What People Actually Remember: Give the Gift of a Fresh Start
Article 7 in the Leadership in Real Life Series.
Jennifer Youngblood
5/27/20261 min read
Give the gift of a fresh start.
Early in my career, I stepped into a new role after some very difficult career feedback. I shared that feedback with my new boss. Probably more candidly than I should have.
He listened. Then he said: his job was to open the door and let me walk in with no baggage. My job was to leave the baggage outside the door.
He told me his part would be easy. Mine would be hard.
He was right. It took real time to let go of the self-doubt, the frustration, the need to prove myself over and over again. But that moment stayed with me and changed how I think about leadership. It was one of the best gifts a manager ever gave me.
We all carry things from previous roles. Old stories. Perceptions that stopped being accurate years ago. Sometimes what we're carrying isn't serving us anymore. And the right leader, at the right moment, can make it possible to finally set it down.
The things people carry are real. Good leaders acknowledge them. And then they open the door anyway.
Giving someone a fresh start isn't just generous. It's often exactly what allows them to do their best work.
If you're stepping into a new role yourself, or bringing someone new onto your team, ask yourself: what would it mean to open that door and let them leave the baggage behind?
Leadership in Real Life. What People Actually Remember: Give the Gift of a Fresh Start
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