Lead with (un)Common Sense

Great leadership isn’t a secret—it’s common sense. We can all name the traits of the
best leaders we’ve followed. Yet, despite being obvious, those traits are uncommon in
leadership today. Why? Because although we know them, sometimes we just don’t
put them into practice.
We allow things like outside pressure or human friction to get in the way. These are
things like:
• Office politics & gossip
• Deadlines & time pressure
• Resistance to feedback
• Blame vs. ownership
• Poor collaboration

Most leaders try to fix these issues with policies and processes—but rules don’t build
trust. Systems don’t inspire ownership. No structure can replace the human dynamics
that make or break a team.
The real solution? Leading with (un)Common Sense.
In this talk, David shares science-backed insights, real-world leadership
challenges, and a simple, napkin-sketch framework that helps leaders reduce friction,
build trust, and create teams that people want to be part of.

In this session, you’ll:
• Learn simple daily practices to reduce friction and improve team dynamics.
• Apply a framework that naturally increases trust, accountability, and engagement.
• Shift from managing people to leading a culture of trust, connection, and
psychological safety.

The best leadership principles aren’t revolutionary—they’re (un)Common Sense. And

the leaders who actually practice them are the ones people choose to follow.