The Sign Said It All
When people walk into your office, your meeting, or even your life—what’s the first energy they pick up from you?
At some point of my career, I had a sign in my office that read:
“Opportunity is NOWHERE.”
And I thought it was clever—because depending on how you read it, it also said:
“Opportunity is NOW HERE.”
I used it as a kind of leadership filter. I believed the optimists would see the second version, and that told me something about them. But then one day, a mentor came into my office, looked at the sign, and gave me feedback that changed the course of my leadership style forever.
What You See Isn’t Always What They See
He sat down, glanced at the sign, then looked at me.
"Do you know how that actually lands on most people?" he asked.
I was confused. To me, it was a fun thought experiment. But he wasn’t smiling.
"People already see you as someone who’s quick to poke holes in ideas. You know the systems inside and out, which is great—but you’re coming across as negative. That sign just confirms it."
He wasn’t attacking me—he was inviting me to grow. And he was right.
I wasn’t trying to be a downer, but I had built a reputation that was holding me back.
Positive First, Productive Always
That conversation was a turning point. I realized that leadership isn’t just about what you say or do—it’s also about how people feel when you say or do it.
I started noticing the small things:
My body language when I disagreed
The sarcastic jokes I thought were harmless
How often I opened meetings with “problems” instead of “possibilities”
I didn’t need to become fake or relentlessly upbeat. I did need to become intentional about the energy I brought into every room.
And that didn’t just change my leadership. It changed how I showed up at home, too. With my family. My friends. My kids.
Because they deserve someone who brings a sense of opportunity, not just performance.
Now Here
I took the sign down. Not because it wasn’t clever, but because it no longer reflected who I wanted to be.
Now, I lead with this mindset: Positivity isn’t about ignoring problems—it’s about brining people together so you can solve them together.
And every day, I remind myself: Opportunity is now here—but only if people feel safe enough to see it with you.
Homework
Think of one habit—verbal, non-verbal, or tonal—that might be giving others the wrong impression of your intentions.
Do you interrupt without realizing it?
Do you default to criticism before curiosity?
Is your “dry humor” possibly undermining trust?
Change doesn’t need to be dramatic. Just intentional.
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