Blog 13: STOMP – The Gospel of Grit in Leadership

STOMP: The Gospel of Grit and Emotional Intelligence in Leadership

Discover how grit and emotional intelligence fuel resilient leadership. Learn why leaders must “stomp” with purpose when the vision is clear but the road is messy.

For Those Who Think My Storytelling’s Gone Too Far…

You ain’t heard nothin’ yet.

This week, I’m writing about STOMP—the gospel of grit in leadership. Because when the vision is clear, but the road gets messy… you don’t tiptoe.

You stomp.

From Gospel to Grit

“For those of you that think that gospel music has gone too far… you ain’t heard nothin’ yet.”
—Kirk Franklin, Stomp

In Franklin’s groundbreaking anthem, Stomp wasn’t just music. It was a declaration. A joyful act of resistance. A refusal to be silenced by struggle.

It turned pain into praise. Fatigue into fire. Challenge into choreography.

At SemitaCor, we believe that same energy belongs in leadership.

Because let’s be real: we’re leading in uncertain times.
🌍 Wars and rumors of wars.
💸 Financial pressure and economic uncertainty.
⚖️ Cultural division and political chaos.
🤖 And yes—massive technological disruption. (We see you, AI.)

In seasons like this, many leaders freeze. They wait for calm before they move. But that’s not what great leaders do.

Grit: The Endurance Behind the Rhythm

Psychologist Angela Duckworth defines grit as passion and perseverance for long-term goals. Not instant success. Not overnight confidence. Not a perfect plan.

Just the commitment to keep showing up. To get knocked down—and still bring the beat.

Grit isn’t flashy. It’s not always loud. But when you stomp with it, every step says:

• I’m not done yet.
  
  

That kind of stomp can:

• Get a team back on its feet
  
  

• Shake the dust off a stale vision
  
  

• Remind everyone: we still have purpose, and we’re still in motion
  
  

And here’s the business case: 90% of top performers score high in emotional intelligence, and leaders who combine grit with EQ outperform revenue targets by 15–20%. When you stomp with both purpose and awareness, you don’t just endure—you excel.

What It Means to Stomp as a Leader

Stomping is movement with intention. It’s not about pretending things are easy. It’s about choosing to lead anyway.

You stomp when the vision is clear, but the road is messy.
You stomp when your team is watching to see if you’ll flinch.
You stomp when quitting feels easier, but purpose says: Not yet.

Leadership doesn’t always look graceful. But it can be powerful. And it can be real.

At SemitaCor, we help leaders rediscover that rhythm through coaching, emotional intelligence, and values-rooted clarity. We don’t promise ease. We build endurance.

Because grit with purpose? That’s a beat worth moving to.

And leaders who stomp invite others to join the rhythm.

Your Turn

Want to assess where you need to stomp and where you need to breathe? Email me “Margin” in the subject at info@semitacor.com and I’ll send you the Leadership Margin Toolkit.