Are You Leading as a Catalyst or a Reactionist?

I was 5 years old when my dad first taught me to build a fire.

I grew up in the Pacific Northwest, where there always seems to be four seasons of rain.

To handle these conditions and get a good fire going, he shared a few key things:

• You need dry wood. There’s nothing worse than trying to start a fire with wood that has sat out in the rain for months.

• You need the right airflow. Even with the world’s driest wood, improper spacing prevents fire from starting or makes it die quickly.

But the most important thing he shared:

You must have the right Catalyst.

Pine cones and needles, dryer lint, commercial fire starter, maybe even lighter fluid or gasoline (if you love losing your eyebrows or receiving calls from angry neighbors.)

The catalyst needs to be strong, provide lots of heat, and be long-lasting so it can not only start the fire, but also help keep it going.

My two decades of coaching hundreds of leaders revealed that team leadership follows the same principle. The most effective leaders are catalysts, the fire starters in their organizations.

They provide practical daily actions that help their team live out their vision. They provide the consistent spark needed to help projects, ideas, people, and the mission of their organizations move forward.

Often, these leaders don’t realize how much of an impact they have on others, and when they do, it usually doesn’t happen all at once.

It happens after taking on a new role, picking up extra responsibilities without the right boundaries, or discovering that what got them there isn’t working anymore.

That’s when leaders can shift from being a catalyst to a reactionist.

Instead of helping their team keep the fire going, reactionists start constantly putting out wildfires all around them. Here are some key distinctions:

The Reactionist:

• Waits for issues to surface before taking action.

• Constantly reacting, stuck in a loop of putting out fires.

• Feels buried in the weeds, every day becomes triage.

• Handles what’s urgent instead of what’s important.

• Avoids change or refuses it.

• Clings to work from before, even if it is no longer working.

• Leads from stress and frustration; that energy gets passed down.

• Solves in the moment, focuses on the quick fix, often band-aiding deeper issues.

• Growth feels incremental, dependent on external circumstances.

• Relies on familiar playbooks.

The Catalyst:

• Plans ahead, anticipates friction.

• Puts systems in place before problems arise.

• Minimizes chaos and maximizes impact.

• Creates space to lead.

• Delegates, empowers others, makes time for strategy, culture, and coaching.

• Leans into change, uses it as a tool for growth.

• Helps the team adapt, evolve, and come out stronger.

• Leads with clarity, calm, and purpose; their presence lifts the room, not drains it.

• Thinks long term, builds systems that solve root problems and create momentum.

• Growth becomes exponential, aligned to a clear vision, consistent action, and cultural buy-in.

What do you feel as you read through this?

Do you feel some reactionist descriptions landing more than the catalyst ones?

If so, that’s great news. 

There’s nothing better than seeing the reality of your starting place so you can move forward with clarity. As a leader, you decide what path to take.

Will you react and scramble? Or will you lead with intention and become the catalyst your team needs?

One leader I worked with, Angela, spent most of her time firefighting, handling daily crises, making reactive decisions, and feeling exhausted.

After working with us, she shifted her focus toward long-term strategy, empowered her routine, and freed herself from constant stress.

The result: she gained 10 hours back on her calendar, saw higher team engagement, improved clarity, and achieved consistent growth.

So, how do you lead like a catalyst?

Reply to this email to learn more.

Lead Boldly,

~ MW

Thank you for reading The Credit Union Playbook.