June 3, 2026
by Doug Dougherty, Executive Chair – Cooper Equipment Rentals Limited
Every once in a while, it’s worth asking a simple question:
What have I changed my mind about?
I’ve been thinking about leadership, something I’ve written about before, and while most of the principles still hold, my understanding of them has evolved.
I used to think leadership was mostly about encouragement. Creating the right culture and environment. Helping people grow. And I still believe that.
But I kind of got it wrong in how different leadership looks when things aren’t going great.
It’s easy to be a collaborative, supportive leader when the business is performing and the team has momentum.
It’s a lot harder when results are off, pressure is building, and decisions carry more weight.
We know we have a strong team, good people, and lots of discussion. Everyone is contributing, but things are not moving fast enough and there is not enough clarity around priorities and outcomes.
That’s when it hit me.
Culture matters. Environment matters. But it’s not enough.
Keep reading this blog on cooperequipment.ca
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