He Almost Quit After 3 Days. 40 Years Later He Was Running 200,000 People.
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
In this episode of Show Your Value, Lee sits down with Noel Massie, former UPS executive and author of “Congrats, You’ve Been Promoted.” Noel shares the leadership moment that nearly ended his career before it started, and the simple, practical behaviors that help new leaders earn trust, build ownership, and lead with integrity.
This conversation is a masterclass in what Noel calls value-based leadership, especially for anyone who has just been promoted (or is promoting others) and wants to lead without intimidation, coercion, or “do it at all costs” pressure.
Episode Summary
Noel’s core message is clear: there are no casual moments in leadership. People are always watching the standard you set, the consistency of your decisions, and whether you keep your word.
Lee and Noel unpack what effective leadership really is (and what it is not), why most leadership training misses the mark, and how leaders can build real capability through practice and role-playing. They also go deep on ethics, integrity, fair exchange, and the reality that your team’s behavior is often a reflection of the leadership they experience.
What You’ll Learn
Why small leadership moments can change the trajectory of someone’s life and career
Noel’s definition of leadership: influence without coercion
How to build trust by keeping your word and setting clear “rules of engagement”
Why “values” often fail in companies, and how to make integrity and ethics operational
The role of fair exchange between leaders and team members
How role-playing prepares leaders for the moments that can derail them
A powerful reminder: raising your voice rarely changes anyone’s mind
Key Topics Covered
1) “There are no casual moments in leadership”
Your team notices more than you think. The standard you set is always being evaluated, even in “small” moments. The upside is you can create value-based behaviors intentionally in everyday situations.
2) Why Noel wrote the book
Noel wrote Congrats, You’ve Been Promoted for the newly promoted leader who is stepping into difficult, real-world moments with little training and high expectations.
3) The inflection point that changed Noel’s life
After just a few days at UPS, Noel was walking out the door. A young supervisor saw promise, slowed him down, listened, kept his word, and changed Noel’s entire future. A reminder that leadership is often about what you do in the moment when someone is ready to quit.
4) Leadership is influence without coercion
Noel’s definition is simple and sharp: leadership is the ability to influence behavior without coercion. When you move into threats, intimidation, yelling, or pressure tactics, you may get compliance, but you are not leading.
5) Value-based leadership under pressure
Noel talks about high-stakes environments (hurricanes, medical supply urgency, operational crises) and why “do it at all costs” is never acceptable in business. Value-based leadership does not disappear when stress goes up.
6) Integrity and ethics that are not situational
Ethics and integrity cannot be vibes. If they matter, leaders must teach them, define them, and reinforce them intentionally. Noel frames ethics as honorable conduct toward others, and offers a simple integrity filter: if it doesn’t feel right, it’s not right.
7) Ownership and fair exchange go both ways
Lee and Noel discuss the two-way street between leader behavior and team member responsibility. The goal is not excuses, it’s ownership. Leaders coach and develop, and team members bring the effort they agreed to bring.
8) Role-playing as leadership training
Most leaders talk concepts. Very few practice real scenarios. Noel argues role-playing lets you “see the moment before the moment shows up,” so you are calm and capable when it matters most.
9) Final reminder: yelling does not persuade
Noel closes with a gut-check question: Who is the last person you changed their viewpoint by yelling at them? The answer is basically nobody. Great leaders know when they “don’t get to be human” and instead choose to be a leader.
Memorable Lines
“There are no casual moments in leadership.”
“Leadership is influence without coercion.”
“You don’t promote your best people to lose your best people.”
“If there’s any doubt, there’s no doubt.”
“The most important person in an employee’s life isn’t the CEO. It’s the person they report to.”
Practical Takeaways You Can Use This Week
Set the terms and conditions early.Have a short, direct conversation with your team about keeping your word, expectations, and how you will handle issues.
Replace “tell” with “coach.”If your leadership style is mostly assignments and reminders, you are acting like a human memo. Leaders create ownership, not compliance.
Define integrity and ethics in plain language.If you cannot define it clearly, you cannot reinforce it consistently.
Role-play your top 3 leadership scenarios.Pick three situations that could go sideways (a resignation threat, chronic lateness, performance issues) and practice them out loud before they happen.
Lower the volume, raise the standard.When tension rises, choose calm. It is one of the clearest signals of leadership maturity.
About the Guest
Noel Massie is a former UPS executive who spent decades leading at scale, including responsibility for massive teams and complex operations. He is the author of “Congrats, You’ve Been Promoted”, a practical leadership guide built for the newly promoted leader in real-world moments.
Resources Mentioned
Website: noelmassie.com
LinkedIn: Noel Massie
Call to Action
If you got value from this episode, please like, subscribe, and share it with a leader who is new in their role (or about to be). And as always, until next time, show your value to the world.
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