Leaders are able to inspire others to achieve a worthy mission and are willing to assume gains and losses associated with that mission.
Courageous decisions almost always have associated losses. Some losses can be anticipated. Others cannot.
Because we usually have to choose among imperfect alternatives, commitment to the greater goal often produces known, negative, second-order outcomes that can be anticipated.
Further, these losses are often discussed among the leadership team ahead of time.
If you aren't ready to lose, you aren't ready to lead.
Even though the loss was both highly probable and known-in-advance, I've observed a pattern of leaders still being caught off guard when those losses do occur.
Giving in to the organizational anxiety caused by the loss, rather than recalling the expectation of loss associated with achieving the mission, these leaders abandon the calm, steady presence the organization needs from them to resolve these predictable problems. Sadly, trying to fix these types of problems is often the thing that prevents the organization from achieving the mission.
What do you do when anticipated losses that were known and accepted at the time of the decision occur? Are you able to weather the storm, remembering that achieving the greater good involves the reality of loss?
If not, you aren’t ready to lose. If you aren't ready to lose, you aren't ready to lead.
