172. The Courage to Disappoint, a Quick Conversation with Tod Bolsinger and Markus Watson

Spiritual Life and Leadership

Tod Bolsinger and Markus Watson reflect on a quote from Rich Stearns focusing on courageious leadership, which often means disappointing your own people at a rate they can absorb. The conversation highlights the importance of leaders calling people to their better selves and standing up for what is right, even if it means facing challenges from within their own tribe. Tod Bolsinger also shares his insights on how to develop courage through healthy relationships with partners, friends, and mentors.
Tod Bolsinger and Markus Watson discuss this quote from Rich Stearns in Episode 105: Courageous Leadership.
"Leaders have to make difficult decisions and difficult decisions require courage."
Ep. 105 is a conversation about Rich Stearns' book, Lead Like it Matters to God.
TIMESTAMPS:
[00:01:12] Leadership requires the courage to disappoint your own people in order to fulfill the mission and make necessary changes.
[00:03:28] Leaders must lead people through a process of transformation; without change, they are not needed. To reach the promised land, transformation took 40 years for Moses's people, but he had to be faithful and pass it down to the next generations. Leadership today requires courage to call on the better nature of people and lead them through transformation.
Q&A:
1. What challenges can people-pleasers face when they need to disappoint others, particularly their friends?
Answer: People-pleasers can struggle with the fear of hurting their friends, and may feel an extra sense of obligation to keep them happy.
2. How can people develop courage?
Answer: Surrounding oneself with supportive and encouraging individuals who prioritize the mission over the individual can help develop courage.
3. What is the role of disappointing people in adaptive leadership?
Answer: Adaptive leadership involves making tough decisions that may disappoint one's own people for the sake of achieving a larger goal or mission.
4. How can courage help in leadership?
Answer: Courage is essential in leadership, as it allows leaders to call people to their better selves and stand up for what is right, even if it means facing challenges from their own community.
5. What can "partners" and "friends" offer leaders in challenging situations?
Answer: Partners should be more committed to the mission than to the individual, while friends should care about the person but be willing to provide honest feedback.
6. What is the role of mentors in leadership?
Answer: Mentors play a vital role in helping leaders be the best they can be in service of the larger mission.
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