"If you tell somebody that they're good, they're gonna think that they're good, they're gonna act like they're good, and they're going to get better," Odie explains. "It's just like a child—if they're in school and you tell them that they're good, they're going to try and raise to that level of expectation, wherever you set it." This isn't feel-good motivation speak. It's a measurable phenomenon. People literally rise to the level of expectation you set for them. But there's a dark side too: the Gollum Effect. Those hurtful comments from past leaders? They still affect performance today because negative expectations are just as powerful as positive ones. The choice becomes clear: create an environment where people rise to your expectations, or watch them shrink from your criticism.

Are you watching your calling being held back by unhealthy patterns you've been tolerating? That's exactly where I found myself in January 2025. After...