LEADERSHIP LESSONS INSPIRED BY THE IMAGE OF A LION IN DECLINE 1. People Remember the Bad More Than the Good. In leadership, you can do a thousand good things, but one misstep can overshadow them all. It's human nature to focus on the negative, so be intentional with your actions and decisions. Build a legacy on consistent integrity, not occasional brilliance. 2. Don’t Tear Others Down While You’re on Top. Power is not a license to oppress—it’s a responsibility to uplift. If you use your influence to harm or suppress others, it will taint your legacy when you're no longer in power. Protect your reputation by leading with humility, fairness, and respect. Leadership that tramples others leaves behind a trail of resentment and isolation. 3. Build Your Team on Integrity, Not Fear. No matter how powerful your position or how talented your team is, if your leadership is rooted in manipulation or fear, your support will vanish when you're no longer strong. Even the mighty lion, king of the jungle, is abandoned by his pride when he grows old. True loyalty is earned through trust, kindness, and ethical leadership. Build your team on values that endure beyond your reign. 4. Strength and Status Are Temporary—Use Them Wisely. Leadership is a season. Strength fades. Positions change. Use your time in power to invest in what lasts: your health, your family, your children, your growth, and your future. Don’t be blinded by temporary titles or applause. Prepare for the day when the lights go off and the crowd disperses. Lead today with tomorrow in mind. 5. Today’s Power Must Secure Tomorrow’s Peace. Every decision you make while in power echoes into your future. Use your authority to sow seeds of peace, respect, and goodwill. Lions feast when they are strong, but many end their lives in loneliness and misery because they ruled with cruelty, not wisdom. Power is fleeting. Fame fades. Titles expire. But character endures. Lead in a way that your future self will thank you for.