Showing Up

There will be times, as a leader, when you don’t know what to do--when it seems like there’s nothing you can do. Events will conspire to set you up for failure. People will blame you for things that aren’t your fault, that you can’t control, that you can’t fix. You will find yourself in the middle of a dumpster fire with no way to put it out.

At times like these, there’s only one thing you can do: show up.

Fight the urge to make excuses, or point fingers, or hide behind your office door. Just show up.

Listen hard (and it will be hard), and then listen some more. Be honest, and kind, and as calm as you can manage. But most of all, be there. Be with your people, where they are.

Sooner or later things will shift. Options will emerge, even if they aren’t great ones. Doors will open. And when the right one does, you’re going to have to lead people through it. You can only do that if you show up.