Leadership is Messy

We must be real. Being a leader feels easy when everything is running smoothly and going according to the plan. It’s a lot simpler when your people are communicating well, walking in alignment, and meeting expectations – there's no mess to clean up, and you can do YOUR job.  

But it’s in those times when things get messy due to unpredictable obstacles, a big decision is looming, a human has done something to cause some drama, or your team is anxious and looking to you for answers… that’s when leadership gets real. 

You don’t have to pretend to have it all figured out.  In fact, please don’t.  

Your people don’t need a superhero. They need a steady, honest, grounded leader who can say these 3 things in difficult times: 

1. “Here’s what we know.” 

2. “Here’s what we don’t.” 

3. “Here’s how we’re going to keep moving forward.” 

Uncertainty is part of the job (frankly, our lives). You might be walking through uncertain times right now due to economic or budget constraints, lack of staff, or big problems to solve that are in your way.   

Let your personal and organizational values be your anchor. If you don’t know what those are, let me know and I’ll recommend a fellow coach who walks people through a process of defining those.  

I recommend always starting with empathy and leading with courage, not control. And remind your team that “We’re in this together.” That’s the kind of leadership people trust and will engage with when navigating messy times because they have hope for a better tomorrow, with you leading them through it!  

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I’d love to explore your answers to those questions and how I could serve you and your team. If you're ready to grow your people with intention, build a culture that scales, and lead with clarity, contact Tina.