Leadership Deposits: Tip #3 — Get to Know the People You Lead

Heading into my sophomore year at Washington State, I was grabbing lunch with a mentor of mine—a former Cougar quarterback who had played years before me. He gave me a simple piece of leadership advice that stuck: 

“Get to know the people you lead on a personal level. Spend time with them outside of the building.” 

Simple, brilliant, and it changed the way I led. 

That year, we made it a priority to connect off the field. Player-led hangouts. Dinners. Random time together. No coaches. No agendas. Just connection. 

And to this day, the 2015 team is my favorite group I was ever part of. 

We were tight. The culture was strong. And that connection played a major role in breaking WSU’s losing streak and helping get the program back on track. 

That kind of trust doesn’t happen by accident. 

It happens when leaders invest in people beyond the title, the role, or the performance metric. 

Whether you're leading athletes, employees, students, or your own family, the principle is the same: 

People want to know you care before they care what you know. 

Time Is the Deposit

When you take time to know someone personally, you’re making a massive deposit in the trust bank. 

You’re telling them: 

• You matter 
• You’re seen 
• You’re more than just what you produce 

And trust grows from there. 

So here’s the challenge: 

Give people your time. 

Have conversations that aren’t just about work or performance. Ask about their life. Check in consistently. Learn what motivates them, what stresses them, what matters to them. 

If you’re a leader in business, that might mean grabbing coffee or checking in one-on-one.
If you’re a parent, it might mean undistracted time.
If you’re a teammate, it might mean showing up outside the arena. 

The format doesn’t matter. 

The intention does. 

Leadership isn’t just about strategy, systems, or execution. 

It’s about elevating your group. 

And that starts with showing up for the people in it—not just when something is required, but because they matter. 

Easy Easy,

-Luke Falk

See you next Monday!