Everyday Leadership

September 7, 2025

Reflect

When Indra Nooyi became CEO of PepsiCo, she started a practice that surprised her executives. She wrote personal letters to their parents, thanking them for raising children who had become such impactful leaders.

At first, some executives were stunned. Then the letters started reaching their families, and responses poured in. Parents wrote back in tears, saying no one had ever acknowledged their role before. The leaders themselves said they felt more deeply valued, not only for their results but for who they were and where they came from.

It was a small gesture, but it revealed something powerful. Leadership influence is not limited to strategy or the boardroom. It is often found in the quiet acts of recognition that ripple far beyond the workplace.

Her gesture echoes Drew Dudley’s idea of everyday leadership, those lollipop moments when small acts of encouragement change someone’s path, often without us even knowing.

Implement

Take 10 minutes to reflect on encouragement in your own journey:

• Write down 2 or 3 moments in your career when someone’s encouragement shifted your trajectory

• Next to each, note how you might pay that forward with a colleague, peer, or someone rising in your field

• Choose one person and act this week with a quick note, a call, or a simple acknowledgment of their work

This is not about scale. It is about a single intentional act that reinforces the kind of leader you want to be remembered as.

Strengthen

Encouragement may seem small, but research shows it creates trust, strengthens culture, and fuels performance. In his TEDx talk, Drew Dudley calls these lollipop moments, those ordinary times when we impact others without even realizing it. His reminder: leadership is not about the rare spotlight, it is about the daily influence you choose.

Watch Everyday Leadership (TEDx, 6 min)

Elevate

Your title may change. Your role may shift. But your influence lives in the everyday moments of encouragement you give and receive. This week, honor those who lifted you and pass that momentum forward.

Momentum Insight

Expressions of gratitude can become routine, and routine can lose its impact. AI can help you think beyond the expected thank you note and generate creative ways to show employees and colleagues they are valued.

Try this:
“Acting as my leadership advisor, suggest 5 creative ways I can express gratitude to my employees or colleagues. The ideas should be thoughtful, practical, and adaptable for different team cultures.”

Use the suggestions as sparks, then refine the ones that feel most authentic to you. The goal is not to say thank you more often, but to say it in ways that are meaningful and memorable.

Next week: Small wins, big momentum

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