09/28/26
STORY
Last week, I spoke with BJ Kraemer, a West Point graduate, former Active Duty Engineer officer, and now President and CEO of MCFA.
I asked him a question, and his answer surprised me.
I said something like,
“If a leader is really struggling to lead their people, and they want to improve, what would be the first question you ask them?”
BJ paused, thought for a moment, then said,
“My first question would be, ‘What’s your morning routine’?”
I did NOT expect that answer lol.
BJ went on to explain that if a leader is spending so much time putting out fires, they need to look in the mirror to find the arsonist.
Did you, as a leader, set the conditions for that fire to start?
And it all goes back to the conditions you set for yourself at the start of every day.
Before you start your workday, do you carve out time to protect your energy, get in the right mindset, and prepare yourself to take on the day?
Or, when you start your work, do you already feel behind and in a state of chaos?
Leadership is not easy.
However, the principles are quite simple.
You cannot lead others if you are not leading yourself.
Therefore, at any point, if you feel as though the people who are looking to you as a leader are not performing…
If the team is falling behind…
You need to take full ownership and consider what you need to do differently.
And as I learned from BJ…
Start by considering what you need to do in your morning routine so you can show up as the leader you want to be.
OBSERVATION
(The following observation was written with the help of AI)
In the world of psychology, BJ’s question is referencing self-leadership. Researcher Charles Manz coined the term back in the 80s, and his core finding is basically this: you can’t lead others until you can lead yourself. Manz considered this a leadership requirement. In a later study with Henry Sims, Manz found that leaders who couldn’t manage their own focus and habits struggled to lead others well, no matter how skilled or in charge they were.
(Manz, Self-Leadership: Toward an Expanded Theory of Self-Influence Processes in Organizations, 1986; Manz & Sims, 1991)
STRATEGY
Take inventory of your morning routine this week.
Rather than overhaul everything and try to make it perfect…
Explore one minor change that would yield a significant positive outcome.
Maybe it’s 15 minutes of exercise…
10 minutes of meditation…
5 minutes to organize and plan your day…
Or simply sitting in silence on your front porch with your morning coffee without your cellphone.
Choose one activity that will improve your morning routine and commit to it.
In doing so, not only are you showing up as a better you…
You’re showing up as a better leader.
Rooting for you,
Jay (inviting you to lead yourself)
International Keynote Speaker
Host of the “Unstuck” podcast
Former vegan (I tried, but sushi is just too good)
