The Leadership Skill We Say We Believe In — But Rarely Practice

We hear it all the time: assume the best in people and believe in their potential. Yet in practice, many of us struggle to actually do it. In organizations of every size — from businesses to churches, from families to volunteer teams — it’s far more common to assume people will disappoint us than to trust that they can shine.

I learned this early in my years playing competitive soccer. Like most teams, ours had a few players who weren’t as skilled as the rest. I’ll admit, I was one of them at times. The instinct was always the same: avoid passing them the ball. We assumed they would lose it, or make a mistake that could cost us the game.

But over time, I discovered that the worst thing we could do was avoid them. If we wanted to win, we needed everyone to participate — even the players who weren’t the strongest yet. Yes, mistakes happened. But they also made game-changing plays. And besides, every single one of us made mistakes too.

That same principle applies in your workplace, church, or organization today. Success doesn’t come from believing in someone in theory; it comes from showing your belief through your actions.

Believing in people doesn’t mean handing them responsibilities they’re not ready for. It means stretching them, coaching them, and walking alongside them as they develop. It means asking good questions instead of jumping in with quick answers. It means listening long enough to discover what they’re truly capable of. When we invest in others this way, we don’t just help them grow — we build stronger teams.

This isn’t meant to be a feel-good lesson we all nod at and forget. Believing in others is a habit that requires daily practice. If we don’t work at it intentionally, we drift back to old patterns: doing everything ourselves, playing favorites, or assuming people can’t handle more. And when that happens, our teams and organizations suffer.

If you or your team could benefit from practical leadership coaching that builds confidence, unlocks strength, and grows real capability, I’d love to help. At Mustful Strategic Consulting, we specialize in developing leaders who bring out the best in others.

Let’s build a team where potential turns into performance.
I believe in what we can accomplish together.