After four decades in leadership, Dave thought he'd seen it all. Then he realized he'd been asking the wrong question the entire time.

From his first disastrous day as an assistant manager to building healthcare teams, Dave chronicles the leadership moments that made him wonder: "Is this normal?" The employee who called out his fake open-door policy. The tattooed Marine he almost didn't hire. The stellar performer terminated while hiding domestic abuse. The team that couldn't function without their firefighter leader.

Through stories that are equal parts cringe-worthy and enlightening, Dave reveals uncomfortable truths most leadership books won't tell you: feeling uncertain doesn't disqualify you from leading—it qualifies you as human. The moments when you feel most lost are often when you're learning the most. Great leadership isn't about having all the answers; it's about asking better questions and being brave enough to hear honest responses.

Each chapter unpacks a common leadership failure through real experience, showing how spectacular awkwardness became opportunities for growth. With insights from Marcus Buckingham, Craig Groeschel, and Simon Sinek woven throughout, this isn't a prescriptive manual—it's an honest conversation about what leadership actually feels like.

Whether you're a new supervisor wondering if everyone else got a leadership manual you missed, or a seasoned manager questioning your latest decision, this book offers reassurance that your struggles are normal and your willingness to keep learning is what makes you worth following.

For anyone who's ever hidden in a bathroom after a leadership disaster: you're not alone, you're not failing, and yes—this is completely normal.