Our social media feeds are packed with snappy leadership sound bites offering seemingly great advice on how to manage teams. While these phrases might appear compelling at first glance, they can actually do more harm than good when taken too literally.

In our work, we meet many leaders who have been seduced by a soundbite and incorporated it into their management philosophy without fully considering the consequences. So, in this article, we’re unpacking five of the most common leadership soundbites. We’ll explore why they can be problematic – and most importantly – what we should encourage leaders to do instead.

1. ‘Don’t bring me problems bring me solutions’

The intent behind this phrase is often positive – encouraging autonomy and problem solving. However, it carries several risks if taken at face value:

• It discourages team members from sharing challenges, meaning leaders miss an opportunity to provide guidance and support 
• Team members might feel pressured to present a fully formed solution, potentially missing alternative options or failing to consider the wider context
• It can inadvertently signal that leaders only want positive news so they risk being left out of the loop on the real challenges impacting their teams
• If teams feel they can’t share their problems they may ignore or suppress issues – turning small challenges into much larger ones

Reframe this leadership soundbite:

‘Bring me your challenges AND the options you’re considering. Let’s talk through potential solutions together and explore how I can most usefully support you.’

2. ‘My door is always open’

As leaders we say this to signal our accessibility and approachability, but in reality, despite best intentions, many people hesitate to walk through that open door.

They may worry that their concerns aren’t as pressing as the many responsibilities they see their leader juggling daily. We’ve often heard team members say ‘I don’t want to take up my manager’s time with something small’.

This self-filtering might be even more pronounced in remote or hybrid environments when our ‘door’ is a virtual one and back-to-back meetings and digital communication create further barriers.

Reframe this leadership soundbite:

‘Rather than relying on an open-door policy, schedule regular 1-2-1 check-ins to proactively support your team.’

3. ‘Leaders eat last’

Popularised by Simon Sinek’s bestselling book ‘Leaders Eat Last’, this phrase promotes servant leadership – the idea that leaders should put others first. 

While there are positives to this, we’ve also seen this phrase used to justify self-sacrificial leadership that leads to burnout. 

This phrase may unintentionally reinforce the notion that good leaders must always prioritise others over themselves. However, a strong counterargument is that leaders must prioritise their own wellbeing to effectively support and lead their teams.

A burnt-out leader cannot provide the clarity, support, or strategic direction their team needs. And working for a leader who is overwhelmed can be one of the most challenging places to be.

Reframe this leadership soundbite:

‘Set and maintain clear boundaries. Model sustainable ways of working so that your team learns the importance of balancing work, wellbeing, and performance.’

4. ‘Hire good people and get out of their way’

This phrase assumes that talented people thrive without guidance, support, or strategic alignment. It’s particularly prevalent among senior leaders and often comes with an implicit message: ‘They are experienced and we’re paying them enough – they should just get on with it’.

While autonomy is important, even the best employees need leadership, resources, and a sense of direction to thrive. It also ignores systemic barriers – unclear priorities, bureaucracy, or power dynamics – that hinder even the highest performers.

This is especially important when someone is new to the organisation. They are likely to need help navigating the terrain so it’s essential to hold expectation-setting conversations about work priorities, ways of working, and the organisational context. Regular catch-ups must also be scheduled to discuss progress, share feedback and provide ongoing support and guidance as new situations emerge.

Effective leadership isn’t about stepping back entirely, it’s about creating an environment where people can do their best work with the right balance of autonomy and support.

Reframe this leadership soundbite:

‘Hire good people, give them the freedom to excel AND provide them with guidance, direction and support to perform at their best.’

5. ‘Culture eats strategy for breakfast’

This phrase widely attributed to author and management consultant Peter Drucker (though never explicitly stated in his writings) emphasises the power of organisational culture.

No-one is going to argue that culture isn’t powerful but this soundbite downplays the importance of strategic choices and execution. A strong culture won’t compensate for poor decision-making, a lack of direction or an ineffective business strategy. Organisations need both: a positive culture and a clear strategy that informs decision-making and priorities to be truly successful. 

Reframe this leadership soundbite:

‘Culture and strategy are interdependent. A strong culture enables strategy, and a clear strategy provides direction for culture to thrive.’

Think about the unintended consequences

Leadership soundbites have their place – they can serve as thought-provoking prompts and quick reminders. However, leaders must be cautious about applying them too rigidly. The reality of leadership is complex, and quick-fix slogans rarely account for the nuance needed to lead effectively.

In fast-paced, high-pressure environments, it’s tempting to rely on catchy leadership mantras. But instead of defaulting to oversimplified soundbites, we should encourage leaders to think critically, consider the context, and embrace a more balanced approach.

So, the next time you hear a leadership soundbite, ask yourself: What are the unintended consequences? And what would be a better way to say it?