CONFRONT THE BRUTAL FACTS

*Facts are better than dreams

When it came to making tough decisions the good‐to‐great companies infused the entire process with the brutal facts of reality. When your honest about your situation the solutions are generally self evident.

*Create a culture where people have an opportunity to be heard

Don’t focus on motivating people through the vision, get the right people on the bus and share with them the finding of the company. The best way to de‐motivate people is to hold out false hope.

*4 Basic principles in creating the culture

1. Lead with questions not answers

Use questions for one and one reason, to gain understanding. Don’t question to manipulate or place blame

2. Engage in dialog and debate, not coercion

Create intense dialog, don’t use discussions as a sham process to people buy in to a predetermined decision.

3. Conduct autopsies, without blame

When you conduct autopsies without blame, you go a long way toward creating a climate where the truth is heard

4. Build red flag mechanisms

Turn information into information that can’t be ignored

*Unwavering Faith amid the Brutal Facts

Darwin Smith of Kimberly‐Clark stated on taking on Proctor & Gamble, “We will never give up. We will never capitulate. It might take a long time, but we will find a way to prevail.”

*The Stockdale Paradox

“You must never lose faith that you will prevail in the end‐which you can never afford to lose‐with the disciple to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they me be.” Admiral Jim Stockdale, prisoner of war 1965 – 1973, tortured over 20 times.

Retain faith that you will prevail in the end, regardless of the difficulties. And at the same time, confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be.