The Difference Between Great and Elite
“What distinguishes a player is their presence. Their presence dominates the atmosphere.”
- Bill Russell
I am a professional observer, and I have learned that the way a leader walks into a room speaks volumes about who they are. Let me show you:
The common ones? They look around to see who’s already talking.
The great ones? They step up with presence and purpose.
But the elite? They don’t just walk in. They bring the room with them.
That’s the difference. Common leaders wait for cues. Great leaders give them. But elite leaders set the tone before they’ve said their first word. Their leadership starts long before the meeting ever does—because it’s built on three invisible anchors: Communication. Facilitation. Preparation. And how they do each separate the ones you vaguely remember… from the ones you will follow to the end of the earth.
Communication: What You Say vs. What They Hear
Communication is the starting point of all leadership. All leaders know that if your message doesn’t land, nothing else will. You can’t build trust, move people, or drive results if they never actually hear you.
A common leader communicates with clarity, at least in their own mind. They make their point, maybe even raise their voice when necessary, and assume their job is done. Information has been delivered. End of story.
But great leaders understand something deeper: that clarity isn’t the message—it’s the result. They know how to read the room, how to adjust the tone, pacing, and posture. They ask questions. They watch for comprehension. They make sure the message lands.
Still, elite leaders go even further. They communicate with foresight. Not just “What do I need to say?”—but “What are they ready to hear?” They anticipate resistance. They defuse tension before it forms. They plant seeds in one meeting that will blossom in the next. They don’t just talk. They build trust through their silence, their posture, and their presence. And when they speak, it carries weight because they’ve earned it in the spaces in between.
That’s why when Michael Jordan spoke during a game, everyone listened—not because he was the loudest voice, but because he had already earned the right to lead. His communication wasn’t emotional—it was surgical. He didn’t motivate with speeches. He led with conviction. He knew where every teammate needed to be and how to communicate with them in a way that would elicit a response. That’s elite.
· The Common communicates to be heard.
· The Great communicates to be understood.
· The Elite communicates to create momentum.
Facilitation: Running the Room vs. Moving the Mission
Facilitation isn’t about speaking well—it’s about orchestrating movement. The way you manage your people sets the tone for what gets said, what gets buried, and what gets built. Culture is shaped in conversation, not just decisions.
Common leaders run meetings like a checklist. They give orders. They make sure everyone hears what needs to be done. But there’s no heartbeat to the room—just tasks, timelines, and tension. Everyone leaves slightly more drained than they came in.
Great leaders add structure. They listen. They frame discussions. They include voices. They understand that people support what they help create. They give the room shape. They allow their people to move within the prescribed plan, but no further.
But elite leaders move the mission through the room. They don’t just moderate; they elevate. They know when to push, when to pull back, when to shut it down, and when to let it breathe. They’re not afraid of silence because they know silence often reveals truth. They don’t just steer the meeting. They speak to what’s real. And by doing so, they shift energy, not just outcomes. They understand that they can’t do it by themselves, so they set up their people to take their talents and run with them. To take the message to higher levels.
Tom Brady wasn’t called the greatest because he threw the ball hardest or held it longest. He was elite because he facilitated winning. He understood that leadership wasn't about being the star—it was about putting others in position to shine. When he hit the top of his drop and let the ball go before his receiver even broke, it wasn’t a risk; it was trust. That’s what elite facilitation looks like: timing, clarity, and belief. Brady knew the offense didn’t move until the ball left his hand. He didn’t wait to see the receiver break—he trusted the process and delivered anyway. That’s not talent. That’s timing, clarity, and conviction.
· The Common facilitates for control.
· The Great facilitates for completion.
· The Elite facilitates for conviction.
Preparation: Ready for the Meeting vs. Built for the Moment
Chris Voss once said, “You don’t rise to the occasion—you fall to the level of your preparation.” The best leaders don’t guess when the lights come on; they execute what’s already been done in the dark. Preparation is what makes pressure manageable
The average leader prepares their notes. They read their material. They rehearse their points. They’re ready to perform.
The great ones? They go a step further. They anticipate objections. They gather data. They put themselves in the shoes of the people they’ll face. They prepare beyond their content. They prepare to lead.
But elite leaders aren’t just prepared for the moment. They’re prepared because preparation isn’t a task—it’s part of who they are. Their readiness doesn’t come from scrambling the night before. It comes from years of deliberate repetition. Of doing the hard work when no one’s watching. It's about asking the right questions long before the problem even arises.
Elite leaders don’t rely on adrenaline. They rely on discipline. And that’s why when the pressure spikes, they don’t flinch. They’ve already run the reps in the dark. They prepare for whatever might happen.
Ted Williams, the greatest hitter baseball has ever seen, didn’t trust talent. He trusted his preparation. He studied pitchers endlessly. He understood strike zones like a physicist understands motion. He didn’t guess. He knew. Because he never left anything to chance. That’s not superstition. That’s setting, and then living up to his standard of preparation.
· The Common prepares their points.
· The Great prepares their strategy.
· The Elite prepare themselves.
Why It Matters
There’s a reason elite leadership feels different. It’s not louder. It’s not flashier. It doesn’t come with a bigger title or a fancier seat at the table. It comes from balance. From showing up with the same level of discipline, clarity, and emotional consistency, whether it’s Monday at 6 a.m. or Friday at 5 p.m., when everyone else has mentally checked out. It’s not just what you do—it’s how consistently you do it.
And the leaders who do this well? They don’t just shift outcomes. They shift people.
Because they’ve learned that the difference between a leader and a presence… is that presence endures—even after the room is empty.
Let’s Review the Gap
Communication
Common: Gets the message out.
Great: Makes sure the message lands.
Elite: Speaks in a way that moves people forward—even after the meeting ends.
Facilitation
Common: Controls the agenda.
Great: Shapes the conversation.
Elite: Speaks truth and sharpens culture.
Preparation
Common: Studies the material.
Great: Anticipates the friction.
Elite: Becomes the material, so the mission can’t be separated from the man.
Final Word
You don’t need a new title to become elite. You need a new standard. And it starts here:
Communicate like every word carries weight.
Facilitate as if the mission is on the line.
Prepare like you’ll never get a second shot. Real leadership doesn’t come with replays.
Lead from the front! – Crazy Horse
