Don’t Touch My Truck: What’s Non-Negotiable in Your Leadership?
Years ago, I had a leader tell me I needed to fire someone on my team. I disagreed. I believed this person deserved to be in the role, and I had reasons to support that belief. I pushed back and explained my perspective, but ultimately, I convinced myself that the decision wasn't mine to make. So, I didn't fire the employee, but I did make his decision to leave an easy one. I wish I could tell you that I walked away from that experience knowing I had done everything I could. I didn't. I knew what I believed, but I had never taken the time to decide what I was unwilling to do when what I believed came into conflict with what someone with more authority expected of me. There is a difference. This semester, I'm teaching an ethics course, and during our first week together, I asked my students to develop an ethics creed. We talked about their non-negotiables, the things they would not compromise even when doing so would be easier, more convenient, or expected of them. As I ...
