You’re Never Too Young to Be a Great Leader, You’re Never Too Old to Be a Better One

I once walked into a room where the air buzzed with excitement—tech experts and engineers from all corners of the world gathered for a conference.

A young developer stood at the podium, just 26 years old, giving a presentation on a breakthrough solution his team had been working on.

You could feel the energy in the room shift. People leaned in. Some skeptical eyes softened as they realized the young leader before them wasn’t just knowledgeable—he was inspiring.

What struck me wasn’t just his technical brilliance but his ability to lead, despite his age. He demonstrated a growth mindset, an empathy-driven mindset, and an ownership mindset in ways that many leaders twice his age struggle with.

That day, it became clear to me:

You’re never too young to be a great leader, and you’re never too old to be a better one.

Let’s talk about these three mindsets that set the stage for great leadership, and more importantly, how you can know when you’re living them out—and when you’re not.

Growth Mindset: Always Be Learning

In the tech world, things change fast. If you’re not learning, you’re already behind. That’s why the growth mindset is a cornerstone of great leadership.

Leaders with this mindset believe that abilities, talents, and intelligence can be developed. They don’t shy away from challenges; instead, they embrace them.

Think about a moment when you faced something unfamiliar—maybe it was a new coding language, a software upgrade, or even managing a larger team than you’ve ever handled before. What did your self-talk sound like?

When you’re not living a growth mindset, your inner dialogue might sound like this:

• “I’m just not good at this.”
• “I’ll let someone else handle it.”

But when you’re expressing a growth mindset, you say things like:

• “I don’t know how to do this yet, but I’ll figure it out.”
• “This is tough, but it’s an opportunity for me to grow.”

One thing I remind my clients all the time: If you’re not stepping outside your comfort zone, you’re not growing. It’s that simple.

Great leaders stretch themselves, and in doing so, they set the example for their teams to do the same.

Empathy-Driven Mindset: Lead with Humanity

As I watched that young developer speak, I noticed how he engaged with the crowd. He wasn’t just rattling off technical jargon.

He was making eye contact, responding to the energy of the room, and even asking questions to better understand the audience’s concerns. This is the empathy-driven mindset in action.

Leadership is about people. It’s about understanding the perspectives of those around you—your team, your peers, even your clients.

When you’re not showing empathy, your self-talk might sound like this:

• “Why can’t they just get over it?”
• “I don’t have time to deal with people’s feelings.”

But when you are leading with empathy, you say:

• “Let me listen fully before I respond.”
• “How can I support this person right now?”

Empathy allows you to build trust, and trust is the foundation of any successful team.

If your people don’t feel heard or understood, they won’t follow you. But when they know you care, they’ll go above and beyond to achieve the team’s goals.

Ownership Mindset: It’s Always on You

The final mindset is one I find many leaders struggle with, especially when things go wrong.

The ownership mindset is about taking full responsibility for your role, your team, and the outcomes of your work. You might not have control over every variable, but you always have control over your response.

Think back to a time when something didn’t go as planned. Maybe a project went off the rails or your team didn’t hit a critical deadline. What did your self-talk sound like?

When you’re not living with ownership, you might say:

• “It wasn’t my fault; my team didn’t deliver.”
• “It’s because of the market conditions—there’s nothing I could do.”

When you’re expressing ownership, your self-talk shifts to:

• “What could I have done differently to support my team?”
• “I’m responsible for the outcome, and I’ll find a solution.”

Leaders who take ownership don’t waste time pointing fingers. They look in the mirror, take accountability, and work to fix the issue.

When you lead with ownership, your team will too. They’ll start to take initiative, bring solutions, and own their role in the bigger picture.

How Do You Know You’re Not Living These Mindsets?

The truth is, we don’t always get it right. Life gets busy. Deadlines loom. Pressure builds. But here’s how you can tell when you’ve slipped:

• If you’re not challenging yourself and your team, you’re not living a growth mindset.
• If your team seems disengaged, you’re probably not leading with empathy.
• If there’s a culture of excuses or blame-shifting, ownership is lacking.

These are the cues. They’re subtle at first, but if you pay attention, they can become your greatest teachers.

You're Never Too Old to Be a Better Leader

Leadership is a journey, not a destination. Whether you’re just starting out like that 26-year-old developer or you’ve been in the game for 30 years, there’s always room to grow, to care more deeply, and to take more responsibility.

This October 17th in Gothenburg, we’ll be diving deeper into these principles at Live2Lead.

You’ll hear from world-class leaders who embody these mindsets, and you’ll leave with the tools to elevate your leadership.

If you want to stretch your growth mindset, save your seat now. This is your opportunity to step into the next level of leadership, no matter where you’re starting from.

Because you’re never too young to be a great leader, and you’re never too old to be a better one.

Save Your Seat for Live2Lead in Gothenburg.

I look forward to see you there!

Warmly,

Florin