09/07/2026
THE FIRST TEN MINUTES�The Moment Leadership Reveals Itself
A problem enters the room.
A deadline was missed.�A customer is unhappy.�A team dropped the ball.�A student is struggling.�A family disagreement erupts.
Then the clock starts.
What happens in the first ten minutes may tell you more about leadership than ten months of speeches, mission statements, titles, or strategic plans.
Do people protect themselves?
Assign blame?
Explain why it wasn’t their responsibility?
Or does someone ask:
What actually happened?�What part of this can I own?�What needs to happen next?
That difference is at the heart of The THINKER Method™.
Leadership is not revealed when everything is going according to plan.
Leadership reveals itself when pressure enters the room.
The THINKER Method™ is built around seven principles:
Take Ownership • Honor Principles • Identify the Real Problem • Navigate Challenges Strategically • Keep Learning • Execute Consistently • Review & Refine
The principles are simple.
Practicing them when you are frustrated, disappointed, criticized, tired, or uncertain is the real test.
The 24-Hour THINKER Challenge
For the next 24 hours, pay attention to every complaint you hear — especially your own.
Then ask three questions:
What is the real problem?�What part of this can I own?�What is the next intelligent action?
You may be surprised by what changes.
“The first ten minutes after a problem appears may reveal more about leadership than the previous ten months of speeches.” — James W. Jenkins
Read THE FIRST TEN MINUTES: The Moment Leadership Reveals Itself at:
thethinkermethod.org
James W. Jenkins�Award-Winning Author • Entrepreneur • Creator�Creator of The THINKER Method™
Stop Complaining. Start Thinking.™�Transform Minds. Build Leaders. Create Legacies.™