The Roots of Real Leadership Series: Are You Building a Sandcastle or a Lighthouse?

In Take Your Lead, we explore the rigorous management philosophy of W. Edwards Deming. While famous for quality control, Deming’s most stinging critique was reserved for what he called the "Seven Deadly Diseases" of management.

The most pervasive of these diseases? "Lack of Constancy of Purpose."

We see this today in the "flavor of the month" leadership style. One month, the focus is "Innovation." The next, it’s "Cost Cutting." The next, it’s "Speed." When senior leaders shift the goalposts daily—or fail to articulate where the goalposts are in the first place—they aren't being agile; they are infecting the organization with instability.

They are practicing "Sandcastle Leadership." It requires tremendous amounts of frenetic activity to build, it looks impressive for a moment, but it is designed to disappear with the next shifting tide.

The Cure: A System of Profound Knowledge. Deming taught that a leader’s primary job is to create a system where the aim is constant. When a leader acts as a "stabilizer" rather than a "disruptor," they allow the team to focus on the work rather than worrying about the weather.

This is "Lighthouse Leadership." It requires deep foundations and engineering. Its value isn't in how busy the builder looks, but in its ability to stand firm when the environment turns hostile.

Activity vs. Endurance If you find yourself constantly reacting to the "crisis of the day," you are not leading; you are tinkering. Real Leadership requires the discipline to hold the line on the long-term vision, even when short-term pressures are high.

Look closely at the image above. Both sandcastles and lighthouses are built right next to the water. They both face the same ocean. The difference is in their purpose.

The sandcastle exists for the amusement of the builder today. The lighthouse exists to guide others through the storm tomorrow. Which one are you building?

“It is not enough to do your best; you must know what to do, and then do your best.” — W. Edwards Deming