The Illusion of Leadership: Why Half the “Leaders” in This Profession Aren’t Leading

Most people in this profession are carrying a title, not leading a team. And that’s the illusion.You can keep your rank and lose your relevance. You can “mentor” without ever developing anyone. You can stay busy and never build depth.In this episode, I break down the illusion of leadership and why so many teams stall even when they have people with big titles, big checks, or big personalities.True leadership is simple. It creates movement. It creates duplication. It creates growth without you standing over everyone’s shoulder.If your team isn’t duplicating, you’re not leading. If you haven’t grown new leaders in months, you’re not leading. If your system only works when you touch it, you’re not leading. If you’re talking more than you’re modeling, you’re not leading.In this episode we get honest about what real leadership looks like and why most people are unknowingly stuck in the illusion instead of the work.And if you’re a six-figure or multiple six-figure earner who wants out of that illusion and into real movement, momentum, and depth, I built a room for you.It’s called ICON Mastermind. It’s application-only, and it’s for serious leaders ready to scale, simplify, and build leaders who build leaders.Apply here: www.theiconmastermind.com

Puya’s teams have done over $1 billion in revenue. He’s helped 2,000 people earn over $1 million and more than 10 leaders earn over $5 million.But his real credibility isn’t the numbers. It’s the comeback.After government challenges crushed his company, his income dropped from six figures a month to the lowest valley of his career. Confidence gone. Identity shaken. Momentum gone.In this episode, Puya breaks down how he rebuilt everything.The moment he made a decision. The year he led from the front before results showed up. The mindset shift that brought belief back to his team. And why his new momentum is stronger than anything he built in his first 14 years.If you’re rebuilding, stuck, or ready to level up your leadership, this is the conversation to hear.

Most people only see Claudia Lattner today. Top 1 percent leader. Featured in Leadership Unlocked. Over 20,000 people on her team. Clear systems. Clear duplication. Clear momentum.But that is not where she started.Claudia spent years doing the work without the results. Thirteen years of grinding. Thirteen years of effort without real momentum. Thirteen years of trying to “lead” without having a system that actually duplicated.And that is the turning point of her story.Claudia didn’t need more motivation. She didn’t need more inspiration. She didn’t need a new script or a new trend.She needed a system.Because without a system, she couldn’t duplicate. And without duplication, her leadership hit a ceiling.Once she built a simple, clear, predictable system, everything changed. Her confidence shifted. Her team understood what to do. Her new people knew where to start. And momentum finally showed up.The other big lesson she teaches is this:You can’t tell people to do something you aren’t doing. Leadership starts with a decision, not a quote.Claudia made the decision first. She stepped into the behaviors she wanted her team to model. And the team followed, because leadership is caught before it is taught.This episode is for anyone who feels like they’ve been working hard, but not breaking through. Anyone who knows they are capable of more but can’t get the team moving with them. Anyone who needs a reminder that duplication is never an accident. It is always a system.Claudia’s story is slow and steady. Not flashy. Not overnight. But real.And that’s exactly why it’s powerful.If you care about leadership that lasts, and duplication that doesn’t depend on your personality, listen to this one.

This episode is about something almost everyone in direct selling feels but very few talk about directly.The profession stalled because we stopped developing leaders.For decades, leadership development was the heartbeat of this business. Companies didn’t just build volume. They built people. They grew workhorses. They created depth. They had systems that turned a brand-new rep into a builder, and eventually into a leader.The systems were simple. They were clear. They were culture driven.And then everything shifted.Social media exploded. Branding took over. Attraction marketing became the obsession.And almost overnight, the focus moved from developing leaders to promoting personalities.Today most companies teach posting, selling, attracting. Few teach how to lead. Few teach how to coach. Almost none teach how to duplicate beyond personality.And that’s the real problem.When companies stop developing leaders, they start buying them. They start chasing racehorses instead of building workhorses.It feels faster in the moment. It never lasts.You cannot import depth. You cannot shortcut culture. You cannot purchase loyalty.When development disappears, duplication dies. Teams become dependent on the loudest voices instead of shared principles. Culture turns reactive. Burnout becomes normal.Personal development builds the person. Leadership development multiplies the leader. You need both, or neither one works.The companies that win the next decade will return to this foundation. They will rebuild systems that grow people from the inside out. They will invest in mentorship, not just marketing. They will pair skill training with mindset training. They will stop waiting for influencers to save them and start developing their own depth again.Duplication doesn’t come from followers. It comes from frameworks.That’s why the real test for every leader and every company is simple:Are we developing leaders, or just buying them?And if you’re a six-figure or multiple-six-figure leader who’s serious about building depth, not just volume, I built a place specifically for you.It’s called ICON Mastermind. This is where top earners come to level up leadership, rebuild systems, create duplication, and grow in a room where everyone is playing at the same level.It’s application only, and it’s only for six-figure earners and above.You can apply at: www.iconmastermind.comIf you want to become the kind of leader this profession desperately needs again, that’s the room.

Jeff Olson doesn’t need an introduction in this profession, but I’ll give you one anyway.Thirty seven years in. Top of two companies. Built massive teams in the field. Built a company that did billions in sales. Author of The Slight Edge. One of the few people who has won at every level.And what he shared in this episode is something most leaders already feel but haven’t said out loud.Network marketing stalled because we drifted away from the principles that built it.During the pandemic, our wings got cut. We adapted, but we also forgot how to fly.We replaced simple disciplines with shortcuts. We replaced relationships with noise. We replaced product experiences with content. We replaced leadership development with personality-driven marketing.Jeff lays out exactly what needs to change if this profession wants to rise again.He talks about why the consumer is more confused than ever. There’s no brand. There’s no filter. Everyone looks like an influencer. Everyone sells something. And the buyer has no idea who or what to trust.Jeff breaks down why the leaders who win next will do two things better than anyone:1. They leverage social selling without relying on it. 2. They bring back real relationships and real product experiences.Because when a customer is drowning in noise, the person who gives them an actual experience wins. That is what we do in this profession. And it is more valuable than ever.If you’re a serious builder, especially a veteran who’s seen momentum come and go, this episode matters. Jeff isn’t talking theory. He’s talking from doing. From decades of watching what works, what fails, and what lasts.This is one of the most important conversations I’ve recorded in years.If you care about the future of network marketing, listen to this

This one hits two sides of leadership that every builder needs.I sat down with Leslie Hocker and Lisa Grimolfson to unpack the mindset work leaders avoid but desperately need. Leslie breaks down the inner game of confidence, how to coach yourself forward, and why your own voice becomes the strategy people follow. Her “Tell, Show, Try, Do” framework is a leadership multiplier you can use today.Lisa’s chapter takes another angle. She talks about the courage to be seen, especially for the quiet, insecure, or overlooked leader. She walks through how to stop hiding, how to speak with conviction, and how to lead without waiting for permission. Her story is one every person with self-doubt needs to hear.We covered confidence, clarity, vulnerability, and the daily actions that actually build leaders.🎙️ Listen to the full episode wherever you get your podcasts. 📘 Leadership Unlocked is available now → https://a.co/d/4o3si2T 💻 Kindle version → https://a.co/d/cBIUbb9This episode will make you think bigger and lead stronger. Every team needs this conversation.

In this episode, I sit down with Stefano Orrù to talk about one of the biggest killers of progress in our profession — overwhelm.Stefano breaks down his “ONE Protocol,” the simple but powerful system that helped him cut through the noise and focus on what actually moves the business forward. One mentor. One method. One goal.We talked about how most people don’t fail because they lack effort, they fail because they chase too many voices, too many trainings, too many strategies. This conversation shows how clarity beats complexity every time.🎙️ Listen to the full episode wherever you get your podcasts. 📘 Leadership Unlocked: What the Top 1% in Network Marketing Do Differently is available now → https://a.co/d/4o3si2T 💻 Grab the Kindle version here → https://a.co/d/cBIUbb9If you’ve been overthinking your next move, this episode will help you find your next one.

This episode cuts straight to the foundation of success — identity.I sat down with Mogens and Rebecca Olsen, contributors to Leadership Unlocked, to talk about how the way you see yourself shapes everything in your business.They share how they went from “trying” to “owning it,” and how that single shift changed their confidence, consistency, and results. We talked about the power of belief, the importance of authenticity, and how to help your team build their own professional identity without losing who they are.If you’ve ever felt stuck between who you were and who you’re becoming, this one will hit home.🎙️ Listen to the full episode wherever you get your podcasts. 📘 Leadership Unlocked: What the Top 1% in Network Marketing Do Differently is available now → https://a.co/d/4o3si2T 💻 Grab the Kindle version here → https://a.co/d/cBIUbb9Because in this business, you don’t rise to the level of your goals. You rise to the level of your identity.

This episode hits home for every leader who’s ever felt torn between growth and family.I sat down with Jane Freund, one of the contributors to Leadership Unlocked, to unpack her chapter “Beast Mode with Balance.” Jane shares how she built systems that allowed her business to thrive while she took a 120-day world cruise with her family. No stress. No burnout. No chaos.We talked about how to create freedom that doesn’t fall apart when you step away, how to lead with clarity, and how to build a life that matches your values.🎙️ Listen to the full episode wherever you get your podcasts. 📘 Leadership Unlocked: What the Top 1% in Network Marketing Do Differently is available now → https://a.co/d/4o3si2T 💻 Grab the Kindle version here → https://a.co/d/cBIUbb9This is leadership that wins in business and at home, the kind that actually lasts.

This one is packed with wisdom. These leaders are from all over the world. I sat down with Karen Dwire, Sue Williams, and Elina Carblom to talk about their chapters in Leadership Unlocked and the biggest lessons they’ve learned leading teams at a high level.We talked about consistency, alignment, and what it really takes to grow a team that lasts. Each of them shared raw, practical insights that you can apply right away with your organization.No hype. No theory. Just experience, perspective, and leadership you can actually duplicate.🎙️ Listen to the full episode wherever you get your podcasts. 📘 Pre-order Leadership Unlocked: What the Top 1% in Network Marketing Do Differently before it drops on November 17th → https://a.co/d/4o3si2T 💻 Or grab the Kindle version for just $0.99 → https://a.co/d/cBIUbb9It’s the kind of episode that makes you stop, take notes, and remember why leadership still matters.