| wade.thomas@aimtowinllc.com | Wed, Sep 10, 3:01 AM | ||
to me | |||
Diane sat at her desk, staring at the numbers.
One of her department heads had been underperforming for months. Missed deadlines. Slipping standards. Team morale crumbling. Everyone saw it — but Diane kept hoping things would turn around.
“I feel like letting him go will create more disruption than keeping him,” she admitted when she met with Jack.
Jack leaned in. “Or maybe keeping him is what’s creating the disruption. What’s the cost of waiting?”
Diane paused. The truth was obvious. Her team was already paying the price. The best people were restless, her credibility was slipping, and the problem was growing heavier by the week.
“So what do I do?” she asked.
“You stop thinking about avoiding pain,” Jack said (while the tune to Hurts So Good tumbles through his mind). “Start thinking about what future you’re willing to fight for. A clean decision now is painful. But dragging it out is worse for everyone — especially you.”
The next day, Diane made the call. It wasn’t easy. But the moment she did, her team exhaled. Energy returned. Projects started moving again. And Diane realized something: leadership isn’t about protecting people from discomfort. It’s about protecting them from the suffering that comes from indecision.
P.S. If you’re facing a tough decision and need a sounding board, let’s talk → https://links.ascentbyaimtowin.com/widget/bookings/121-appt