Tom Hanks once shared a story that’s stuck with me ever since I heard it. He was on a movie set when a director absolutely lost it on an actor who showed up late, unprepared, and seemingly checked out. Instead of a long lecture about professionalism, the director boiled it down to three simple requirements: “I need three things from you: show up on time, know your lines, and have a take.”
That third one – “have a take” – meant coming to set with an idea about your character, a point of view, something to contribute beyond just hitting your marks.
The more I thought about it, the more I realized these three principles aren’t just about acting. They’re a perfect roadmap for anyone who leads or coaches others. Whether you’re managing a team, mentoring someone new, or just trying to be the kind of person others want to work with, these fundamentals never go out of style.
Let’s start with the obvious one. Showing up on time seems basic, but it’s really about respect – for other people’s time, for the work itself, and for the commitment you’ve made. When leaders are consistently late to meetings or miss deadlines, they’re sending a message that everyone else’s time isn’t valuable.
But here’s the thing – showing up on time is just the entry fee. The real magic happens when you show up fully present. You know the difference. We’ve all been in meetings where someone’s physically there but mentally scrolling through their phone or thinking about their next appointment. That’s not really showing up.
When you’re Coaching someone, being present means putting down the phone, closing the laptop, and giving them your full attention. It’s like being a good friend who actually listens when you’re talking, rather than just waiting for their turn to speak.
Think about the best boss or mentor you’ve ever had. I bet they had this quality – when you were with them, you felt like you were the only person in the world who mattered at that moment. That’s the kind of presence that makes people want to bring their best effort.
In acting, knowing your lines means you’ve done your homework. You’re not winging it or hoping to figure it out in the moment. For leaders, “knowing your lines” means understanding your role, your team, and the situation you’re walking into.
This doesn’t mean having all the answers – that’s impossible and honestly, pretty annoying when leaders pretend they do. Instead, it means doing the work to understand the context. If you’re coaching someone through a problem, you’ve thought about their strengths, their challenges, and what success looks like for them specifically.
It’s like being a good coach in sports. You don’t just show up and yell “play better!” You study film, you know each player’s tendencies, you understand what the other team is likely to do. You come prepared with a game plan, even knowing it might change once the game starts.
I’ve seen leaders who clearly hadn’t done their homework try to wing important conversations. They ask generic questions, give generic advice, and wonder why nothing changes. Meanwhile, the leaders who make a real difference are the ones who’ve taken time to understand the specific situation and the specific person they’re trying to help.
This third one is where the real leadership happens. Having a take means you don’t just show up and go through the motions. You come with a perspective, an idea, a point of view about how to make things better.
This doesn’t mean being pushy or thinking you always know best. It’s more like being a good conversation partner who brings something valuable to the discussion. When you’re coaching someone, having a take might mean offering a different way to look at their challenge, sharing a story from your own experience that might help, or asking a question that gets them thinking differently.
The best leaders I know are great at this. They don’t just ask “How’s everything going?” and call it coaching. They’ve thought about what this person needs to grow and they bring specific ideas to the conversation. Maybe it’s suggesting they take on a stretch project, or helping them see a pattern in their behavior they haven’t noticed, or connecting them with someone who could help.
It’s like being a good friend who doesn’t just say “that sucks” when you’re struggling, but actually offers a fresh perspective or practical help. They care enough to engage with your situation, not just acknowledge it.
What I Love about these three principles is how they build on each other. Showing up on time creates trust. Being prepared shows respect. Having a take demonstrates that you’re invested in making something good happen.
When you put all three together, you create an environment where people feel valued and supported. They know you’ll be there when you say you will. They trust that you’ve thought about their situation. And they believe you genuinely want to help them succeed.
The beautiful thing is that these principles work whether you’re leading a team of 50 or mentoring one person. They work whether you’ve been in leadership for decades or you’re brand new to it. They’re simple enough to remember but powerful enough to change how people experience working with you.
Here’s what happens when leaders consistently show up on time, come prepared, and bring something valuable to every interaction: other people start doing the same thing. It’s contagious in the best possible way.
When your team sees you taking preparation seriously, they prepare better for meetings. When they see you fully present in conversations, they put their phones away too. When they see you bringing thoughtful ideas to discussions, they start doing their own thinking instead of just waiting to be told what to do.
It’s like the old saying about how you can’t teach someone to be responsible by being irresponsible yourself. People learn more from what they see than from what they hear.
So maybe the next time you’re about to have an important conversation with someone on your team, ask yourself Tom Hanks’ three questions: Am I showing up fully present? Have I done my homework to understand their situation? Do I have something valuable to contribute to this discussion?
If the answer to all three is yes, you’re probably about to have a pretty good conversation. And isn’t that what great leadership is really about – having one good conversation after another until you look up and realize you’ve helped people become the best version of themselves?
That’s what I call having a take worth showing up for.
The post Show Up, Know Your Lines, Have a Take: What Tom Hanks Taught Me About Leadership appeared first on Business Advisor and Executive Coach | Doug Thorpe.
