Hans Jaeger taught me something about leadership.

Hans Jaeger taught me something about leadership.

It wasn't through words.
It wasn't through meetings.

It was through small, daily actions that I still remember.

Every morning at 7 am, before anyone arrived:

→ He'd chat with Martin, our security guard, about his daughter's soccer games
→ He'd help Anna from the facilities set up the conference rooms
→ He'd make coffee for the early shift

Simple things.
Consistent things.
Human things.

I once asked him why.

His answer stuck with me:

"Leadership isn't what you do in meetings.
It's what you do when you think it doesn't count."

Here's what most of us forget:

1. Real Authority
↳ Isn't given by titles
↳ Is earned through consistent actions
↳ Shows how you treat everyone

2. The Trust Builder
↳ People notice what you do when you're not presenting
↳ They remember how you made them feel
↳ They share these stories, not your speeches

3. The Leadership Test
↳ How do you act when tired?
↳ How do you treat those who can't promote you?
↳ How consistent is your character?

4. The Hidden Impact
↳ Support staff, see your real face
↳ They experience your actual values
↳ They shape company culture more than most realize

5. The Simple Truth
↳ Big gestures don't build trust
↳ Daily small acts do
↳ Consistency beats intensity

What Hans showed me:
• Character isn't what you preach
• It's what you practice
• When you think no one sees

Last month, I visited our old office.

Martin's still there.
He talked about how Hans always remembered his daughter's name.

That's the measure of leadership.

Not your title.
Not your salary.
But the small moments of humanity you create.

Try this:

Next time you walk into work,
Notice who makes your day possible.
Then make their day better.

Simple.
Human.
Real.

Question:
What small act of leadership have you witnessed that stayed with you?