At the end of the article, the author explains that leaders move slowly, more slowly than they otherwise could, to allow their small changes to pay off before a

At the end of the article, the author explains that leaders move slowly, more slowly than they otherwise could, to allow their small changes to pay off before asking for more, thereby earning them more leadership capital. Which I think makes your point. Perhaps your disagreement is purely around the term capital. You may not realize that, in finance, the term capital implies that it is there to be invested. Good point about differing levels of trust between individuals, as opposed to groups. It's a nuance the article doesn't really broach.