The Leader Mindset #56

Leaders: Stop Complaining and Reclaim Your Agency

Author

Andy Noon, PhD
April 12, 2026

In partnership with

Hi everyone,

Thanks for stopping by for another week of the Leader Mindset. I hope you enjoy reading it and consider sharing it with your network. I appreciate you helping spread the word.

All the best,

Andy

Leaders: Stop Complaining and Reclaim Your Agency

What if I told you that complaining is becoming a leadership epidemic!

Let me explain what I mean. Feeling frustrated is normal, and sometimes venting is a healthy way to cope. Talking about challenges with trusted colleagues helps us process what’s happening, see if others feel the same, and come up with better ideas. So, complaining itself isn’t always the issue.

The real issue is when complaining is where things stop.

I once worked with the CFO of a fairly conservative organization who regularly expressed frustration about the company’s culture. He would talk about the lack of innovation, the resistance to new ideas, and the ways the organization seemed stuck in old ways of thinking. After hearing this more than once, I finally stopped him and asked a simple question: So, what are you going to do to change the culture?

He looked at me inquisitively.

“What do you mean?”

I replied, “Last time I checked, you’re the CFO. If this culture needs to change, there is no one better to make the change happen.”

That moment has stayed with me because it captures something I see across organizations and at every level of leadership. Too often, leaders describe problems as if they are happening to them, rather than recognizing where they still have agency to shape the outcome.

If You Control It, You Own It

Leadership is not about controlling everything. No leader, regardless of title, gets that privilege. Every day, leaders face shifting markets, aggressive competitors, changing regulations, and priorities from above that can alter a team’s direction overnight. There will always be forces outside our control.

Leadership is ultimately about taking ownership of what sits within your control and being intentional about where you can exert influence. The question is not whether challenges exist. The question is what part of that challenge is yours to lead.

I was reminded of this recently when a leader expressed frustration that their team was not stepping up to address the technological challenges the business was facing. The concern was understandable. Change is happening quickly, and the team is struggling to keep pace.

So, I asked a simple question: Do they actually have the skills needed to do what you are asking?

After some hesitation, the leader knew the answer was no.

What initially sounded like a complaint about the team was, in reality, a leadership issue.

The issue was not simply happening to the leader. It had become the leader’s responsibility to address.

The work was well within the leader’s control: identify skill gaps, create development opportunities, set clear learning expectations, provide support, and build the skills required for success.

That is agency.

Why We Complain

If this sounds obvious, why do so many leaders remain stuck in complaint mode?

Often it is because complaining can be safer than acting.

Sometimes it is a matter of time. Leaders tell themselves they are too busy to take on another change effort. Sometimes it is a political risk. Taking action may feel isolating, especially if others are not aligned with you. At other times, it is a lack of clarity. Leaders know something is wrong but are unsure where to begin.

And often, if we are honest, it is fear.

Taking action exposes us to criticism, and the outcome becomes attached to our judgment and our credibility. If it works, we gain momentum, but if it fails, we risk criticism, resistance, or reputational damage.

Ultimately, complaining allows us to remain observers rather than owners.

There is also the reality of burnout. Some leaders are simply exhausted. After navigating wave after wave of change, it can feel easier to narrate the problem than to drive another solution.

Still, leadership requires movement.

Reclaiming Your Agency

The next time you catch yourself complaining, pause and ask a different set of questions:

  • Is this truly a significant issue, or simply a temporary frustration?
    If it is affecting performance, culture, execution, or your team's development, it deserves your attention. If not, let it go.

  • What part of this is within my control?
    Be honest about what sits directly within your ability to change through your own actions, decisions, and leadership.

  • Where do I have influence?
    You may not be able to solve the entire problem, but you can almost always take a step that changes the trajectory through relationships, communication, or stakeholder alignment.

  • What is one action I can take right now?
    That may mean seeking input from others, asking for help, building support, or taking one concrete step that creates momentum. Move from complaining to action as quickly as possible.

Venting is fine. In many cases, it is a useful starting point for reflection and idea generation.

But it cannot be where leadership stops.

The real question is this: What am I complaining about right now that is actually mine to lead?

That is where agency begins, and ultimately, that is where leadership lives.

AI Agents Are Reading Your Docs. Are You Ready?

Last month, 48% of visitors to documentation sites across Mintlify were AI agents—not humans.

Claude Code, Cursor, and other coding agents are becoming the actual customers reading your docs. And they read everything.

This changes what good documentation means. Humans skim and forgive gaps. Agents methodically check every endpoint, read every guide, and compare you against alternatives with zero fatigue.

Your docs aren't just helping users anymore—they're your product's first interview with the machines deciding whether to recommend you.

That means:
→ Clear schema markup so agents can parse your content
→ Real benchmarks, not marketing fluff
→ Open endpoints agents can actually test
→ Honest comparisons that emphasize strengths without hype

In the agentic world, documentation becomes 10x more important. Companies that make their products machine-understandable will win distribution through AI.

 

IF YOU ARE SEEKING A NEW LEADERSHIP PERSPECTIVE THIS YEAR, HERE IS HOW I CAN HELP →

Executive Coaching: Structured coaching programs to accelerate the growth of executive leaders, high potentials and transitioning leaders.

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If any of these are priorities for your organization, I’d enjoy the conversation.

Andy Noon, PhD

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