#50 - Who are your trusted advisors?
26 Feb 25
Being a leader is exhilarating. It can also be the loneliest place on earth when the going gets tough.
Being able to rely on a group of trusted individuals is absolutely key to success. Their ability to lend an ear, and to provide you with reassurance through objective 'sanity checking' of your position is absolutely priceless. This is also true in terms of the boost that they will give to your confidence, and tenacity and drive to succeed.
Who is in your 'war cabinet'?
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#50 - Who are your trusted advisors?
What?
There will undoubtedly be some occasions throughout your tenure as a leader where you will have to raise your head above the parapet. You know the type of occasions that I am referring to?
The ones where you feel that you have been asked to cross a red line, where your professional integrity is at stake, or where you need to stand firm on your professional opinion.
These occasions can be pretty uncomfortable, feel unfair and unjust. Especially so where you begin to think that you are the singular voice of reason, amidst a crowd of others who may not share your view.
It's a lonely place to be. The weight of the world feels like it is resting on your shoulders. Every conversation is draining, as successive people try to sway, influence, or even coerce your thought process to where they think it should be.
So who do you turn to for impartial advice? Who is your unofficial war cabinet that you are able to draw upon?
Why?
The 'why' for this is pretty clear cut in my view, especially if you are operating in a workplace which could be construed as a hostile environment.
The problem is, nobody realises that they are operating in such an environment until such time as a contentious issue arises.
Only when you actually show the moral courage to stand your ground and stick up for what you believe in can this become plainly evident.
You will feel a need to 'sanity check' your position, just in case you may have misread the situation. You may start to doubt your judgement, and your confidence ultimately takes a knock.
This is where your 'war cabinet' comes into its own.
How?
In most cases, it is wise to assemble such a body of trusted people before you find yourself inn the midst of a crisis. This is because you won't be thinking logically, and will feel extremely vulnerable.
In most cases, people default to those outside the work environment. Whilst this would provide objectivity in terms of collective opinion, this approach runs the risk of not fully undertanding the nub of the issue.
Far better to select people who already sit within your organisation and who will have an understanding of operating context, personalities and the culture of the organisation.
This knowledge is priceless and, due to their geographical location and availability, will provide you with immediate relief when the going gets tough (as it undoubtedly will!).
Assemble your team wisely based on experience, judgement and professional acumen.
But most importantly, select them based on trust.
'Loose lips sink ships' is a saying that goes back a long way to World War 2. If the war cabinet is not watertight in terms of discretion and trust, it will undermine the very war you intend to win!
In Summary
I hope that you enjoyed reading this newsletter and that it has given you food for thought.
Standing up for what you believe in is brave and uncomfortable. It is also the right thing to do. A band of trusted advisors with an ear to listen non-judgementally may be all that is required to help you see your challenge through to a successful conclusion.
Choose wisely!
Have a great week!
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