When it comes to leadership, the word serious can carry a lot of weight. But what does it mean to be a serious leader?
Is it about being strict, unwavering, or demanding perfection? Not quite.
In fact, being serious as a leader is more about commitment, consistency and a relentless focus on improving—both yourself and your organization. It's about being serious not just about the results your organization needs, but also about understanding that the key to achieving those results lies in intentionally building the right culture and structures for your teams to be successful in attaining those results.
It’s the seriousness of a leader that truly makes the difference, said Isao Yosino, a 40-year Toyota leader. Yosino was speaking to the executives on one of my Japan Study Trips, responding to a question about how leaders create a culture of operational excellence.
Yoshino highlights the need for leaders to be serious, not just about achieving results, but about fostering the behaviors that develop people and create the right environment for long-term success. He emphasized that patience is part of seriousness and that leaders must resist focusing solely on short-term results and instead give people the space to learn and grow to ensure sustainable organizational success.
So, how does this organizational transformation towards long-term success begin? Well, it begins with you.
The Challenge of Serious Leadership
Many lean management principles sound simple in theory, but they are difficult to put into practice. Even seasoned leaders struggle to fully ingrain these practices into their daily habits. As I explored in a previous IndustryWeek article, both executives and change leaders can become so focused on achieving immediate results that they lose sight of a bigger priority: building sustainable systems and empowering their teams to grow. It’s easy to get caught up in just “getting it done,” but the real value comes from developing your people—nurturing their skills, encouraging their ideas and fostering a culture that supports continuous contribution and improvement.
That’s where being serious comes into play. It’s about being dedicated to the vision you have for your organization and your commitment to creating an environment where continuous learning and improvement thrive.
But how can you expect to cultivate a culture of learning if you, as a leader, are not consistently practicing it yourself?
Yoshino recently elaborated on the importance of seriousness and patience. Leaders need to be serious about both their goals and the daily actions they take to support their team in achieving those goals. While addressing immediate needs is sometimes necessary, maintaining a broader, long-term perspective is key to creating lasting impact.
I couldn’t agree more with Mr. Yoshino. Being serious – and patient – are the two qualities that leaders need to develop in order for their companies to survive and thrive into the future. Organizational transformation only happens if you as a leader are sincere and committed to building a culture of continuous learning, disciplined in your actions and patient to see the benefits of creating that culture. It’s through being a serious leader that you set the foundation for lasting change.
Serious Leadership Requires Conviction
One of the greatest takeaways from my work with global leaders and organizations is that being a serious leader requires deep conviction.
Brad Toussaint, a seasoned change leader and executive, reinforces this perspective of serious leadership, commenting that a leader's seriousness must extend to setting expectations and following up with consistency and conviction.
Toussaint was inspired by former Panasonic executive Katsuhiko Eguchi. During the Japan Study Trip program, Mr. Eguchi emphasized to our group that true leadership demands 1000% conviction in both goals and actions. Leaders must be fully confident in the changes they make for their people and organization—and lead by example. This conviction is critical, as understanding diminishes by half at each level of an organization.
For example, if a senior leader is 100% convinced of the change and in leading the way, their vice presidents will only have 50%, middle management 25%, group leaders 12%, and frontline employees 3-6% of the conviction and understanding needed.
The key to overcoming this transmission challenge is consistency. Leaders must be serious, start with themselves, and model the conviction they wish to see in others.
Gustavo, an executive from the mining industry in Brazil, was similarly inspired by the concepts of seriousness and people-first when he joined me in Japan. He realized that he and his company’s executives were not demonstrating a serious commitment to a people-first culture in how they presented their company metrics of safety, quality, delivery, engagement and cost. He and his leaders decided to put people-engagement first in their visual boards and in all of their communications to show their commitment to their employees as the top priority. Within three months, employee engagement measures increased by 23%, moving from 63% to 86%. Their 100% conviction of a people-first approach, demonstrated in their words and actions, led to significant improvements in project delivery, client satisfaction, and overall performance in the same period.
Whether you're leading a small team or guiding an entire organization, your seriousness—and your commitment to continuous improvement starting with people and learning—sets the tone for everyone else.
The Core of Serious Leadership
In my book Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn, I introduced a framework inspired by Mr. Yoshino’s insights. The simple yet powerful construct that encapsulates what it means to lead with seriousness and intention. Leaders who are serious about creating a culture of excellence focus on three core elements:
Set clear direction: As a leader, you must issue a clear challenge, goal, or target for your team. Your team needs to know what they’re working toward, and this direction must be communicated clearly and consistently. For example, a clear goal challenges the team to think beyond what's possible. It aligns with customer needs and drives innovation. On the other hand, an unclear goal may limit ambition by focusing only on what's within reach. To see meaningful progress, leaders need to provide real direction, ensuring everyone understands not just the "what" but the "why," fostering deeper engagement and a sense of purpose.
Provide support: It’s not enough to set goals—you must also support your team members in their development. This means creating the conditions for them to succeed, whether through coaching, resources or simply giving them the space to innovate and solve problems.
It’s about going to see, or going to gemba (the Japanese word for “where work happens”) not just to check on progress towards outcomes, but to check on your people, show you care and provide the support they need.
As I shared in a previous IndustryWeek article, it's important to ask questions and get comfortable with silence. One easy way to do this: after you ask a question, count to 10 before jumping in with a follow-up question or speaking again. Giving that extra pause invites more thoughtful responses and deeper engagement.
Develop yourself: Serious leaders don’t just help others grow—they’re also committed to their own continuous improvement. Being a learner as well as a leader is essential to fostering a culture of learning within your organization.
It sounds simple, but these practices require consistent effort and reflection. The more seriously you take your role in each of these areas, the more robust the culture of learning in your organization will be.
It Starts With You
If you're serious about transforming your organization’s culture, start with yourself. Reflect on your actions and how they align with the culture you want to create.
Ask yourself:
How am I articulating the needed goal or outcome for my team or organization?
How am I supporting others in their development and creating conditions for learning?
Am I practicing serious commitment to my own growth every day?
True leadership starts with self-awareness and a dedication to improvement. When you take these principles seriously, the positive impact will be reflected in your team and the broader organization. After all, building a culture of learning and continuous improvement doesn’t happen overnight—but with serious leadership, it’s absolutely within reach.
Being serious as a leader isn’t about perfection. It’s about being intentional and committed in your pursuit of continuous improvement. It starts with how you lead yourself—and that’s where the real transformation begins.
Katie Anderson's podcast Chain of Learning – particularly Episodes 20, 21, and 25 – includes more examples and tips about serious leadership explored in this column.
