Intentionality: Drifting Leaders Create Drifting Teams
Leadership doesn’t fall apart all at once.
It drifts.
And when a leader drifts—even a little—the team doesn’t stay put.
They follow the drift.
As a leader, you are always creating something. You’re either intentionally creating the environment your team operates in…
or you’re unintentionally allowing one to exist. And an unintentional environment will always default to the level of comfort of the team—not the standard of the leader.
1. Be Intentional About Creating the Environment
If you don’t design the culture, it will design itself.
And trust me—culture built by accident is always built around comfort.
Intentionality means shaping every part of the environment:
• The expectations
• The energy
• The pace
• The order
• The standard
Even the smallest actions matter.
When order is created, a standard is established. When a standard is established, alignment becomes possible.
This is the prerequisite for leading a team in the right direction.
Clarity is direction.
Interactive Reflection: Build Your Environment
Ask yourself:
What parts of my team’s environment are clear?
What parts feel chaotic because I haven’t defined them?
Where am I relying on “hope” instead of creating structure?
Write down one environmental standard you will define clearly this week.
2. Be Intentional About Communicating the Creation
Most team problems don’t come from rebellion—they come from confusion.
People typically aren’t trying to get it wrong…
They just don’t know what “right” is.
When expectations are unclear, people create their own.
When the standard is undefined, people live by personal preference.
And when communication is missing, frustration fills the gap.
A leader’s job is not just to create the standard—it’s to explain it, teach it, reinforce it, and model it.
When you communicate clearly from the beginning, you eliminate 90% of the hard conversations later.
Communication Audit
Rate yourself 1–5 on the following (1 = struggling, 5 = strong):
I communicate expectations clearly before work begins: ___
My team understands the “why” behind our standards: ___
I reinforce expectations consistently: ___
My actions match the communication: ___
Where do you need to strengthen your communication this week?
3. Be Intentional About Being Intentional (Daily)
Intentionality isn’t natural.
Comfort is natural.
Coasting is natural.
Drifting is natural.
Intentionality is work.
It requires thinking ahead, staying aware, and keeping your team aligned to values—not moods.
A drifting leader gives silent permission for a drifting team.
But an intentional leader creates clarity, energy, and direction every day.
The question is not, “Will I lead today?”
It’s, “How intentionally will I lead today?”
Daily Leadership Check-In
Each morning, ask yourself:
What’s one standard I need to raise today?
What’s one distraction I need to eliminate?
What’s one person I need to intentionally invest in?
What’s one area where I’ve been drifting?
Intentionality begins with awareness.
Final Challenge:
Choose one of the three this week:
Define and communicate a new standard for your team.
Hold a brief five-minute huddle to reinforce expectations.
Address one area of personal drift and realign yourself.
Where the leader goes, the team goes.
Lead intentionally, and they will follow with clarity—not confusion.