When our son Malachi asked Nicole how he could get better at art, her advice was simple: devote one focused hour a day to drawing and creating. Since then, our living room has looked a little like a studio—art supplies at the ready—and we’ve watched him grow through steady, intentional practice.

Recently, we visited his school’s art showcase. I’m biased, but Malachi’s abstract cat and flower pieces stopped me in my tracks—the cat’s eyes seemed to meet mine with warmth, and I caught myself studying the layered depth of the flowers for over a minute. He also led a Year 6 team project: a large lion with butterflies—creative, collaborative, and confidently executed.

Last month, he set a new challenge: upgrade the armour for his Mandalorian costume. We’d made a helmet and armour together when he was seven; he’d outgrown it, so he designed and built new pieces from cosplay foam with a silver spray finish. It was a full mini-project—scoping, planning, iterating, and finishing—wrapped into one.

The Leadership Lesson: Consistency Compounds

What Malachi is practising in art is what high-performing professionals practise in their craft:

  • Consistency over intensity: Small, steady efforts—every day—outperform sporadic bursts.
  • Deliberate practice: Focused, feedback-informed reps aimed at specific skills move the dial.
  • Deep work windows: Protected time without distraction builds the quality that busy schedules erode.
  • Grit in action: Perseverance through the unglamorous middle is where capability becomes mastery.

For leaders, this isn’t just about personal excellence—it shapes team culture. When you model disciplined practice, you set expectations around quality, cadence, and growth. Your people learn that progress is designed, not accidental.

Make It Practical: The 60-Minute Cadence

Try this rhythm for the next 21 days:

  1. Choose one capability to advance (e.g., strategic writing, stakeholder communication, data storytelling, coaching conversations).
  2. Schedule a daily 60-minute block in a distraction-free environment (phones down, inbox closed).
  3. Define a tight objective per session (e.g., “draft the opening narrative,” “rehearse the Q&A,” “build one analytic visual”).
  4. Capture feedback and iterate (what worked, what to refine tomorrow).
  5. Show your working to a peer or mentor weekly to compound learning.

Reflection Prompts for You and Your Team

  • Where would one hour a day produce the most leverage in your role?
  • Which skill, if levelled up this quarter, would lift the performance of your whole team?
  • What guardrails (calendar blocks, norms, accountability) will keep these hours sacred?

Proud of you, Malachi—keep making, keep learning, keep showing up.
Leaders: what will you devote yourself to daily so you can hone your craft?

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