The invite said: “Join us for a cookie exchange.”
I thought, Perfect. Time to try that peppermint sugar cookie recipe I saved.
I felt confident. I’ve baked plenty of cookies before. But this recipe called for two sticks of butter, more than I’d ever used. The next day, I pulled the dough from the fridge. It was hard as a rock. I waited for it to soften. It did, but then it turned sticky and stubborn. Rolling and cutting became a battle. Batch two? I rolled thicker and worked faster. I needed 12 cookies and I got 13. Disaster averted, until the icing. Royal icing in Houston humidity? Let’s just say it wasn’t pretty.
Here’s what struck me: the recipe wasn’t wrong. It just wasn’t right for my environment. Cool, dry air would have helped. I was working in 80-degree heat. The conditions changed the outcome.
Leadership works the same way. Advice that looks good on paper can fail in practice if it doesn’t fit your context. Many leaders adopt behaviors they’ve seen online or heard from peers; daily check-ins, continuous feedback, empower your team, and then wonder why results are mixed or disappointing. The truth? Leadership isn’t plug-and-play. Success comes from tailoring the approach to your environment, your people, and your goals.
Why Generic Advice Is So Tempting
It’s easy to see why leaders reach for quick fixes. Advice packaged in short posts or catchy quotes feels simple and actionable. “Hold more meetings.” “Give constant feedback.” “Empower your team.” These ideas sound good in theory. But without context, they can backfire. More meetings can mean less time for deep work. Constant feedback can feel like micromanagement. Empowerment without clarity can create chaos.
Just like my cookie recipe, these tips assume ideal conditions. They rarely mention what matters most: the environment you’re working in. Your team’s culture. Your organization’s norms. Even your own leadership style.
A Real-World Example
One client came to me frustrated. They had started doing daily check-ins because they read it was the best way to boost engagement. Instead of feeling connected, the team felt overwhelmed. Morale dipped. Why? The team was already stretched thin and valued autonomy. Daily check-ins felt like surveillance, not support.
When we reframed the approach, everything changed. They shifted to weekly one-on-ones focused on listening and problem-solving. Trust grew, results improved and the team was excited again. The behavior wasn’t wrong; it just wasn’t right for that environment.
The Missing Ingredient
Leadership success isn’t about copying someone else’s recipe. It’s about knowing your ingredients and your conditions. What works for a tech startup in San Francisco may not work for a manufacturing plant in Houston. What energizes one team may drain another.
Before you adopt a new leadership behavior, ask:
· Does this fit my team’s culture?
· Does it align with our goals and constraints?
· How will I know if it’s working?
These questions create intentional action and keep generic advice from negatively impacting you and your team.
Your Next Step
This week, try this:
Automate one recurring task. Use that 30 minutes for a real conversation with a team member. Ask what’s working for them and what’s getting in the way. Listen more than you talk. That single act can build trust faster than any trend you read online.