Dear, Fair Weather Leader

Happy Thursday,

Let me tell you about Melissa, who has been living rent-free in my head for years. She was one of the highest-potential emerging executives I've ever come across. Ironically, Melissa left the company on a formal performance-management warning due to her lack of leadership. Her story is far more common among emerging leaders than you might imagine.

🧠 LEARN something.

Melissa was one of our superstars when I was leading a corporate function. She was intelligent, hardworking and genuinely cared about people. She asked great questions, was always looking to improve, and had a level of self-awareness that many leaders never develop. If there was a leadership course, she'd be sitting in the front row taking notes. If there was a new challenge, she'd volunteer first. I genuinely had her earmarked for bigger things in the company. There was just one problem. Melissa was a fair-weather leader. When leadership was needed most, when things became difficult, inconvenient or risky, Melissa went missing in action. Of course, she knew exactly what to do. She knew why it mattered. She knew she was expected to do it. She just didn't do it. Looking back, I don't think Melissa was the exception. That experience stuck with me. Years later, I wrote an essay on the exact topic titled When Leadership Comes Calling, Will You Answer?"

One of the biggest myths in leadership is that capability and desire automatically lead to action. They don't. Leadership failures are rarely caused by people who don't know what to do. More often, they're caused by people who do know, have the experience, and still choose not to step up when it matters. When taking action carries uncertainty or social risk, our brains naturally favour doing nothing. In leadership, that risk is rarely physical. It's the risk of upsetting someone, damaging a relationship, hurting your reputation, looking unpopular, or simply making today uncomfortable. The irony is that leadership only really creates value in moments when it costs you something, and yet you choose to do it anyway. If giving the feedback is easy, if making the decision is comfortable, or if standing up for someone carries no risk, almost anyone can do it. Leadership earns its name in the moments where comfort and responsibility collide. That's when leaders are needed most. Anyone can be a fair-weather leader. The world has enough of those.

🤔 REFLECT on an idea.

The call to leadership won't come with a notification or a clear sign. More often, it arrives disguised as an awkward conversation, an uncomfortable decision, or a moment where doing the right thing comes at a personal cost. Those are the moments that define your leadership far more than your title ever will.

😊 SMILE a little.

Everyone's a leadership expert, quoting Brené Brown and Simon Sinek... until the day they're actually expected to lead 😂

✅ DO IT to get results.

Let me be the first to admit that I'm just as guilty as the next leader. Having the courage to act when things are uncomfortable, uncertain and risky isn't easy. But working with the leaders we coach today, we rarely talk about courage or principles. That will often make it worse.

Instead, we shift the focus to choice. Specifically, understanding that doing nothing is still a choice and a decision. That simple reframe has helped many of our leaders stop waiting until they "feel ready" to answer the call and instead answer it anyway. Act on it today, rather than leaving it until tomorrow. Sometimes that's all it takes.

🌱 How can we support you?

We provide strategic leadership solutions tailored to align with your business strategy, size, and budget. We can support you with:

• Individual Coaching (for leaders and doers)

• Team Coaching (for group and leadership teams)

• Workshops, off-sites, and team building

• In-house Leadership Programs to suit your scale.

Kia pai tō wiki

Kenny Bhosale

CEO & Founder, The Bridge Leaders