Leadership and the Lonely Stage

Years ago, a good friend of mine tried to convince me to move to Nashville and pursue music more seriously. I didn’t make the leap at the time—life had other plans—but I visited him often, and every time I did, I was struck by the songwriting scene there. Raw talent. Discipline. People are chasing something bigger than themselves.

One night, we were swapping stories when he played a song written by a local artist. It wasn’t famous, but it hit differently. The title? “Tables and Chairs.”

The idea behind the song was this: sometimes, the only audience you’re playing for… is nobody. Just empty tables. Silent chairs. You rehearse, you prepare, you show up—and yet, no one’s in the room. It’s lonely. It’s thankless. But you still play.

That stuck with me. Because leadership is like that, too.

You carry a vision that others don’t see yet.

You make decisions no one claps for.

You push forward even when the room feels empty.

You might be building something meaningful, but in the moment, it just feels like showing up, speaking out, and standing alone.

But the truth is:

Great leaders, like great songwriters, show up anyway.

They don’t wait for applause.

They lead because it’s who they are—not because someone’s watching.

And over time, the right people fill the room.

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