Stars. Immediate regret. And a pain so sharp it stops you mid-step.
I had just jammed my toe straight into the edge of our shower door.
As I stood there trying to breathe through it, I immediately thought about one of my favorite leadership reminders: “Be quick, but don’t hurry.” I was definitely hurrying this morning.
But this accident goes a little deeper.
CeCe recently put a new white, shaggy rug in front of our shower. I’ll admit—it’s fantastic to stand on when you step out. Warm. Soft. Luxurious.
I’ll also admit this: it makes opening and closing the shower door a problem.
The door always catches on the rug.
I knew this.
As I approached the shower, I knew—before touching the door—that it wouldn’t open all the way. Yet I did exactly what I always do. Same pace. Same motion. Same habits.
And boom. Toe meets door.
That’s when the leadership lesson hit me.
Knowing Isn’t the Same as Changing
This is exactly what I see happening with people’s careers and in many organizations today.
People know the facts.
They know the trends.
They know the world of work is changing, their role or job is changing.
But they keep operating the same way.
In my work, I often talk about hard trends—future facts that will happen whether we like it or not. We can’t stop them. We can’t wish them away. We can only anticipate and adapt.
That rug catching the shower door?
That was a hard trend.
It happens every single time.
Yet I ignored it and moved forward as if nothing had changed.
Hard Trends Don’t Care About Good Intentions
We are living in an exponential world—technology, expectations, careers, business models—all moving faster than ever.
Some examples of hard trends many of us already know:
- Work is no longer about a place—it’s about effectiveness.
- AI and automation are reshaping roles, not someday, but now.
- People are choosing purpose, flexibility, and belonging over titles.
Here’s the problem: knowledge alone doesn’t protect us.
Just like my toe, people and organizations don’t get hurt because they didn’t know.
They get hurt because they didn’t change their behavior.
Anticipation Is a Leadership Advantage
The solution wasn’t complicated.
Next shower, I moved the rug about eight inches away from the door.
Problem solved.
No drama.
No pain.
The lesson? Small adjustments made early prevent painful consequences later.
Anticipatory leaders don’t wait to react—they experiment, learn, and adapt before the collision.
A Question Worth Asking This Week
So let me leave you with this:
- What hard trend are you aware of but still treating like it’s optional?
- What habit, structure, or assumption needs to change?
- What small adjustment could you make this week to avoid a bigger problem later?
- What do you need to be learning or experimenting with?
Because here’s the truth:
Knowledge is not enough to #beBetter.
Action is what makes wisdom valuable.
Now, if you’ll excuse me… I’m watching my step tomorrow morning.
John O’Leary says: “Read it now! This journey in Leading with Significance to build a magnetic workplace reveals not only where God, faith and belonging intersect to create a magnetic culture but practical ideas and poignant stories to ensure you create it within your organization.”
Grab your copy of Leading with Significance to find more magnetic insights to help you on your unique journey.
For more information on my presentations or to access my beBetter blog library go to joeyhavens.com.
