Success & Leadership

LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE OF THE WEEK:

The 1% Shift.

This week, commit to a 1% shift in how you lead, think or show up.

Neuroscience confirms that small, repeated changes rewire the brain far more effectively than dramatic overhauls.  This is know as “the slight edge”, the quiet habits that compound into mastery over time.

Choose one of the challenges below to influence your leadership style as follows:-

1. The Clarity Challenge

   Set aside 10 minutes each morning to write the top two priorities that would move your leadership forward. This reduces cognitive overload and strengthens the prefrontal cortex, your decision-making centre.

   
   

2. The Courage Challenge

   Have one uncomfortable but necessary conversation you have been avoiding. Research shows that courage expands psychological flexibility and improves team trust, especially for Black leaders navigating visibility and scrutiny.

   
   

3. The Boundary Challenge

   Protect one hour of uninterrupted work time each day. This trains your brain to focus deeply and preserves your emotional energy, a critical asset in leadership roles.

   
   

4. The Visibility Challenge

   Speak up once this week in a room where you normally shrink or wait to be invited. Visibility is not vanity, it is strategy. Most breakthrough opportunities are given to those who are seen, not simply deserving.

   
   

5. The Mentorship Challenge

   Reach out to someone who inspires you or someone who needs your wisdom. Exposure accelerates growth. Mentorship builds legacy.

The Beginning of a More Intentional You

Leadership is not built in the loud moments, the speeches, the titles, the spotlight. It is built in the quiet, almost invisible decisions you make when no one is watching.

Neuroscience tells us that the brain rewires through repetition, not intensity. We must remember that extraordinary outcomes come from ordinary disciplines done consistently.

Your 1% shift may feel small today, but it is the beginning of a different leader tomorrow.

A leader who is clearer, braver, more focused, more intentional and more present. For Black leaders navigating systems that were not designed with them in mind, these shifts are not just personal growth, they are acts of resistance, reclamation and generational rewriting.

This week, choose your 1%. Hold it. Honour it and watch what happens when small changes start to create big momentum.

Your future leadership is not waiting for a miracle. It is waiting for a decision, one made by you, this week, starting now. Make it work for you.

If this challenge inspires you, like this post, comment with the challenge you are choosing, and share it with another leader ready to level up their impact.

Your engagement helps us build a culture of intentional, empowered and resilient leadership, especially for the women and professionals who are shaping tomorrow’s future today.