What It Takes to Gain a Competitive Edge in Leadership
- Dan Freschi - EDGE
- Jul 2
- 5 min read
Let’s be clear: leadership isn’t for the passive. It’s for those who are willing to do the work on themselves, their teams, and their vision.
In today’s fast-moving, high-stakes world, leadership requires more than strategy or smarts. It demands a competitive edge, not in the cutthroat sense, but in the deliberate choice to lead with clarity, courage, and curiosity.
In Where Leadership Begins, I define leadership not as a role, but as a series of choices, and gaining a competitive edge means choosing growth over comfort again and again.
Let’s walk through what that looks like.
Understand What Your Competitive Edge in Leadership Is - Then Leverage It
A competitive edge in leadership doesn’t come from having the biggest team or the most budget. It comes from knowing yourself and using what you’ve got with purpose with your team.
In Where Leadership Begins, I describe this as the empowering choice of self-awareness: owning your strengths, acknowledging your blind spots, and leading with what’s real. A leader who knows how to deploy the strengths of their team will consistently outperform one who manages from assumption.
Gallup’s research backs this up. Teams led by managers who focus on strengths are significantly more engaged and productive. It’s not magic. It’s intentionality.
Want to sharpen your edge?
Know your people. Know what lights them up.
Don’t guess. Ask.
Align talent with tasks, and you'll unlock momentum.
Emotional Intelligence: The Edge That Multiplies Everything
You can’t out-lead your emotional awareness. Emotional intelligence (EI) is no longer optional. It’s the difference between leading people and just managing tasks.
High-EI leaders are grounded, steady, and able to foster a sense of psychological safety. This term refers to an environment where team members feel comfortable taking interpersonal risks, such as speaking up with ideas or concerns, without fear of retribution.
They don’t just react. They respond. They understand their impact. They listen to understand. In "Where Leadership Begins," I frame this as choosing authenticity, showing up as the same person in every room and creating space for others to do the same.
TalentSmart research found that 58% of success across all jobs can be attributed to emotional intelligence. That’s not a bonus skill. That’s the backbone of effective leadership.
Want to strengthen yours?
Self-awareness: Name your emotions before they name you.
Empathy: Don’t just hear. Feel what your team is saying.
Relationship Management: Build Trust Before You Need It.
You don’t need to be perfect. You need to be present.
Adaptability Isn’t a Trait - It’s a Choice
When the rules change, do you resist or respond? The world doesn’t slow down so leaders can catch up. The edge belongs to those who adapt with purpose.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, leaders who quickly pivoted to remote work and reimagined their business models not only survived but also strengthened their organizations. Why? Because they didn’t just adjust. They led.
Adaptable leaders choose progress over perfection. In "Where Leadership Begins," I refer to this as the courage to lead through uncertainty. To act in alignment with values, even when the path forward isn’t clear.
Want to stay adaptable?
Adaptability is your insurance policy for maintaining relevance and feeling secure in the face of change.
Vision Isn’t a Buzzword. It’s a Backbone.
Here’s a leadership truth: if you don’t define where you’re going, someone else will. Vision is not just about ambition. It’s about intention. It’s about giving people something worth showing up for.
Think of leaders like Elon Musk, not because of the headlines, but because of the clarity with which he casts a compelling picture of what could be. That clarity fuels innovation, investment, and belief.
As I write in Where Leadership Begins, great leaders declare their direction and invite others to help them get there. This isn’t about hype. It’s about instilling a sense of purpose and direction.
Want to lead with vision?
Define what success looks like five years from now.
Reverse-engineer it into actionable goals.
Share it relentlessly and shape it with your people.
Vision without action is a dream. Action without vision is a grind. The edge comes when you align both.
The Best Leaders Are Always Learning
The moment you think you’ve arrived is the moment you begin to fall behind. Leaders with a true edge treat growth like a discipline. They ask more questions than they answer. They read, reflect, and revise.
At EDGE and in "Where Leadership Begins," we utilize tools such as the Individual Development Plan (IDP) to help leaders take ownership of their professional growth.
Leadership is a skill set, not a static identity.
Want to build a learning culture?
Attend one development event each quarter, no excuses.
Promote internal knowledge sharing and encourage people to teach each other.
Pair mentors with emerging leaders and foster a culture of feedback-rich growth.
The edge isn’t in what you already know. It’s in what you’re hungry to learn next.
Diversity of Thought = A Smarter Edge = A High Performance Team
If everyone on your team thinks like you, you’ve already lost ground. The best leaders surround themselves with people who challenge, expand, and refine their thinking.
McKinsey’s data proves it. Organizations with diverse leadership teams consistently outperform those with homogeneous leadership teams. And beyond performance, diverse teams help you avoid blind spots, build stronger cultures, and lead more people well.
In "Where Leadership Begins," I discuss the importance of choosing humility: recognizing that you don’t have all the answers and that you’re stronger when others bring their complete perspective to the table.
Want to leverage diversity?
Audit your team composition. Who’s missing from the table?
Build hiring practices that actively seek difference, not just fit.
Create norms where every voice is not just invited but expected.
The broader your lens, the sharper your edge.
Final Thoughts: Choose Your Edge
Here’s the truth: there is no “finish line” in leadership. But there is a choice, every single day, to do the work, grow your edge, and lead with intention.
You want to lead with impact? Choose to develop emotional intelligence. Choose to adapt with vision. Choose to grow relentlessly. Choose to listen deeply. Choose to include bravely.
The competitive edge isn’t something you find. It’s something you build. One decision, one mindset shift, one brave conversation at a time.
And that journey? That’s where leadership begins.
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