Leadership Letter #14

Every leader wants to unlock the potential of their team and fast-track results. But most of us are stuck in patterns—habits, beliefs, and methods that keep us moving slower than we need to.

Today’s Most Valuable Priorities (MVPs):

1. Why kids outperform CEOs in critical thinking and collaboration challenges.

2. How to model the best to compress the time it takes to achieve success.

3. The principle that what you focus on becomes real—and how to make it work for you.

Let’s dive in.

MVP #1: The Marshmallow Challenge

Why kids outperform CEOs at problem-solving and collaboration.

A simple exercise—build the tallest structure possible using spaghetti, tape, string, and a marshmallow—revealed something shocking: kindergarteners consistently outperform CEOs. Why?

• Kids test and adjust quickly. They try, fail, and adapt without overthinking. CEOs, on the other hand, often overplan and hesitate.

• Kids collaborate naturally. They focus on the task, not hierarchy or ego. CEOs often waste time jockeying for position and defending ideas.

How this applies to you:

• Stop overthinking. Build fast, test often, and adjust as you go.

• Focus your team on the goal—not roles or titles. Collaboration beats competition every time.

Takeaway: Speed and simplicity win. Don’t let planning become procrastination.

MVP #2: Model the Best

Success leaves clues. Learn faster by following proven examples.

If you want to achieve results faster, look at the people who’ve already done it, study their every move, simplify, and implement quickly. The hard work of trial and error has already been done—you just need to replicate it.

How to implement this:

1. Identify the best in your field. Who’s at the top of your game? What are they doing that you’re not?

2. Reverse-engineer their process. Study their systems, habits, and decisions.

3. Take action and adapt. Start implementing what works, and tweak it to fit your context.

Takeaway: You don’t have to reinvent the wheel—just follow the tracks.

MVP #3: What You Focus on Becomes Real

Your focus determines your reality.

If you constantly focus on problems, guess what? You’ll find more problems. But if you focus on solutions, opportunities, and outcomes, your brain will start working to make those a reality.

This isn’t fluff—it’s how your mind works. Your Reticular Activating System (RAS) filters information based on what you focus on. That’s why when you buy a new car, you suddenly see it everywhere—it’s what your brain is tuned into.

How to shift your focus:

1. Audit your thoughts. Are you focusing on problems or solutions?

2. Set clear intentions. Start each day with a clear goal or affirmation of what you want to achieve.

3. Celebrate wins. Focusing on what’s going right trains your brain to find more positives.

Takeaway: Whatever you focus on grows. Choose wisely.

Conclusion

The Marshmallow Challenge teaches us to prioritize speed and collaboration over overthinking. Modeling the best shows us how to compress time and replicate success. And focusing on solutions instead of problems gives us the mindset to win.

As we step into 2025, these principles aren’t just nice ideas—they’re practical strategies to help you and your team grow faster, smarter, and stronger.

These principles are the foundation of great leadership, but mastery takes practice. Make a commitment to applying them this week. Test fast like a kid, study the best, and focus on the opportunities ahead. Your 2025 results will reflect the work you start today.

Cody Stevens, Founder of X Squared Systems

We teach businesses how to get unreal results by aligning their people with the vision.

P.S. If you're looking for a culture shift to take your business to the next level, check out our X Culture program.

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