Breaking down The Give a Damn System 💪

Last month, I spent a few days in Old Fort, North Carolina, leading a Leadership Offsite for one of my partner organizations, Fire-Dex.

Founded over 40 years ago by Bill Burke, Fire-Dex is a family-owned company that creates PPE for first responders and is a national leader in safety innovation.

Now led by Bill’s daughters, Lauren and Taylor, Fire-Dex has grown tremendously, but it hasn’t lost its heart.

And that heart? It started with Bill 🤍

Bill probably has a million and one things on his plate. But you know what he did?

He attended the entire offsite, and not just for an hour. He was present. He participated. He engaged in every single activity and conversation.

He even knows every team member’s work anniversary and texts them personally on their birthdays.

Most business owners can barely keep up with their families, let alone their entire organization. But Bill clearly built a system around showing up. And not performatively—it’s clear he genuinely enjoys it.

His presence gave energy to the room.

That’s the part that stuck with me about this offsite: you can’t fake that kind of care.

So today, put on your Bill hat. Engage with someone new. Send a “you amaze me” text. Check in where it counts. With it, you’re creating your legacy.

The Give a Damn System

Bill’s example was made possible by a few simple practices. Let’s walk through a framework I call “The Give a Damn System” to help you lead like you actually care (because you do, obviously!!).

Care first, calendar second. Schedule the important things that relate to the people you work with, just like you would in your personal life like check-ins, anniversaries, milestones, etc. so they actually happen.

Stay curious. Ask questions about people’s lives and remember the answers. Stop thinking it’s small talk and make it about REAL connection instead.

Write it down. Don’t rely on memory. Keep a “People Notes” doc or notebook for things that matter to those around you. I love using my Notes App for this.

Reach out when it matters. You can’t text every day, but you can text when it counts. Recognition beats repetition.

Protect your energy. Boundaries aren’t barriers, they’re what make sustained care possible. Bill was a perfect example of how leadership isn’t about grand gestures, it’s about genuine consistency in how we are present for those around us.

That’s the difference between checking the box and actually giving a damn.

Leadership Lessons from Ted Lasso

Ted Lasso might be fictional, but he’s another great example of The Give a Damn System in action.

⚽️ He bakes homemade biscuits for his boss.

⚽️ He remembers what matters to each of his players.

⚽️ He celebrates people for who they are, not just what they produce.

Talk about intentional connection.

Haven’t seen Ted Lasso? It’s the story of a coach who knows nothing about soccer but everything about people and shows that heart is the most underrated leadership skill.

Both Bill and Ted remind us that people remember how you make them feel far longer than anything else.

Now go out there & give a damn,

-Brittany