Take the Pain Early

Have you ever avoided making a change because it felt too hard to endure the discomfort required to make it happen? As I sat through the sometimes tedious process of having my hair dyed purple, I realized that many of the changes we want to create involve sacrifice or discomfort—in my case, sitting in the hairdresser’s chair for up to four hours. Halfway through, I looked in the mirror and thought, "Sometimes things need to get worse before they can get better." 

This thought can apply to many aspects of leadership. Whether it’s having a difficult conversation with a poorly behaving team member, making the tough decision that someone needs to move on, or restructuring the organization to ensure future success—these are decisions I often see leaders postponing. 

One of the most powerful lessons I’ve learned in life is to take the pain early. As a child, I quickly realized that the sooner I ate the food I didn’t want, the sooner the trauma of it would be over. As a young manager, I learned that speaking up early—whether with team members or colleagues I was struggling to work with—was key to resolving issues before they grew into bigger problems. 

If you struggle with engaging in sensitive or high-stakes conversations, know that addressing them sooner rather than later will increase the likelihood of a positive outcome. Hoping that things will improve on their own is a naive approach. In my experience, the longer issues are left unaddressed or emotions are allowed to build, the more difficult the conversation will become. 

The simple truth is that if you want your team to thrive, you must step up and face the challenges head-on. While it’s true that some situations may require a period of discomfort, it’s only by stepping forward that you and your team can move toward the success you need.