Why The More Perfect It Becomes, the More Human Leaders Must Be

A Quiet Sunday in a Noisy World

It was a quiet Sunday, and I barely moved all weekend. Life’s other priorities took over, and even that became a lesson: you can’t let yourself get caught up in just one thing, no matter how good it is. Not even working out. Balance is always the real win.

That night, I spent much-needed time with my sons, Aden and Eann, and we practiced a little Chinese. Evan had just come home after being away most of the weekend. Watching them, I felt a wave of nostalgia for the baby years. The scent of their hair. Those small moments that never come back. With our daughter Ariel on the way, I find myself determined to savor every bit of these days.

But the spark of the day came after the kids went to bed. I found myself watching a Simon Sinek podcast about AI. Every word landed with urgency. I felt compelled to capture these thoughts. Not just for myself, but for my team, for the leaders I coach, and for Stellar as we grow.

There’s a paradox that stands out so clearly now. The more perfect AI becomes, the more imperfect we as leaders need to be willing to show. The more polished the world becomes, the more genuine trust matters.

Where AI Polishes and Leadership Shouldn’t

Simon started with a simple truth. Leaders today are pressured to get things right. But it is our willingness to get things wrong, and to grow from it, that builds real credibility and trust.

He said, “What makes people beautiful is not that we get everything right. It is that we get many things wrong.” That struck a chord.

The culture of perfection, now fueled by AI, subtly trains us to be flawless. We are encouraged to use slick words instead of honest ones. Impressive presentations instead of vulnerable presence. Curated personas instead of genuine relationships.

But there is a hidden danger here. AI helps you sound right, but leadership is not about sounding right. It is about being real.

Simon shared that he still sees a therapist, not because he is weak, but because it is an act of self-awareness and courage. He talked about freezing on stage and how, by simply admitting it, he built trust with his audience.

That is the real magic. In a world where AI can write an apology, a perfect statement is not what people remember. The healing happens in the messy, effortful, truly human apology.

I have witnessed the same thing in my own life, as both a leader and a parent. Whenever I admit, “I don’t know,” or, “I’m struggling,” trust gets deeper.

At Stellar, this is one of our guardrails as we scale. Growth brings pressure to become more efficient. But if we remove all the friction, the little rituals and imperfect moments, we risk losing the very soul that made us special in the first place.

Scaling without soul is not progress. It is erasing ourselves. In the end, perfect is polished, but human is trusted.

Reverse Wisdom for the AI Era

There is a reverse truth that keeps surfacing for me. The opposite of leadership is not following. It is pretending to be flawless when your team really needs your humanity.

This shift in thinking is so important in a world dominated by AI. The real danger is self-preserving perfection.

Simon’s stories brought it home. He talked about failing publicly, like forgetting his words on stage, and how admitting it made him more relatable. He described his friend’s mother making tea every morning. A little human ritual that anchored the family.

AI can now do more than ever, and do it faster and cheaper. But struggle disappears, and it is struggle that makes us who we are. Conflict resolution fades, yet real trust grows from working through things together. Our attention drifts, but presence is the truest gift a leader can give.

Simon compared it to AI handing out boats to everyone until a storm comes. If you have never learned to swim, the boat will not save you. Leadership is about learning to swim, not just coasting along. AI removes friction, but friction is what actually builds trust and growth.

What My Son Taught Me

Just two days ago, this played out in my own home.

Before Bible studies, my kids were running wild at dinner. I tried to be patient. The first warning came, then a second, and then a final warning. Eventually, I snapped.

But what happened after mattered most. My eldest, Aden, who is at that age where he pushes back in all the right ways, looked at me and asked, “You punish us when we are wrong. What about you?”

We had to rush out the door, but his question stayed with me all night and into the next day.

The next morning, when it was just the two of us, I brought it up again. I asked him, “Which part did you feel I didn’t do right?”

He thought for a moment, then said, “You always use your phone in the dark. It hurts your eyes.”

He was right. I looked at him and said, “Remind me, please. I’m human too. I make mistakes.”

His face lit up. He felt heard, and he felt powerful. Once again, I was reminded that admitting my imperfections, as a leader and as a parent, builds far more trust than any so-called perfect example ever could. At the end of the day, perfect is polished, but human is trusted.

How to Stay Human in an AI World

So what now? How do we keep the parts of leadership that AI can never touch, the things we will need more than ever?

The first thing is to keep the friction. Do not over-optimize your culture. Hold on to the rituals, the struggles, and those small imperfect moments. That handshake at Stellar’s graduation means more than any perfectly composed message an AI could create.

Next, be willing to model your mistakes. Be the first to say, “I don’t know,” or, “I messed up.” This creates a learning culture and tells your team that it is safe to grow here.

For the moments that really count, choose to go human, not just digital. Write things by hand, leave a voice note. People hold on to handwritten notes for years, but nobody saves an AI-generated apology.

As Stellar grows, protect what is unique. Fight for the founder’s heart and the team’s humanity. Let your culture scale faster than your process.

Let AI help you operate more efficiently, but never let it take the place of your culture. That must stay beautifully, stubbornly human.

The Reverse That Redefines It All

Here is what I keep coming back to. Tomorrow’s leaders will not be the ones who perfect AI-driven leadership. They will be the ones whose humanity shines in all the spaces AI cannot reach.

When it comes down to it, perfect is polished, but human is trusted. And as AI tempts us to look flawless, maybe the boldest act of leadership is simply to show up. Imperfect, present, and real.

Leadership Reflection Questions

• As Stellar grows, how do I make sure the founder’s heart beats even louder?
• Where do I feel the urge to sound perfect when my team just needs my honesty?
• Which rituals, rough edges, or honest moments do I need to protect, not automate?
• Where have I let AI or growth erase real human connection?

Final Words

Somehow, being human has gotten lost in our generation. But it is not hard to rediscover. It is woven into who we are.

When I finished reflecting that night, I reminded myself to stay grateful, take a breath, and remember the culture we have built at Stellar. That is what keeps us human. Servant Leadership. Transformational Innovation. Empowered Not Entitled. Live Gratefully Not Blaming. Love Truth Love Life Love People. Appreciativeness Not Criticism. Resilience Leads to Desired Results.

That is how we scale, with love. That is how we lead, with humanity. And that is how we stay human, even as the world gets more perfect.