The Price of Leadership

The price feels high because…

  • We might be held responsible

  • We might be judged for our lack of experience

  • We might be called out as frauds

  • We might fail

Fear of the unknown, the uncertain outcome, is the price we pay for leading change…and for being on the hook. Some things we can do to mitigate the fear…

  • Enroll others in the journey…before we set out. Persuasion is the magic of leadership. But it’s a learned skill and requires a lot of practice.

  • Plan for failure and setbacks…decide what to do with our fear before it actually arrives. We know how challenging our trip is going to be if we choose to fly the day before Thanksgiving. So, no need being frustrated when the event actually happens.

  • Develop allies…help others get where they are going. Or help others find somewhere to go. Enrollment is much easier this way.

Making things better comes at a price. It’s an exchange of fear and possibility. Leaders understand this trade and actually seek the discomfort which comes with the unknown. They know the best outcomes always pass through fear. They’ve just learned how to handle it.

The alternative…apathy, stagnation or letting things get worse might feel better today. But it’s so much more expensive in the long-run.

Choose wisely…and thank you for choosing. Happy Thanksgiving.