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Humans are using laptops and computers to interact with AI, helping them create, code, train AI, or analyze big data with fast, cutting-edge technology.

July 13 2026

Elliott Broidy on What an AI Assistant Can Do for Executives

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By Elliott Broidy

For years, the concept of an AI assistant would have felt like something out of science fiction. Today, it has become a matter of course — and for many executives, a necessity.

Beyond Chatbots: What AI Assistants Actually Do

When most people think about AI, what comes to mind is chatbots like ChatGPT that answer questions or generate content. Those applications are useful, but they only scratch the surface of what AI can do. AI is not only a tool that can synthesize massive reams of information; it can also be leveraged to help manage tasks, organize information, and streamline daily work.

For executives, entrepreneurs, and business leaders, this is a game-changer.

What an AI Assistant Can Do for Executives

An AI assistant can help draft emails, summarize meetings, organize notes, generate research, prepare briefing materials, and manage routine administrative tasks. They can coordinate schedules, identify available meeting times, track action items, and help ensure that important commitments do not fall through the cracks.

Your AI Assistant Is a Toolkit, Not a Single Product

The first step is understanding that an AI assistant does not need to be a single product. It can be a collection of tools working together to support the way you operate.

For example, many executives use AI to summarize lengthy reports before meetings. Others rely on AI-powered note-taking applications that automatically capture key discussion points and action items. Calendar management platforms can help prioritize tasks and organize schedules around changing commitments. Together, these tools create a personalized support system that reduces administrative burdens and frees up time for higher-value work.

The next stage is even more interesting.

Building a Custom AI Assistant

Today’s AI platforms increasingly allow users to create custom assistants tailored to their specific needs. A business leader can build an AI assistant trained on company materials, frequently asked questions, investment criteria, customer information, or internal processes. Instead of starting every conversation from scratch, the assistant can provide answers and recommendations based on the organization’s own knowledge and priorities.

Elliott Broidy on AI as a Digital Chief of Staff

In many respects, this resembles creating a digital chief of staff. The assistant may not make final decisions, but it can gather information, organize data, prepare recommendations, and accelerate routine workflows.

An AI assistant allows leaders to reduce the time spent on repetitive and laborious tasks so they can focus more of their attention on strategy, relationships, and decision-making. Those higher-stakes calls still demand second-order thinking — weighing not just the immediate result but everything that follows from it.

Every generation benefits from tools that increase productivity. We are in the AI age. The leaders who learn how to use it most effectively will be best positioned to focus on what matters most. For many leaders, what matters most reaches well beyond the office — a theme I explore in how family shapes my work and life.

Elliott Broidy is Chairman and CEO of Broidy Capital Holdings, LLC, a private equity investment firm specializing in AI-driven public safety software. He is also the Co-Chair of the Fund to End Antisemitism, Extremism and Hate which supports the Auschwitz Research Center on Hate, Extremism and Radicalization (ARCHER) at House 88, an initiative of The Counter Extremism Project.

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July 9 2026

Elliott Broidy on Why Organizations Need Clear Priorities

Adminblogs business, business leadership, business strategy, Elliott Broidy, Entrepreneurship, focus, leadership strategy, priorities, prioritization, success 0

By Elliott Broidy

One of the most common challenges organizations face is a lack of strategic clarity, without which nothing else is possible.

Why Everything Cannot Be a Priority

Most companies have no shortage of goals. They want to grow revenue, improve efficiency, develop new products, attract top talent, strengthen customer relationships, expand into new markets, and increase profitability. Each of these objectives is important. The problem arises when leaders attempt to pursue all of them with equal urgency.

In business, as in life, everything cannot be a top priority.

Over the course of my career, I have seen organizations struggle not because they lacked capable people or good ideas, but because they lacked focus. Teams were asked to accomplish too many things at once. Resources were spread across competing initiatives. Employees received mixed signals about what mattered most. As a result, execution suffered.

What Happens When Priorities Are Unclear

When priorities are unclear, decision-making becomes more difficult at every level of an organization. Employees are forced to guess which objectives should take precedence. Departments pull in different directions. Meetings become longer, discussions become more complicated, and progress slows.

Clear priorities help eliminate that confusion.

Leadership’s Job is Creating Alignment

One of the most important responsibilities of leadership is creating alignment around a small number of objectives. People perform better when they understand what the organization is trying to achieve and how success will be measured. Clarity allows teams to make decisions more confidently because they have a framework for evaluating competing demands on their time and attention. It is also, in my experience, how the best leaders create other leaders: when people know what matters most, they learn to exercise judgment on their own.

This does not mean that leaders should ignore everything except a single goal. Successful organizations must balance many responsibilities at once. However, there is a difference between recognizing multiple priorities and treating every objective as equally important.

Priorities Shift With Circumstances

At any given moment, certain goals deserve greater attention than others.

A company entering a new market may prioritize growth. A mature organization facing increased competition may focus on innovation. During periods of economic uncertainty, preserving financial strength will likely become the primary objective. Effective leaders understand these shifts and communicate them clearly throughout the organization.

Elliott Broidy on the Discipline of Prioritization

The ability to prioritize often requires making difficult choices. It means acknowledging that time, capital, and talent are finite resources. Every commitment involves tradeoffs. Every new initiative requires attention that cannot be devoted elsewhere. Making those calls well demands both confidence and humility — the confidence to commit to a few things and the humility to admit what you are choosing to set aside.

The strongest organizations are not those that attempt to do everything. They are the ones that understand what matters most and direct their energy accordingly.

Clear priorities create focus. Focus improves execution. And in the long run, execution is what turns goals into results.

Success rarely comes from pursuing every opportunity. More often, it comes from having the discipline to identify the few priorities that matter most and pursuing them exceptionally well.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do organizations need clear priorities?

Because focus is what turns goals into results. In my experience, organizations rarely fail for lack of talent or ideas; they fail when they try to do everything at once. Clear priorities align people, speed up decisions, and direct finite time, capital, and talent toward what matters most.

What happens when a company has too many priorities?

Execution suffers. When everything is urgent, employees are left to guess what comes first, departments pull in different directions, and progress slows. Treating every objective as equally important is, in practice, much the same as having no priorities at all.

How should leaders decide which priorities matter most?

By recognizing that priorities shift with circumstances. A company entering a new market may prioritize growth; a mature one facing competition may focus on innovation; in uncertain times, financial strength comes first. The task is to choose a small number of objectives, communicate them clearly, and accept the tradeoffs they require.

Who is Elliott Broidy?

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June 29 2026

Elliott Broidy on Why Leaders Need Second-Order Thinking

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By Elliott Broidy, Chairman and CEO of Broidy Capital Holdings

One of the most valuable lessons I have learned over the course of my career is that the quality of a decision cannot be judged solely by its immediate results. Good leaders do not simply ask, “What happens next?” They ask, “What happens after that?”

This way of approaching decisions is often referred to as second-order thinking. It means looking beyond the obvious, immediate consequence of a choice and considering the chain of events that may follow. In business, those downstream effects often matter far more than the first outcome.

Key Takeaways

Judge the full chain, not the first result. A decision’s quality depends on the consequences it sets in motion, not on its immediate payoff.

Short-term wins can carry hidden costs. Cost cuts, cheap hires, and hard-won negotiations often create larger long-term losses.

Every decision reshapes incentives — and incentives shape behavior and culture.

Experience trains anticipation. Seasoned leaders expect unintended consequences instead of being surprised by them.

It comes down to one question: “And then what?”

Why First-Order Decisions Often Backfire

Many decisions produce an immediate benefit while creating long-term costs that are less obvious. Cutting expenses may improve this quarter’s financial results but leave a company with fewer resources to innovate. Hiring the least expensive candidate may reduce payroll today but increase turnover and recruitment costs tomorrow. Winning a negotiation by squeezing every possible concession from a customer or supplier may maximize one transaction while damaging a relationship that could have produced value for years.

The opposite is often true as well. Investments that appear costly in the short term frequently generate the greatest long-term returns. Hiring exceptional people, developing future leaders, investing in technology, or strengthening relationships with customers may not deliver immediate financial rewards, but over time they often become the foundation of an organization’s success.

Also read: “Most People Don’t Need a Better Plan — They Need a Longer Timeline”

How Incentives Shape Second-Order Outcomes

Second-order thinking also requires leaders to consider incentives. Every decision changes behavior. If compensation rewards only short-term performance, people will naturally focus on short-term results. If managers are recognized only for their own accomplishments rather than the success of their teams, they may become reluctant to hire or develop talented people who could one day surpass them. Wise leaders understand that today’s decisions shape tomorrow’s culture.

Why Experience Sharpens Second-Order Thinking

Experience plays an important role here. Over time, leaders begin to recognize patterns that are not obvious to those earlier in their careers. They learn that unintended consequences are not exceptions but realities that accompany almost every important decision. The question is whether those consequences have been anticipated.

Also read: “Experience Is the Only True Teacher”

Balancing Analysis With Decisiveness

This does not, of course, mean that we want leaders to succumb to analysis paralysis. Every decision involves uncertainty, and no one can predict every possible outcome. Leadership requires decisiveness. But the best decisions are usually made by people who pause long enough to think one or two steps further than everyone else.

Second-Order Thinking in a Short-Term Business Climate

In today’s business environment, where pressure for immediate results is constant, second-order thinking has become even more important. Quarterly earnings, daily headlines, and short news cycles can encourage leaders to optimize for what is visible today rather than what will matter years from now. The organizations that endure are typically led by people who resist that temptation.

Elliott Broidy’s Key Question for Better Decisions

One of the greatest competitive advantages a leader can develop is the ability to see beyond the obvious. Looking past immediate consequences often reveals opportunities, risks, and tradeoffs that others overlook.

The first answer is rarely the whole answer. The leaders who consistently make the best decisions are often those who ask one more question: “And then what?”

Frequently Asked Questions

What is second-order thinking?

It is the practice of looking past a decision’s immediate consequence to the chain of events that follows — asking not just “What happens next?” but “And then what?”

Who is Elliott Broidy?

Elliott Broidy is Chairman and CEO of Broidy Capital Holdings, LLC, a private equity firm specializing in AI-driven public safety software, and Co-Chair of the Fund to End Antisemitism, Extremism and Hate.

What does Elliott Broidy say about making better decisions?

He argues that a decision cannot be judged by its immediate results alone; the best leaders weigh incentives and unintended consequences and think one or two steps further than everyone else.

Why do short-term wins often create long-term costs?

Because the first benefit can mask hidden downstream effects: cutting costs can starve innovation, the cheapest hire can raise turnover, and squeezing a supplier can damage a relationship worth years of value.

Elliott Broidy is Chairman and CEO of Broidy Capital Holdings, LLC, a private equity investment firm specializing in AI-driven public safety software. He is also the Co-Chair of the Fund to End Antisemitism, Extremism and Hate which supports the Auschwitz Research Center on Hate, Extremism and Radicalization (ARCHER) at House 88, an initiative of The Counter Extremism Project.

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June 22 2026

Why Leaders Need Both Confidence and Humility

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By Elliott Broidy

Strong leadership often requires confidence. Leaders are expected to make decisions, communicate a vision, and provide direction during periods of uncertainty. Teams, investors, customers, and partners all look to leadership for reassurance and clarity, particularly when circumstances are challenging.

Without confidence, it becomes difficult to make decisions, take calculated risks, or inspire others to move forward. Confidence allows leaders to act decisively when action is required and to maintain focus when obstacles inevitably arise.

At the same time, confidence alone is not enough.

Some of the most successful leaders possess another quality that is equally important but often receives less attention: humility.

Humility is not a lack of self-belief. Nor is it a reluctance to lead. Rather, humility is the recognition that no individual has all the answers and that every leader can continue to learn, improve, and benefit from the perspectives of others.

Over more than four decades in business, I have observed that confidence and humility are most effective when they work together. Confidence allows leaders to make difficult decisions. Humility allows them to remain open to new information that may challenge their assumptions.

A leader who lacks confidence may struggle to act. A leader who lacks humility may stop listening.

Both situations can create problems.

Successful organizations depend on the free flow of information. Employees must feel comfortable sharing ideas, raising concerns, and offering alternative viewpoints. Leaders who approach every discussion convinced they already possess the correct answer often miss valuable insights from the people around them.

Also read: “Why Serious Leaders Study History”

Humility also helps leaders navigate success. Accomplishments can create the illusion that past success guarantees future success. In reality, markets evolve, technologies change, and competitive environments shift constantly. Leaders who remain humble are often more willing to adapt because they understand that learning never truly ends.

Confidence, meanwhile, remains essential because leadership frequently requires making decisions with incomplete information. Waiting for perfect certainty is rarely an option. Leaders must be willing to evaluate available information, exercise judgment, and move forward even when some degree of risk remains.

The most effective leaders find a balance between these two qualities. They project confidence without arrogance. They remain humble without becoming indecisive. They are willing to lead, but they are also willing to listen.

Also read: “Why Listening Is an Underrated Leadership Skill”

That balance becomes increasingly important as organizations grow and responsibilities expand. The larger the challenge, the more valuable it becomes to combine conviction with openness, decisiveness with curiosity, and confidence with humility.

In the end, leadership is not about proving that you are the smartest person in the room. It is about creating an environment where the best ideas can emerge, good decisions can be made, and people can work together toward a common goal.

Leaders who combine confidence with humility often put themselves-and their organizations-in the strongest position to achieve lasting success.

Elliott Broidy is the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Broidy Capital Holdings, LLC, a private equity investment firm specializing in AI-driven public safety software. He is also the Co-Chair of the Fund to End Antisemitism, Extremism and Hate which supports the Auschwitz Research Center on Hate, Extremism and Radicalization (ARCHER) at House 88, an initiative of The Counter Extremism Project.

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June 19 2026

The Best Leaders Create Other Leaders

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By Elliott Broidy

Many people think leadership is about having authority, making decisions, or setting the direction for an organization. While those responsibilities are certainly important, I have come to believe that one of the most meaningful measures of leadership is something else entirely: the ability to develop other leaders.

Over more than four decades in business, I have had the opportunity to work with many talented people. One lesson has remained remarkably consistent throughout that time. The strongest organizations are built by leaders who invest in the growth and development of others.

A leader’s success should not be measured solely by personal accomplishments. It should also be measured by the number of capable, confident people who are better prepared to lead because of the opportunities, guidance, and trust they received along the way.

This requires a mindset that is sometimes overlooked in today’s business environment. It is easy for leaders to focus on immediate objectives, quarterly results, and daily challenges. Those priorities matter, but great leaders also think about the future. They understand that one of their responsibilities is preparing the next generation to take on greater responsibility.

Creating other leaders begins with trust. It means delegating meaningful responsibilities rather than holding every decision too closely. It means allowing talented people to take ownership of important projects and giving them the opportunity to learn through experience.

Leaders and middle management must be willing to hire exceptional talent and not be threatened by them. Hiring such people ensures that the organization is not dependent solely on one leader or a few people with great ideas and talent. To achieve this goal, leaders must hold themselves and those who report to them accountable for hiring the best and reward those who do.

Barry Diller, when he was Chair of Twentieth Century Fox and no doubt at every other organization he led, required at monthly meetings with top executives that they highlight people on their team who had done something well — the future leaders of the company. This made it imperative that they not take credit for all the work done by their team and made them recognize that their ability and willingness to hire great people was critical to upper management’s view of them.

Creating leaders also requires patience. Leadership skills are not developed overnight. Confidence grows through repetition, accountability, and the occasional setback. Some of the most valuable lessons come from mistakes, provided those mistakes become opportunities for learning and growth.

Equally important is the willingness to share knowledge and experience. Every leader accumulates lessons over the course of a career. Passing those lessons on is one of the most valuable investments a leader can make. Mentorship does not require formal programs or titles. Often it takes the form of a conversation, a piece of advice, or the willingness to help someone think through a difficult decision.

Organizations that consistently develop leaders tend to be more resilient, adaptable, and successful over the long term. They are less dependent on any single individual because leadership has become part of the culture itself.

Ultimately, leadership is about more than achieving results in the present. It is about building something that can continue to succeed in the future. The leaders who leave the greatest impact are often those who help others realize their own potential and prepare them to lead in turn.

That is how strong organizations endure, and it is how lasting legacies are built.

Elliott Broidy is the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Broidy Capital Holdings, LLC, a private equity investment firm specializing in AI-driven public safety software. He is also the Co-Chair of the Fund to End Antisemitism, Extremism and Hate which supports the Auschwitz Research Center on Hate, Extremism and Radicalization (ARCHER) at House 88, an initiative of The Counter Extremism Project.

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June 15 2026

Why Curiosity Is One of the Most Valuable Traits in Business

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By Elliott Broidy

In business, there is often a tendency to become narrowly focused on a single industry, market, or area of expertise. While specialization has value, some of the most successful entrepreneurs and leaders are people who maintain a broad sense of intellectual curiosity throughout their lives and careers.

Curiosity matters because it drives learning, exploration, innovation, and ultimately better judgment.

The most effective leaders are rarely individuals who stop learning once they achieve success. They continue reading, asking questions, exploring new ideas, and studying subjects far beyond their immediate professional responsibilities. They understand that valuable insights often come from unexpected places.

That mindset is particularly important in technology and entrepreneurship, where industries evolve rapidly and yesterday’s assumptions can quickly become outdated. Leaders who remain curious are often better equipped to recognize change early, identify emerging opportunities, and adapt to new realities before others do.

Curiosity also encourages creativity because innovation frequently comes from connecting ideas across different fields. Someone who studies history, science, engineering, economics, philosophy, or human behavior may see patterns and opportunities that are invisible to people who think only within the boundaries of their own industry.

Many of the world’s most influential innovators shared this quality. They were not only experts in one discipline; they were deeply interested in how different systems, industries, and ideas intersected. That broader perspective helped them approach problems differently and challenge conventional thinking.

Just as importantly, curiosity creates humility. The more people learn, the more they recognize how much there is still left to understand. That mindset encourages leaders to keep improving, to listen carefully to others, and to remain open to new information and perspectives.

In a business environment increasingly dominated by speed and constant distraction, maintaining intellectual curiosity requires intentional effort. It means making time to read, to think, to explore unfamiliar subjects, and to continue learning even when schedules become demanding.

The benefits, however, are significant. Curious people tend to become more adaptable, more informed, and more capable of navigating complexity. They are often better problem-solvers because they approach challenges with a broader base of knowledge and a greater willingness to question assumptions.

Most importantly, curiosity helps keep people moving forward. It creates the desire not only to succeed, but also to understand, to discover, and to continue growing over time.

No matter how much experience a person acquires, there is always more to learn. The leaders who recognize that often place themselves in the strongest position to innovate, adapt, and succeed over the long term.

Elliott Broidy is the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Broidy Capital Holdings, LLC, a private equity investment firm specializing in AI-driven public safety software. He is also the Co-Chair of the Fund to End Antisemitism, Extremism and Hate which supports the Auschwitz Research Center on Hate, Extremism and Radicalization (ARCHER) at House 88, an initiative of The Counter Extremism Project.

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June 11 2026

Double Down on Your Customers When It Matters Most

Adminblogs business, customer service, customers, Elliott Broidy, leadership, success, trust 0

By Elliott Broidy

Economic cycles are a constant. Periods of expansion create opportunity and momentum, while downturns introduce caution and scrutiny. But across every cycle, one principle remains steady: strong businesses are built on strong relationships.

When conditions tighten, customers don’t disappear. They become more thoughtful. Every decision carries more weight. Every purchase is measured not just by price, but by confidence. In those moments, what buyers are thinking is: “Do I trust that the person trying to sell me this product is telling me the truth?”

That shift creates an opening for businesses that understand where their true value lies. It’s not in chasing every new opportunity or casting the widest net. It’s in reinforcing the relationships that already exist.

The companies that perform best in uncertain times are the ones that stay close to their customers. They listen more carefully. They respond more quickly. They make it easier to do business, not harder. They anticipate needs instead of waiting for problems to arise.

This approach requires discipline. It means prioritizing long-term relationships over short-term wins. It means investing time and attention into service, communication, and consistency. Those may not always be the most visible investments, but they are the ones customers remember.

Reliability becomes a differentiator. When others pull back, consistency stands out. When options feel uncertain, familiarity carries weight. Customers gravitate toward businesses that have proven, over time, that they will deliver.

There is also a compounding effect to this kind of focus. When customers feel supported, they stay. When they stay, they deepen their engagement. And when that engagement deepens, they become advocates, extending your reputation far beyond what any marketing effort can achieve on its own.

Serving existing customers well is not a defensive strategy. It is a growth strategy. It builds resilience into the business. It creates a foundation that can support expansion when conditions improve.

The instinct during challenging periods is often to look outward, searching for new paths to revenue. There is value in that. But the more enduring path is often closer than it seems.

The customers you already have are not just transactions. They are relationships built over time, grounded in experience. When those relationships are strengthened with intention, they become one of the most reliable sources of stability and growth a business can have.

In every economic environment, trust is the asset that matters most.

Elliott Broidy is the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Broidy Capital Holdings, LLC, a private equity investment firm specializing in AI-driven public safety software. He is also the Co-Chair of the Fund to End Antisemitism, Extremism and Hate which supports the Auschwitz Research Center on Hate, Extremism and Radicalization (ARCHER) at House 88, an initiative of The Counter Extremism Project.

Originally published at https://www.linkedin.com.

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June 1 2026

Why Listening Is an Underrated Leadership Skill

Adminblogs business, competitive advantage, Elliott Broidy, Entrepreneurship, leadership, listening, success 0

By Elliott Broidy

Leadership is often associated with decisiveness, vision, and communication. We celebrate leaders who can command a room, inspire a team, or make difficult decisions under pressure. But one of the most important leadership skills is also one of the least discussed: the ability to listen.

In business and in life, many people listen only long enough to respond. They approach conversations focused on what they want to say next, rather than truly understanding what the other person is trying to communicate. Over time, this creates blind spots. It limits learning, weakens relationships, and causes leaders to miss important signals from employees, customers, partners, and even competitors.

The best leaders I have known are often the best listeners.

Listening is not passive. It requires discipline, patience, and intellectual humility. It means being willing to hear perspectives that challenge your assumptions. It means asking thoughtful questions instead of rushing to conclusions. And it means recognizing that good ideas can come from anywhere inside an organization, not just from the top.

In fast-moving industries, leaders who fail to listen often become disconnected from reality. They surround themselves with people who tell them what they want to hear. They lose touch with customers. They miss changes in the market. By the time they recognize the problem, competitors have already moved ahead.

Strong listening skills also build trust. Employees want to feel heard. Customers want to know their concerns matter. Partners want confidence that their viewpoints are taken seriously. People are far more likely to support a leader when they believe that leader genuinely values their input, even when disagreements exist.

Listening is especially important during periods of uncertainty or crisis. In those moments, leaders are often under pressure to project confidence and move quickly. But some of the worst decisions are made when leaders stop listening altogether. The ability to gather information, absorb competing viewpoints, and remain open to new facts is critical to navigating complexity effectively.

There is another benefit to listening that is often overlooked: it improves judgment. The more perspectives you understand, the more informed your decisions become. Listening broadens your understanding of people, markets, and institutions in ways that no spreadsheet or presentation can fully capture.

Leadership is not about having all the answers. No one does. The most effective leaders continue learning throughout their careers, and learning begins with listening.

In a world full of noise, people who truly listen stand out. And in many cases, that quiet skill is what separates good leaders from great ones.

Elliott Broidy is the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Broidy Capital Holdings, LLC, a private equity investment firm specializing in AI-driven public safety software. He is also the Co-Chair of the Fund to End Antisemitism, Extremism and Hate which supports the Auschwitz Research Center on Hate, Extremism and Radicalization (ARCHER) at House 88, an initiative of The Counter Extremism Project.

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May 6 2026

Your Word Is Your Brand

Adminblogs branding, business, consistency, Elliott Broidy, Entrepreneurship, reputation, success, trust 0

By Elliott Broidy

Your word is a contract that doesn’t need a lawyer.

That idea may sound outdated in a world defined by fine print, negotiated carveouts, and carefully structured exit clauses. But in practice, it has only grown more valuable. When everything is hedged, qualified, and contingent, the rare individual who simply does what they said they would do stands out immediately.

Too often today, commitments are treated as flexible. Deadlines slip without much notice, expectations shift midstream, and agreements are framed in ways that leave room for reinterpretation. Over time, that mindset creates friction in places where there should be momentum. It slows decision-making, complicates partnerships, and introduces unnecessary uncertainty into even straightforward transactions.

The people who operate differently tend to move faster and build stronger relationships. They take their commitments seriously, not as aspirational statements but as obligations. When they say something will be done, it gets done. If circumstances change, they address it directly and early, rather than allowing small issues to become larger problems. There is a clarity to how they operate that others come to rely on.

In my experience, that kind of reliability compounds. When people know your word is solid, they stop second-guessing. Conversations become more efficient because less time is spent managing risk. Opportunities surface more quickly because there is confidence on the other side of the table. Over time, that trust becomes an asset in its own right.

That is why I view reliability as one of the most powerful forms of differentiation-arguably the most powerful. Strategies can be replicated and products can be improved upon, but a reputation for consistency and follow-through cannot be duplicated. It shapes how others evaluate you before a conversation even begins.

Of course, no one gets everything right all the time. What matters is how you respond when something falls short. Taking ownership, correcting the issue, and reinforcing the standard going forward does more to build credibility than avoiding mistakes altogether, because without risk there can’t be success.

Ultimately, your word is more than a statement of intent. It reflects how you approach your work and the level of respect you have for the people you engage with. Over time, that consistency defines your reputation-and determines the opportunities that come your way.

Elliott Broidy is the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Broidy Capital Holdings, LLC, a private equity investment firm specializing in AI-driven public safety software. He is also the Co-Chair of the Fund to End Antisemitism, Extremism and Hate which supports the Auschwitz Research Center on Hate, Extremism and Radicalization (ARCHER) at House 88, an initiative of The Counter Extremism Project.

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May 4 2026

Envy is a Waste of Energy. Build, Don’t Compare.

Adminblogs business, discipline, Elliott Broidy, Entrepreneurship, focus, success 0

By Elliott Broidy

Envy is one of the most unproductive, insidious habits we allow to take root in our thinking. It consumes attention, distorts perspective, and quietly redirects energy away from the only place it can make a difference: our own work. It fixates on outcomes while ignoring the process that produced them.

It is easy to look at someone else’s success and see only the finished product. The recognition, the wealth, the influence, the apparent ease. What is rarely visible is the long stretch of effort that came before it. The early mornings when no one was watching. The failed attempts that never made it into the story. The discipline required to keep going when the future was uncertain and results were far from guaranteed.

The harvest is always more visible than the planting.

When envy takes hold, it encourages a passive posture. It keeps your attention fixed outward, measuring your position against someone else’s results. That comparison does nothing to move you forward. It creates frustration without offering a path to improvement. It is a loop that leads nowhere. I would argue that it is disastrous for one’s mental health and overall well-being.

A more useful approach is to shift the focus from what someone has to how they got there. Success leaves clues, but only for those willing to study it honestly. That means looking beyond the surface and examining the habits, decisions, and tradeoffs that made the outcome possible. It means recognizing the sustained, deliberate effort over time that went into the successful outcome.

This kind of focus requires humility. It asks you to accept that achievement is rarely accidental and almost never immediate. It also requires responsibility. If you want a similar result, you must be willing to adopt the behaviors that lead to it, even when they are difficult or inconvenient.

There is also a quieter benefit to letting go of envy. It clears mental space. It allows you to concentrate fully on your own path, your own opportunities, and your own standards. Progress becomes a function of your actions rather than your comparisons. Over time, that shift compounds.

Everyone has access to the same fundamental choice. You can spend your energy resenting what others have built, or you can invest that energy in building something of your own. One path leads to stagnation. The other, while demanding, offers the only real chance at growth.

The work is always in the sowing. The results follow from there.

Elliott Broidy is an entrepreneur who has used his extensive experience and talent to found, invest in, and in some cases manage as CEO more than 160 companies over his four-decade career. He has given extensively to support the Jewish community and other causes during his career. He currently is the Co-Chair of the Fund to End Antisemitism, Extremism and Hate which supports the Auschwitz Research Center on Hate, Extremism and Radicalization (ARCHER) at House 88, an initiative of The Counter Extremism Project.