Skill #1: Create a Positive Climate
I learned something about myself years ago that I didn't enjoy learning.
I was running a team — good people, great customers, plenty of momentum. And I kept having the same problem: meetings that should've taken twenty minutes dragged into an hour. People hesitated to bring me bad news. New team members had talent but were underwhelming by their third week.
I told myself it was a systems problem or a motivation problem (“The floggings will continue until moral improves”).
It wasn't. It was a climate problem. And I was the one setting it.
Here's what I mean. Every interaction has a climate — a mood, a tone, an energy that shapes what happens next. And somebody is going to set it. Either you decide what that climate will be, or you hand it over to perception or chance.
This is the first skill in what we call the Impact Gap framework, and it might be the most important: Create a Positive Climate.
Now — "positive" doesn't mean cheerful. It doesn't mean peppy or upbeat. It means creating the expectation of a positive outcome. You can set a serious tone. A direct tone. Even a stern one. The mood can shift depending on what the moment requires. But the underlying signal should always be the same: we're headed somewhere productive.
I think about it like this. When you walk into a room — your office, your kitchen, your kid's school — you're already broadcasting. Before you say a word, the people in that room are reading your face, your posture, your energy. They're making a decision about what kind of interaction this is going to be.
The question is whether you're broadcasting on purpose, or by accident.
Your Power Move this week: Before you walk through any door — office, classroom, front door — pause for three seconds. Ask yourself: What climate do I want to create right now? Then walk in like you mean it.
That's it. Three seconds of intention before contact. Try it with your next three conversations today and watch what shifts.
From Our Community: An AIM Story
AIM stands for Authentic Impactful Moment — real stories from real people closing the gap between the leader they want to be and the one others actually experience.
Sarah M., 4th Grade Teacher — Surprise, AZ
I'd almost written Miguel off.
Not officially — no teacher wants to admit that. But by December, I'd mentally filed him under "not going to reach this one." He never participated, never made eye contact, and met every attempt at connection with a shrug or silence.
Then I caught myself. I was letting my frustration dictate my approach. My intention was to help every student. My impact was pulling away from the one who needed me most.
So I got intentional. I committed to engaging with Miguel every single day. I greeted him by name at the door. I made a point to look him in the eye. Some days I'd stop by his desk, give him a quick pat on the shoulder, and say, "Good to see you today, Miguel." No agenda. No lecture. Just letting him know I saw him.
At first, nothing changed. But I stayed consistent. After a couple of weeks, he stopped turning away when I walked by. Then one morning, he nodded back at me. Barely. But it was there.
Next, I started sitting with him for a minute or two before assignments. Instead of "do better" or "try harder," I gave him one clear, specific goal: "Miguel, write me three solid sentences about this topic by the end of class. That's it. Three sentences. Show me what you've got."
Small. Direct. Achievable. He finished that day. And the next.
He isn't a straight-A student now. I'm not here to tell you about a miracle. But he's turning in work. He's making eye contact. Last week, he asked me a question in class — out loud, in front of everyone.
The skills didn't give me a magic wand. They gave me a method. I stopped waiting for Miguel to come around and started showing up for him — on purpose, with purpose.
Super Connector Challenge
Leadership doesn't scale through information. It scales through connection.
This week's challenge: Introduce two people in your network who don't know each other but should. But don't just say "you two should connect." Make it specific: "Maria, you need to meet David — his work in digital marketing aligns perfectly with what your team is building."
One intentional introduction can create a ripple you'll never fully see — but the world will feel.
Know an organization or leader creating real impact? Nominate them for our next Super Connector Spotlight: [email protected]
That's it for this week. Three minutes, one skill, one story, one challenge. If any of this landed, forward it to someone who needs to read it.
— Brett
Spotlight: Southern Highlands Prep – Las Vegas, NV
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