Moments That Matter

Maggie Ellis

Hey everyone, welcome back to Being Disruptive! I’m Maggie Ellis, and I’m here with the one and only Darren Colby. Darren, you ready to get a little uncomfortable today?

Darren Colby

Always, Maggie. I mean, I’m not sure I ever left my comfort zone, so maybe I’m just used to it by now. But yeah, let’s do it. Today’s episode is all about those moments that matter, right?

Maggie Ellis

Exactly. And I wanna kick us off with this idea that time just... slips away. Like, you blink and suddenly you’re looking back thinking, “Did I actually do the thing, or am I just left with regret?” There’s this quote from Ankur Warikoo—“Time goes away and leaves us with only one of two things: regret or results.” That hits, doesn’t it?

Darren Colby

Yeah, it’s brutal but true. And Churchill—Winston Churchill, not the bulldog—he said something like, everyone gets tapped on the shoulder at least once in their life, offered the chance to do something special. The tragedy is being unprepared for your finest hour. I always wonder, how do you know when it’s your moment?

Maggie Ellis

Oh, I love that. I mean, sometimes you don’t know until you’re in it, right? Like, my first time leading a plant-wide Kaizen blitz—total chaos, by the way. I was terrified. I kept thinking, “I’m not ready, I’m not qualified, I’m gonna mess this up.” But then, you just... do it scared. You walk out of your comfort zone and into your calling. And honestly, it was messy, but it was also the moment I realized I could actually lead people through change.

Darren Colby

That’s the thing—most people want success, but they don’t wanna deal with the pain or the risk. There’s this line from Joshua Medcalf, “Our greatest fear in life shouldn’t be failure, but succeeding at things that don’t really matter.” I think a lot of us get stuck waiting for the perfect moment, or we’re just afraid of looking foolish.

Maggie Ellis

Totally. And sometimes, the cost of “later” is just too high. Like, later the coffee gets cold, later opportunities slip away. I think what keeps us from acting is fear—fear of failing, fear of what people will think, or just fear of the unknown. But as leaders, we have to help our teams recognize when it’s time to step up. Sometimes that means nudging them, sometimes it means just getting out of their way.

Darren Colby

Or sometimes it means being the first to jump in, even if you’re not sure you’ll stick the landing. I mean, I’ve had plenty of those moments where I thought, “Well, this could go sideways, but let’s go for it.” And honestly, those are the stories you remember, not the ones where you played it safe.

Maggie Ellis

Yeah, and I think it’s about creating a culture where people feel like it’s okay to try, even if they’re scared. Because if you wait until you’re not scared, you’ll be waiting forever.

Darren Colby

So, let’s talk about trust. I mean, you can have all the talent in the world, but if people don’t trust you, nothing moves. There’s this idea that trust is the ultimate throttle on growth—not markets, not tech, not even competition. It’s trust. And it’s not just about being nice, it’s about character, competence, and authenticity all rolled together.

Maggie Ellis

Yeah, and trust gets tested when things go sideways. Like, you can talk about values all day, but when the pressure’s on, that’s when people see who you really are. You’ve got a story about that, right? The product recall?

Darren Colby

Oh, yeah. So, a few years back, we had a major recall—like, the kind that keeps you up at night. We could’ve tried to spin it, but instead, we went full transparency. We called customers, owned up to the mistake, and laid out exactly how we were fixing it. It was rough, but you know what? We actually built more loyalty. People said, “If you’re honest when it’s hard, I can trust you when it’s easy.”

Maggie Ellis

That’s huge. I think on the shop floor, trust is about more than just following procedures. It’s, like, do you care about me? Are you competent? Are you honest? There’s this “trust triangle”—logic, empathy, and authenticity. If you’re missing one, people feel it.

Darren Colby

And when trust breaks, it’s not just about saying sorry. You have to show up differently. Sometimes it means admitting you messed up, sometimes it means changing how you operate. But if you ignore it, you’re just setting a new, lower standard. I think that’s the hardest part—repairing trust takes time, but losing it can happen in a second.

Maggie Ellis

Yeah, and I think leaders have to be willing to be vulnerable. Like, if you’re not willing to admit you don’t have all the answers, people won’t trust you. And if you’re not consistent—if you say one thing and do another—forget it. People notice.

Darren Colby

Exactly. And honestly, sometimes you have to earn trust back one small action at a time. It’s not about grand gestures, it’s about showing up, day after day, and doing what you said you’d do.

Maggie Ellis

Alright, so let’s get into priorities. I love this Steve Jobs quote—well, I’m paraphrasing, but it’s basically, “Focus isn’t about saying yes, it’s about saying no to a hundred other good ideas.” I’m terrible at this, by the way. I wanna do everything, but you can’t. Leaders have to help teams figure out what really matters, and that means saying no to a lot of stuff that’s just... noise.

Darren Colby

Yeah, and if you’re not careful, you end up succeeding at things that don’t matter. I’ve seen companies with these beautiful mission statements, but the real culture is set by what people actually do, not what’s on the wall. If you ignore issues, or let things slide, you’re creating a new culture—one that says, “This is okay now.”

Maggie Ellis

Exactly. I mean, culture isn’t a slogan, it’s a series of choices. I’ve worked at places where leaders encouraged honest dialogue about priorities, and you could feel the difference. People spoke up, they challenged each other, and it was messy but real. And then I’ve seen the opposite—where everyone’s just trying to look busy, but nobody’s talking about what actually matters. That’s exhausting.

Darren Colby

And the cost of ignoring those issues? It’s huge. You get disengagement, silos, people just going through the motions. Leaders have to be willing to have tough conversations, to say, “Hey, this isn’t working,” or, “We need to focus here, not there.” It’s not easy, but it’s the only way to build something that lasts.

Maggie Ellis

Yeah, and I think it comes back to being willing to bare it all, right? To be honest about what’s working, what’s not, and what really matters. That’s how you build trust, seize opportunities, and create a culture people actually want to be part of.

Darren Colby

Couldn’t have said it better. Well, that’s a wrap for today’s episode. Maggie, always a pleasure to get a little uncomfortable with you.

Maggie Ellis

Right back at you, Darren. Thanks to everyone for listening. We’ll be back soon with more stories and maybe a few more awkward confessions. Until next time, keep being disruptive!

Darren Colby

Take care, everyone. See ya next time!