings need to happen that currently aren’t?
3. Which meetings are wasting time or missing the right focus?
4. Decide where the goal is connection, alignment, or decision-making — and structure accordingly.
5. Identify where people already feel empowered.
6. Look for the teams or individuals who consistently move work forward without constant oversight.
7. Ask why that’s happening.
8. Is it the leader? The clarity of the work? The trust they’ve built?
9. Once you know, look for ways to replicate it in other parts of the business.

Reflection Questions:

• What’s one barrier keeping your team from doing their best work?
• Where is “good enough” quietly becoming your standard?
• How often are you pulling your team toward a bigger goal — not just assigning tasks?

Links and Resources:

The right question changes everything. Grab the free Next Question Guide → NextQuestionGuide.com

Connect with James on LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/jamesmayhew

Learn more at → JamesMayhew.com