Leadership is Not a Vibe. It’s a Practice.

There’s a new flavor of leadership making the rounds online. It’s snappy, aesthetically pleasing, and easy to consume in 15-second clips. It’s leadership as a vibe — the charismatic, magnetic energy that looks good on stage or sounds great in a LinkedIn post.

But what happens when the cameras are off? When the strategy falls flat? When your team is searching for clarity and consistency rather than a catchy one-liner?

That’s when we realize that leadership isn’t about cultivating a vibe — it’s about committing to a practice.

The Era of Vibe Leadership

Just look at TikTok — every scroll brings a new “corporate parody” skit, usually starring a tired manager, a clueless VP, or a Gen Z employee calling out outdated leadership. It’s funny because it’s true — we’ve all seen it. We’ve lived it.

But here’s the real question — or rather, the two questions we should really be asking:How many of these so-called “leaders” are actually initiating change in their workplace?How many are taking that frustration and turning it into something better?

Because pointing out what’s wrong is easy.Performing as if you “get it” is easier.But practicing leadership — real, grounded, change-making leadership — is where most stop short.

We don’t need more leaders vibing their way through strategy.We need leaders who are willing to do the unglamorous, consistent, behind-the-scenes work — even when no one’s watching.

Define the Myth: Leadership as a Vibe

Somewhere along the way, we started treating leadership like an aesthetic. Charisma, mood, energy, tone — these became the gold standard. The “cool boss” energy took over: high vibes, good energy, always “on.”

But here’s the catch — vibes fluctuate. They depend on mood, on circumstance, on how many hours of sleep you got last night. You can’t build a stable, thriving culture on something that shifts as easily as the weather forecast.

If we want to move past the myth, we need to understand what real leadership is actually built on.

Define the Truth: Leadership as a Practice

Leadership isn’t a spontaneous burst of inspiration. It’s not a viral moment. It’s a daily practice — built on routines, self-awareness, systems, feedback, and alignment.

True leadership is unsexy. It’s in the 1:1 check-ins you hold even when they feel repetitive. It’s in the feedback you give consistently, not just when something’s gone wrong. It’s in the way you show up, especially on the days you don’t feel like it.

Why the Myth Persists

“Cool” leaders get celebrated. They’re fun at offsites, great in all-hands meetings, and easy to spotlight on LinkedIn.

Meanwhile, consistent leaders? They’re often invisible. They’re the quiet backbone holding everything together. Until chaos hits — then everyone suddenly notices who kept the walls from crumbling.

The myth sticks around because it’s more comfortable to believe you can lead through vibe alone. But comfort doesn’t build trust. Practice does.

Reframing Practice as Power

We’ve been taught to think of practice as dull — something to endure, something to check off a list. But practice is where power lives.

• Practices build culture. They create the shared expectations that shape how a team acts, even when you’re not in the room.

• Practices create safety. When your team knows what to expect from you, they can focus on the work instead of decoding your mood.

• Practices reinforce trust. Consistency is the foundation of psychological safety. Without it, teams spend more time guessing than growing.

Practice in Action

What does this look like in real life?

It looks like a leader who communicates priorities every week, so no one’s left wondering where to focus.It sounds like saying, “I don’t have that answer yet — but I’ll find it and get back to you,” instead of bluffing through a meeting.It feels like regular feedback cycles that actually happen — not just annual reviews nobody remembers.

It’s small things done over and over until they become part of the team’s DNA.

It’s the leader who asks for feedback on their own performance and actually acts on it.

It’s the steady presence that helps a team weather big changes without losing focus.

These aren’t one-off hero moves — they’re the small, steady signals that build unshakeable trust.

Vibe All You Want — But Practice First

Vibes can be fun. Energy is important. Swagger has its place.

But if you want to build something that lasts, lead with clarity — not just vibes.

Choose structure over spontaneity.

Pick the steady drumbeat over the viral moment.

Because leadership isn’t a vibe. It’s a practice.