Leadership Advice So Good It Sounds Illegal
Ditch the Conventional Wisdom—Lead Like a Maverick
🏴☠️
Most leadership advice is safe, conventional, and, most of all, predictable.
It tells you to be patient, to listen more, and to empower your people. Yes, yes, we’ve all been there and done that.
But real leadership—the kind that gets results, builds high-performance teams, and drives massive impact—often feels like you're bending the rules.
What if I told you that the best leaders don’t always play fair? That they do things that would raise eyebrows more often than not?
The truth is, effective leadership isn’t about following the handbook. It’s about understanding human psychology, making ruthless decisions, and driving results.
Can’t wait to dive in? Let’s review the seven ‘almost illegal’ leadership moves that will transform your leadership.
1. Steal Shamelessly from the Best
Most leaders believe they need to be original.
That’s a lie.
The best leaders don’t waste time reinventing the wheel. Instead, they steal, remix, and reapply ideas from the best in different industries. They understand that speed and execution matter more than originality (a topic we discussed in Death of The Iron Triangle: Why Everything You Know About Cost, Time, and Scope Is Wrong.)
Elon Musk built Tesla and SpaceX using First Principles Thinking—a mental model borrowed from physics.
Steve Jobs borrowed design ideas from calligraphy to create the typography standards for the Mac.
Amazon’s Jeff Bezos copied Toyota’s Just-in-Time inventory model to optimize supply chains.
How to Apply This:
Use First Principles Thinking: Instead of copying surface-level strategies, deconstruct the problem down to its most basic truths and build back up from there. (Refer First Principles Thinking: How Elon Musk Built SpaceX for some inspiration.)
👉🏼 If you're not shamelessly borrowing from the best, you're working harder than you need to.
2. Fire Fast, Hire Slow
We’re told to give people a chance, to coach them endlessly.
That’s noble—but wrong.
Tolerating mediocrity is the fastest way to kill your company (and if you’re not convinced, check out 7 Signs You're Promoting Mediocrity in Your Team). The best leaders make quick, decisive calls on talent. They don’t wait for people to “grow into” their roles if they’re clearly failing.
Google’s former VP of HR, Laszlo Bock, said it best:
"A bad hire is like a cancer—you have to remove it fast before it spreads."
How to Apply This:
Set a "90-Day Rule"—if someone isn't showing promise within three months, cut them loose. 90 days is more than enough for you—and the person—to know if its’ a mutual fit. Trust me - they will thank you later.
Don't be fooled by effort. Reward impact and smart work, not hard work. Check out The 3 Pillars of Smart Work: Making The Hours Count for a detailed discussion.
👉🏼 Keeping the wrong people out is just as important as bringing the right people in.
3. Say No 10X More Than You Say Yes
Many leaders spread themselves too thin, saying yes to everything.
That’s a trap.
Saying yes to everything dilutes your impact. The best leaders ruthlessly eliminate distractions and focus only on high-leverage activities.
Warren Buffett once said:
"The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything."
How to Apply This:
Use Mind-Boxing: Instead of prioritizing your schedule, schedule your priorities (check out Mind Boxing: How Leaders (Should) Spend Their Time for some inspiration.)
Adopt the ‘Hell Yes or No’ Rule: If an opportunity isn’t an immediate and obvious yes, it’s a no. Period.
👉🏼 If you don’t prioritize your time, someone else will.
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4. Manipulate (Ethically) to Inspire Action
People hate the word “manipulation.” But let’s be real—great leaders influence, persuade, and, yes, manipulate.
The difference? They do it ethically.
Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle explains why great leaders inspire action by starting with “why”. I know what you’re thinking: “But that’s not manipulation!” Sorry to disappoint, but it actually is. It’s an example of manipulating the narrative to inspire people, and that’s totally gold.
In fact, most innovative companies do this, and for good reason. They paint a picture of what is perceived as impossible today, to inspire action towards it.
How to Apply This:
Tell a compelling story—Use Aristotle’s Rhetoric (ethos, pathos, logos) to craft messages that stick (check out The 3 Secret Ingredients to Becoming a Master Persuader for a detailed discussion.)
Use the Golden Circle to provide a great vision that your team can march towards. I discuss this framework in detail here, if you’re interested: The Golden Circle: Use This Simple 3-Step Framework To Lead With Purpose.
👉🏼 You’re already being manipulated—learn how to use it for good.
5. Over-Communicate Until It Feels Excessive
Most leaders believe that once they say something, people get it.
That’s a delusion.
Studies show that people need to hear a message at least seven times before it sticks.
If your team isn’t finishing your sentences, you haven’t repeated it enough.
How to Apply This:
Use the Rule of 7—repeat key messages at least seven times. Don’t worry about sounding like a broken record.
Make your message visual—people remember images better than words. Use visuals to add dimension to your core message.
Use different formats—email, meetings, Slack, 1:1s, all-hands. Different formats will stimulate different parts of the brain, and that will help to reinforce your message.
👉🏼 Saying something once is the same as saying nothing.
6. Make People Uncomfortable (In a Good Way)
Great leaders don’t make people happy.
They make them uncomfortable.
Growth happens in discomfort. If your team is too comfortable, they’re stagnating.
Netflix’s culture of extreme candor pushes employees out of their comfort zone.
Elon Musk fires people on the spot for subpar work—forcing excellence.
I know those examples may sound extreme, but the truth is that top performers crave challenge, not comfort.
How to Apply This:
Use Radical Candor—be brutally honest while showing care. Check out Kim Scott’s book if you want to dive deep—it’s an excellent read.
Push people beyond their comfort zone—set stretch goals that scare them. Normalize discomfort—remember that growth and comfort can never coexist.
👉🏼 Your best people want challenge, not comfort.
7. Focus on Results, Not Effort
Most organizations reward hard work. That’s a mistake.
The best leaders reward impact.
Hard work doesn’t matter if it doesn’t produce results.
Amazon, Netflix and SpaceX all follow this principle:
Amazon’s leadership principle is "Deliver Results"—not "Work Hard".
Netflix pays top performers 2-3x the market rate and cuts the rest.
SpaceX only promotes those who create real, measurable impact.
How to Apply This:
Use OKRs (Objectives and Key Results)—track what gets done, not how much effort was spent.
Stop tracking hours. Start tracking outcomes, and be wary of Goodhart’s Law. Check out The Cobra 🐍 Effect: How Bad Metrics Drive Bad Behavior (and What to Do About It) for some inspiration.
Reward Smart Work, Not Hard Work. I discuss a common misconception about smart work, and what you should really be measuring here: The 3 Pillars of Smart Work: Making The Hours Count.
👉🏼 Rewarding effort over results creates a culture of mediocrity.
Conclusion: Leadership Isn’t About Playing Nice
If you want to lead effectively, stop following conventional advice.
The best leaders:
Steal from the best
Fire fast, hire slow
Say no constantly
Manipulate (ethically)
Over-communicate
Make people uncomfortable
Reward results, not effort
If your leadership style makes everyone comfortable, you’re doing it wrong.
Which of these resonate with you, and which don’t? Share your thoughts in the comments below. 👇
Recommended Resources
Radical Candor – Kim Scott. Learn how to challenge directly and care personally. Perfect for leaders who want to push people without being jerks.
The 48 Laws of Power - Robert Greene. A controversial but fascinating look at power dynamics. This is what they don’t teach you in leadership workshops.
The Hard Thing About Hard Things - Ben Horowitz. Brutally honest lessons from a founder/CEO who had to make painful, unpopular decisions.
No Rules Rules - Reed Hastings & Erin Meyer. Netflix’s culture is built on discomfort, feedback, and freedom. This book explains how and why it works.
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Okay, I’ll admit, the title really grabbed me—I had to see these seven "almost illegal" tips! It’s interesting how some organizations really hesitate to let people go. At every university I’ve worked at, there’s been a 6-month probationary period, but even then, they rarely let anyone go, even if it wasn’t a great fit. Once you pass that, firing someone becomes incredibly tough. I think part of it is the long and drawn-out process it takes to actually hire someone, making it feel like more of a hassle to let them go and start all over.
Thanks Bette for sharing. I have experienced the same with hiring / firing, esp with large organisations. The inertia can sometimes outweigh the benefits.