You're Being Watched
It doesn't take a concert or a jumbotron to ruin your reputation.
Executives, you’re always under surveillance—even when you think you're not being watched.
All it took was one moment, at a concert with over 50,000 people, to wreck two reputations that each took an entire career to create. The odds were slim that anyone would see them, let alone recognize who they were; and yet they did. Whether you like it or not, we’re all being watched every day, in every room, on every call. Influence isn’t reserved for the big moments. It’s built—or broken—in the small ones.
People See When You:
Show up late, again;
Let your mood dictate whether your team gets Jekyll or Hyde that day;
Drop a “funny” GIF into Slack;
Tell an off-color joke;
Multitask in a meeting;
Fail to deliver on a commitment;
Exaggerate the truth; or
Lose your patience in public.
No matter how big the sin, one misstep can destroy credibility. It can also erode over time—every time you interrupt someone mid-sentence, every time you treat one team differently than another. These moments shape how others experience you and decide whether they trust you.
People don’t judge you by your intentions. They judge you by your impact. Leaders often ask me, “How can I show up as credible and trustworthy?” My answer: act like someone’s recording everything you say and do—because in today’s culture of constant connection, they probably are.
This isn’t about paranoia. It’s about presence. Leadership isn’t a title. It’s a choice you make in every interaction. Want to build trust? Stay consistent. Be intentional. Show up the same way whether you're talking to the board or the intern. Give people your full attention. Lead with empathy. Communicate with clarity.
The minute you think no one’s watching, they are. The moment you believe the little things don’t matter, they do. Treat every interaction and moment like it matters—because your influence is always on display, Monday to Monday.®
