January 27, 2025
Let's talk about leadership. Not the "I'm the boss, so do what I say" kind (though that still exists, unfortunately), but the "I need to inspire, guide, and serve my team" kind. The kind that requires earning respect, not demanding it. The kind that builds trust, not fear.
Most of us are terrible at leadership. We confuse authority with leadership. We lead through fear instead of respect. We prioritize our own success over our team's success. We don't communicate clearly. We don't listen. We don't serve. We think leadership is about being in charge, not about taking care of those in our charge.
The samurai would understand this immediately. They understood that leadership wasn't about power—it was about service. They led by example, not by command. They earned respect through action, not demanded it through position. They understood that true leadership required honor, courage, and service to those you lead. This connects to their approach to team building and decision making.
The samurai approach to leadership isn't about being the boss—it's about being a servant. It's about leading by example, communicating clearly, and prioritizing your team's success. It's about understanding that leadership is a responsibility, not a privilege. It's about earning respect through action, not demanding it through position.
The samurai understood that leadership was about service, not privilege. They served those they led, not the other way around. They prioritized their team's success over their own. They understood that leadership was a responsibility to be earned, not a position to be exploited.
Modern leadership often fails because we see it as privilege, not responsibility. We use our position for personal gain. We prioritize our success over our team's. We think leadership means being served, not serving. We don't understand that true leadership requires service.
The samurai approach: leadership is service. Serve those you lead. Prioritize their success. Use your position to help others, not yourself. Leadership is a responsibility to be earned through action, not a privilege to be exploited. Service creates respect; privilege creates resentment.
The samurai understood that leadership required example, not just words. They didn't ask their team to do what they wouldn't do. They led from the front, not from behind. They demonstrated the values they expected from others. They understood that actions spoke louder than words.
Modern leadership often fails because we don't lead by example. We ask others to do what we won't. We lead from behind, not from the front. We say one thing and do another. We don't demonstrate the values we expect from others. We think leadership is about telling, not showing.
The samurai approach: lead by example. Do what you ask others to do. Lead from the front. Demonstrate your values through action. Show, don't just tell. Actions speak louder than words. Example creates respect; hypocrisy creates resentment.
The samurai understood that leadership required honor in all actions. They kept their word. They acted with integrity. They treated others with respect. They understood that leadership required consistent ethical behavior, not just occasional good deeds. Honor wasn't optional—it was essential.
Modern leadership often fails because we don't prioritize honor. We make promises we don't keep. We act unethically when it's convenient. We treat people disrespectfully. We think honor is nice but not necessary. We don't understand that honor is the foundation of trust.
The samurai approach: honor in all actions. Keep your word. Act with integrity. Treat others with respect. Be consistent in your ethical behavior. Honor isn't optional—it's essential. Honor creates trust; dishonor destroys it.
The samurai understood that leadership required clear communication and active listening. They communicated expectations clearly. They listened to their team's concerns. They understood that leadership required both speaking and hearing. They knew that poor communication led to poor results.
Modern leadership often fails because we don't communicate effectively. We're unclear about expectations. We don't listen to our team. We think leadership is about talking, not listening. We don't understand that communication is a two-way process. We create confusion through poor communication.
The samurai approach: communicate clearly and listen actively. Set clear expectations. Explain decisions. Listen to concerns. Communication is two-way—both speaking and hearing. Clear communication creates understanding; poor communication creates confusion.
The samurai understood that leadership required courage to make difficult decisions. They didn't avoid hard choices. They didn't pass responsibility to others. They made decisions, even when they were unpopular. They understood that leadership required courage, not comfort.
Modern leadership often fails because we avoid difficult decisions. We delay hard choices. We pass responsibility to others. We make decisions based on popularity, not principle. We don't understand that leadership requires courage to do what's right, not what's easy.
The samurai approach: have courage to make difficult decisions. Don't avoid hard choices. Don't pass responsibility. Make decisions based on principle, not popularity. Leadership requires courage, not comfort. Courage creates respect; avoidance creates resentment.
The samurai understood that leadership required developing those you lead. They trained their team. They provided opportunities for growth. They invested in others' success. They understood that leadership was about making others better, not just using them for your own goals.
Modern leadership often fails because we don't develop our team. We use people for our goals without investing in theirs. We don't provide training or growth opportunities. We think leadership is about getting results, not developing people. We don't understand that developing others is how you get results.
The samurai approach: develop those you lead. Provide training. Offer growth opportunities. Invest in others' success. Leadership is about making others better. Development creates loyalty; exploitation creates turnover.
The samurai understood that leadership required service, example, and honor. You need to serve those you lead, lead by example, act with honor, communicate clearly, make difficult decisions with courage, and develop your team. Leadership is a responsibility, not a privilege.
Modern leadership should be the same. Serve your team. Lead by example. Act with honor. Communicate clearly and listen actively. Make difficult decisions with courage. Develop those you lead. Don't confuse authority with leadership. Don't prioritize your success over your team's.
The samurai would tell you: leadership is service, not privilege. Example creates respect; words alone don't. Honor is essential, not optional. Communication requires both speaking and hearing. Courage is necessary for difficult decisions. Development creates loyalty. Because in the end, true leadership comes from service, example, and honor, not from position or power.
Lead by example. Serve others. Act with honor. The samurai approach: leadership isn't about position—it's about action. You don't need formal authority to lead. Lead by example, serve others, and act with honor. People follow those who demonstrate leadership, not just those who have titles.
Examine your actions. Are you leading by example? Are you serving your team? Are you acting with honor? The samurai approach: respect is earned through action, not demanded through position. If your team doesn't respect you, look at what you're doing, not what they're not doing. Change your actions, and respect will follow.
Set clear boundaries. Be friendly, but maintain professional standards. The samurai approach: leadership requires appropriate distance. You can be friendly without being a friend. Set boundaries, maintain standards, and prioritize your team's success. Friendship can complement leadership, but it shouldn't replace it.
Make it anyway. Explain your reasoning. Act with honor. The samurai approach: leadership requires courage to make difficult decisions. Not all decisions will be popular, but they should be right. Make the decision, explain why, and act with integrity. Courage creates respect, even when decisions are unpopular.
Prioritize development. Make time for training. Invest in others' success. The samurai approach: developing your team is part of your work, not separate from it. Make time for training and growth opportunities. Investing in others' success is how you achieve your own. Development isn't optional—it's essential.
Lori Tsugawa's 'The Samurai Way' podcast has quickly risen to the Top 25 in Philosophy on Apple Podcasts, blending samurai philosophy, Ikigai, and Bushido to teach ethical leadership and personal growth.
Discover how Bushido leadership pillars inspire modern business strategy, ethical cultures, and resilient teams with actionable guidance and visual storytelling.
Explore how traditional samurai imagery has been transformed and adapted for contemporary accessories while maintaining its cultural significance.
The samurai faced constant crises—battle, political upheaval, life-or-death decisions. In a world of constant disruption and uncertainty, their approach to crisis management might be exactly what you need.
Great teams aren't built on perks or pizza parties. They're built on loyalty, respect, and shared purpose. Here's what samurai principles can teach us about building teams that actually work.