WTF Wednesday.

WTF Wednesday. WTF - Am I?

I am directionally challenged.

Not a little bit. Impressively so.

I use GPS in the city I’ve lived in for 30 years.

So when I was driving to a funeral in Louisville, I did what I always do—I trusted the GPS and hit “start.”

Now, anyone who’s ever driven to Louisville knows one thing:

You take the interstate.

My GPS… did not take me to the interstate.

It took me to the Bluegrass Parkway.

And instead of questioning it, I thought:

“Huh. That’s weird… but maybe there’s just a faster route I don’t know about.”

(Spoiler: there was not.)

So there I am… driving further and further away from where I’m supposed to be… into a small town… increasingly confused… but still committed to the plan.

Because, you know…

The GPS said so.

And then—like a scene straight out of a movie—

🚨 Red and blue lights.

The officer walks up, asks if I know I was going 50 in a 25.

I explain I’m lost. No service. Trying to get to a funeral in Louisville.

At this point I was in a full panic - lost, no services, policeman.

I am pretty sure the look on my face demonstrated the level of panic I was feeling.

He pauses… looks at me… and says:

“Well honey… you are far away from Louisville.”

(Understatement of the year.)

He let me go with a warning—likely because I had strong “bless your heart” energy in that moment—and told me to slow down.

Somehow, through a series of backroads and questionable decisions, I eventually made it.

On time.

Still not entirely sure how.

Here’s the leadership part:

Despite being directionally challenged -

I still knew something was off.

Early.

Repeatedly.

But I overrode my own judgment… because I had decided the “system” must know better than I do.

Sound familiar?

Leaders do this all the time.

• The data says one thing—but your gut says something isn’t right

• The consultant gives a recommendation—but it doesn’t fit your culture

• The plan looks good on paper—but execution feels off from day one

And instead of pausing…

You keep going.

Because “this is the direction we were given.”

The problem isn’t a lack of information.

It’s ignoring the information you already have.

Including your own instincts.

Leadership takeaway:

Just because something is guiding you… doesn’t mean it’s leading you in the right direction.

And the longer you ignore what you know…

The further off course you get. (Just ask me....)

Blind trust is not a leadership strategy.

If you’re looking for a speaker who will challenge leaders to trust their judgment—not just the plan—I’m booking sessions for 2026.

~Steph

PS - My friends tell me I shouldn't tell this story - because of the "Bless her heart" energy. Yet, this is me being - authentically me, directional challenges and all.