Page 69 - Fearless Leadership

56 FEARLESS LEADERSHIP

erate a high level of ambivalence, most people cannot. What others want
from you are clarity and timely decisions that allow them to successfully
execute their accountabilities. (In Chapter 5, we explore how to take a
bold stand and unite, mobilize, and inspire others to action.)

Blind Spot 10: Tolerating “Good Enough”
Most leaders do not recognize when they are tolerating or settling for less.
One reason this occurs is the natural tendency to focus on an individual
area of interest or expertise. The upshot is the leaders unintentionally mar-
ginalize important areas and stamp them as “good enough.” The draw-
back is that leaders pour their efforts into initiatives of their choice and
abdicate areas of less compelling interest to others. In accepting good as
“good enough,” leaders inadvertently settle for the status quo or incremen-
tal reforms. This automatic drift results in the lack of exploration of new
ideas and initiatives outside a leader’s comfort zone.
This explains why cultural transformation is widely misunderstood and
why often the business value is discounted. It stands to reason that unless
a leader has experience or competency in the science of human behav-
ior, this area appears to be a quagmire with no end in sight. For many lead-
ers, this uncharted territory looks risky and disconnected from the
organization’s strategic objectives. Tolerating “good enough” is an avoid-
ance behavior that keeps leaders safely pursuing familiar paths, even when
they are ineffective.

Symptoms of Tolerating “Good Enough”
• Avoiding the discomfort of uncharted territory
• Not willing to investigate or explore needed changes outside of
one’s comfort zone
• Sitting back and being content with things as they are
• Defending the status quo
• Accepting incremental improvement as “good enough”

Steve, a CEO with employees worldwide, had an investment banking
background with an expertise in mergers and acquisitions. He acquired
businesses quicker than they could be readily assimilated into the orga-