It’s complex. And so we can’t solve any problem you can’t talk about. And the things that are most difficult to talk about are things that where there’s the potential for conflict that are threatening or embarrassing, and things that are complex. And so we can’t solve any problem we can’t talk to each other about openly and honestly. But as a leader, what is leadership ultimately? Leadership is ultimately, unless you’re thinking about some adequate a notion, is something you do when you’re the authority figure, but something you do beyond your authority, is you see some problem or opportunity that other people aren’t paying sufficient attention to, have found ways to avoid, are struggling to deal with. And now you got to get them to face it and do something about that and support them through a process of taking on those things and making things better. And so what is that but an honest conversation with people, where you’re looking at the truth of things, reality, together? And so this is why I think it’s so critical. And to your point, if you don’t recognize the errors that you make during these critical conversations, which we all do, then it’s very disempowering, Steve, because if you can’t see how you’re contributing to the problems that are frustrating you, then you can’t do anything about it because then it’s now all the problems are outside of you.
It’s this person’s an asshole, this person’s defensive, HR wouldn’t let me do it. There isn’t time. All external excuses. The more you externalize things that are a problem, the less powerful you will feel in being able to deal with them.
