Stop Quoting Authority—Start Owning Your Decisions
- DataBased Utah
- Mar 20
- 3 min read
Leadership is more than just passing along directives from above—it’s about making decisions, taking ownership, and inspiring action. Yet, one of the most common (and costly) mistakes leaders make is quoting authority figures instead of asserting their own perspective.
This seemingly harmless habit does more damage than most realize. It erodes credibility, weakens team trust, and can even create a toxic work culture where employees disengage. If you want to be an effective leader, you need to stop relying on someone else’s authority and start owning your decisions.
Why Quoting Authority Weakens Your Leadership
Imagine you’re a sales manager addressing your team about a major change. You’ve met with the CEO, who emphasized the need for more self-generated pipeline. When you relay this message to your team, you say:
“I was talking to the CEO, and they said we need to increase our self-generated pipeline.”
What message does this send to your team? Instead of presenting this as your own perspective, you’ve deferred to the CEO’s authority. Over time, this creates several problems:
You Lose Credibility – Your team starts to see you as just a messenger rather than a leader with your own insights and expertise.
Your Team Will Bypass You – If all you do is quote higher-ups, your employees will go directly to those higher-ups for real answers.
It Kills Initiative and Engagement – If decisions are always framed as coming from someone else, employees feel like they have no real stake in the process.
How to Own Your Decisions Instead
Great leaders don’t just repeat what they’ve been told—they interpret, analyze, and lead with confidence. Here’s how to shift your communication approach:
✅ Frame It as Your Own Thought Process Instead of saying, “The CEO said we need to increase self-generated pipeline,” say something like:
“I’ve been looking at our renewal rates, and I see a pattern—when we sell outside our ideal customer profile, it becomes much harder to retain those clients. That’s why I want us to focus more on self-generated pipeline with the right ICP.”
This slight change makes a world of difference. It signals that you have thought this through, and that you believe in the decision—not just because someone above you said so, but because it’s the right call.
✅ Invite Discussion, Not Blind Compliance When you state an idea as your own, you create space for healthy debate. If someone disagrees, they’ll come to you rather than seeking clarification from someone higher up the chain. This builds respect and strengthens team dynamics.
✅ Reinforce the Bigger Vision If you do reference leadership, do it in a way that builds trust and autonomy rather than deferring authority. Instead of saying, “We have to do this because the board said so,” try:
“One thing I appreciate about our CEO is how much they trust us to make the right decisions. Based on what I’m seeing, this is where we need to focus.”
This reframing reinforces a culture of trust rather than one of forced compliance.
The Hidden Danger of Undermining Yourself
Beyond quoting authority, there’s an even worse habit that some leaders fall into—undermining themselves in front of their team.
Have you ever heard (or said) things like:
❌ “I don’t necessarily agree with this, but corporate wants us to do it.” ❌ “I know, I know, another thing from leadership…” ❌ Eye-roll “Yeah, this is what we’ve been told to do.”
This kind of language is leadership suicide. It tells your team:
You don’t truly believe in the decisions being made.
You have no real power, and you’re just a middleman.
They should look elsewhere for real leadership.
Leaders who do this create toxic cultures where employees disengage and lose respect. No one wants to follow a leader who doesn’t believe in what they’re doing.
Be the Leader Your Team Needs
Real leadership means making the tough calls yourself—not just passing down orders from above. It means taking responsibility, speaking with confidence, and standing behind your decisions.
So the next time you walk into a meeting, ask yourself: 👉 Are you speaking as a leader, or are you just quoting one?
Choose to own your voice. Your team will notice—and they’ll follow.
DataBased helps companies find and hire great leaders who embody these principles. Connect with DataBased Recruiting to explore how we can help you find your next sales leader
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