Leadership and Beyond

Even the most experienced leaders fall into patterns that hold their teams back. If you’ve ever wondered why the same problems keep resurfacing, it may be time to look in the mirror.   Maybe you identify with one of these traps or have seen yourself wavering in and out of all of them at times.   Don’t worry, you are human.   Part of being human is managing imperfection. By recognizing these behaviors, you can start managing or eliminating the tendencies. 1. The Overcomplicator Complexity feels safe. If an idea is simple, it’s easier to see if it fails. So, some leaders bury clear solutions under layers of processes, meetings, and data. But more complexity rarely creates more progress, it usually just hides problems longer. Ask yourself: Are you adding steps that don’t truly serve the goal? 2. The Micromanager Micromanagement masquerades as thoroughness. These leaders want control so badly they end up redoing work, second-guessing decisions, and preventing their te...

  Hiring isn’t just about filling a role. It’s about choosing who gets to influence the team, shape the culture, and either reduce complexity or add to it. A resume may show skills, but the right hire shows signs of ownership, simplicity, and sound judgment. In the Paint It Red Philosophy there are two pillars stand out when it comes to hiring decisions: The Rake Theory and The Five Closest People. Pillar 2: The Rake Theory Some people unintentionally create problems that slow down progress. They overthink simple tasks, avoid responsibility, or introduce unnecessary steps. These are self-made obstacles or “rakes.” And once they’re dropped in the middle of a process, someone’s going to step on them. When hiring, it’s critical to spot these behaviors early. Ask questions that reveal how a candidate handles failure or pressure. Listen for signs of accountability. If someone always has an excuse or a vague explanation for past setbacks, that’s a sign they may carry rakes into you...

  Disagreements in the workplace are inevitable. Whether it’s about strategy, performance, or expectations, conflict can either create progress. The difference lies not in the disagreement itself, but in how leaders handle it. Breaking Through: Smarter Strategies for Everyday Decisions Audio Book. Amazon and Audible. Click Here Google Playbooks. Click Here I’ve seen firsthand how overcomplication and ego can turn a simple misalignment into a full-blown disaster. But when we apply two core decision-making pillars of the Paint It Red Philosophy we get a clearer, calmer way to resolve tension without losing trust or traction. Control Bias and the Rake Theory 1. Control Bias: Focus on What You Can Actually Influence In any disagreement with an employee, it’s tempting to focus on what they’re not doing. Attitude, tone, follow-through, etc. But the Control Bias teaches us to first ground ourselves in what we can control: our response and our expectations. Let’s say an employee is pushing...

It’s easy to blame people when things feel unorganized or inefficient. But in many cases, the real issue isn’t effort, it’s structure. That’s where the Process-People-Product model offers a direction. When people operate without a clear process, even their best intentions can lead to confusion and inconsistency. To illustrate this, let’s look at something familiar: a snow-covered parking lot. Picture this: You pull into a parking lot after a big snowstorm. The asphalt is covered in a thick white blanket, and the painted lines that usually mark each space are completely hidden. Drivers still park and they do their best. But without any visible guidelines, things quickly get out of sync. Some vehicles end up parked at odd angles. Others take up more space than needed, or pull in so close to the next car that opening a door becomes a challenge. A few folks leave giant gaps, thinking they’re being safe, while others squeeze in wherever they can. The result isn’t total chaos, but it’s def...

  In any organization, leadership is the constant variable. When things go wrong again and again, it is often not the tools or the team, it is the leader. These five common traits are the ones that keep showing up across industries. Recognize them early, and you can start to fix what is broken. 1. The Overcomplicator This leader turns simple problems into complex projects. They bury teams in extra steps, overthink solutions, and make progress harder than it needs to be. The fix? Strip away the noise. Get to the root. Keep the goal in focus and move. 2. The Micromanager They mean well, but they hover. Instead of developing their team, they redo work, question every step, and stall momentum. Trust is low, and initiative disappears. Real leadership means setting expectations, then letting people run with it. 3. The Elusive Manager This one is hard to find, physically and mentally. They avoid hard conversations, delay decisions, and disappear when things get tough. Teams are left gu...

  Breaking Through – A New E-Book and Audiobook That Transforms How You Decide. How do you make decisions? Is it instinct, habit, emotion, or strategy? In Breaking Through: Smarter Strategies for Everyday Decisions , Chris Ortiz invites you into a transformative experience.  Aa powerful collection of real stories, leadership insights, and proven strategies that help you cut through noise, eliminate self-doubt, and make decisions that truly move you forward. Available on Kindle. Click Here Audio Book Available on Author Page: Click Here Coming to Audible and The Apple Store. May 20th Narrated by Garan Patrick this isn’t just another self-help audiobook. It’s a curated journey of blogs, interviews, and frameworks that have already helped thousands lead with more clarity and confidence. From the chaos of micromanagement to the silence of elusive leadership, from teaching focus to a third grader to navigating complex workplace culture, Ortiz shares stories that hit home and prov...