Episode 13

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Published on:

26th Jan 2026

Why Collaboration Kills Vision: The 3 Leadership Approaches (And When to Use Them)

Martin Luther King Jr. said "I have a dream," not "We have a dream."

When I was scaling Radiant Technologies, I tried to be a "good" leader by gathering my entire team to vote on our company vision. My executive coach stopped me dead in my tracks. She told me: "You’re asking them for something they need from you. It’s time to step up and show them where to go."

There is a time for collaboration, and there is a time for command. If you mix them up, you end up with watered-down ideas or a disconnected team.

In this episode, we break down the Three Leadership Approaches and exactly when to deploy each one to maximize speed and buy-in.

In this episode, you will learn:

-The Committee Trap: Why involving too many people in a strategic decision guarantees a "safe" (boring) result instead of a bold one .

-Visionary Leadership: When to stand in your power and set the direction alone (and why 95% of your team actually wants you to do this) .

-Collaborative Leadership: The specific phase where you must switch to democracy to build trust and morale .

-Delegative Leadership: The difference between "hands-off" leadership and the "Fire and Forget" mistake .

The Challenge for This Week: Audit your calendar for the week.

-Identify Your Default: Are you naturally a Visionary (Commanding), a Collaborator (Democratic), or a Delegator (Empowerer)?

-Find one place where you need to shift your approach and make adjustments

Resources:

-Join the Conversation: Join our Leadership Mindset 2.0 community on LinkedIn or Facebook

-Get Live Coaching: Move from listening to doing inside the Growth Leaders Collective. Start your $1 trial at RMichaelAnderson.com/GLC

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About the Podcast

Leadership Mindset 2.0
Transform From Tactical Doer to Strategic Leader: The Psychology of Scaling for Executives & Entrepreneurs
Leadership Mindset 2.0 is the definitive playbook for executives and entrepreneurs ready to break free from the "Doer Trap" and scale their business using psychology and strategy.

Host R. Michael Anderson has scaled multiple software companies to the Inc. 5000 list and was named Social Entrepreneur of the Year. Now, as a 2x Executive Coach of the Year, he uses that experience to help high-performers transform from Tactical Operators into Strategic Leaders.

In this podcast, Michael blends cutting-edge neuroscience, emotional intelligence (EQ), and battle-tested business strategy to help you overcome burnout, imposter syndrome, and the "Leadership Incompetence Trap" so you can lead with clarity and confidence.

Two New Episodes Every Week which include a mix of:
• Strategy: Neuroscience frameworks & leadership tactics to start your week.
• Mentorship: Live Q&A and specific answers to your leadership challenges.
• Coaching: A fly-on-the-wall look at real, unscripted executive coaching sessions as Michael helps leaders break through their blind spots live.
• Masterclasses: Listen in as Michael and guests teach valuable leadership and management skills to a real-life audience.

Topics include: The Psychology of Scaling, Burnout Prevention, Strategic Planning, Executive Coaching, and Emotional Intelligence.

About your host

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R. Michael Anderson

R. Michael Anderson, MBA, MA has a striking combination that creates truly impactful transformation in leaders – he has the real-life business success of founding, scaling and exiting three software companies, plus the educational background of a Masters Degree in Psychology.



This combination gives him the unique ability to connect to other leaders as a peer, then teaches evidence-based leadership skills that genuinely drive behaviour and performance.