BLINDED BY THIS FATAL FLAW
DARREN HARDY
Rated World's Best Business Master Class: DHBMC.com | Advisor & Success Mentor to 1,000+ global CEOs & top business leaders | NYT Bestselling Author
Let me tell you an ancient tale that contains a brutal leadership lesson many still fail to heed today. King Xerxes ruled the mighty Persian Empire with unmatched power and ego. His wealth was legendary. His temper, equally so.
One fateful day, a messenger in tattered robes arrived at the palace gates. He'd traveled far from the frontlines with urgent news. The king gleefully agreed to meet him, confident it would be another report of military triumph.
The Fatal Moment
When the messenger knelt before him, he delivered devastating news: Persian forces had suffered a terrible defeat.
The king's face flushed with rage.
"How dare you bring me these lies!" he bellowed. "I will not tolerate bearers of bad omens in my court!"
The trembling messenger tried to explain he spoke only truth as an eyewitness. But the king's fury was uncontrollable.
The Deadly Decision
The king viewed any criticism or negative news as a personal assault on his invincible image.
With a dismissive wave, he sentenced the messenger to death. The man's pleas for mercy fell on deaf ears as guards dragged him away. In his twisted pride, the king had literally "killed the messenger" — the one who brought uncomfortable realities to light.
The Ripple Effect
Word spread quickly, striking fear into every advisor and commander. From that point on, they would lie or hide rather than report setbacks.
They knew the king's volatile reaction could cost them their lives.
Inevitably, Xerxes' disconnect from reality led to poor judgments and strategic blunders that slowly diminished Persia's power. By stubbornly shooting the messengers, he lost touch with crucial information that could have corrected his course. This became infamously known as "The Persian Messenger Syndrome."
Modern-Day Casualties
Unfortunately, this toxic leadership syndrome still exists centuries later. We saw it play out in Carly Fiorina's downfall at Hewlett-Packard.
Championed as a transformative CEO, Carly instead transformed HP into a case study of what happens when leaders refuse to listen.
In 2001, she railroaded a $25 billion merger with Compaq despite heated opposition from HP insiders like Walter Hewlett.
The Pattern Repeats
Rather than evaluating contrary views objectively, Carly silenced and derided her critics as "stuck in the past."
Even as the disastrous merger lagged, Carly grew insular, rejecting feedback from board members troubled by her polarizing leadership. One director famously lamented: "She doesn't listen to anyone!"
After watching over $100 billion in shareholder value vaporize from Carly's inability to accept hard truths, HP's board fired her.
The Critical Lesson
Failing to embrace unfavorable data and criticism is a fatal leadership flaw. It fosters willful blindness, flawed decisions, and catastrophic results.
True leaders have the humility and wisdom to solicit and digest harsh truths. This applies to leadership, parenting, marriage, and friendship too.
Your Challenge
Evaluate whether you truly embrace negative feedback, or if your ego causes you to shoot, discourage, or ignore messengers.
Instead:
(BTW, it doesn't mean their criticism is correct. It only means listening, being appreciative, and considering it.)
The Bottom Line
Great leaders aren't immune to unfavorable data. They have the fortitude and growth mindset to confront it, pivot, and drive positive transformation.
Killing messengers leads only to killing your own potential.
Question for you: In what area of your life and from whom do you need to solicit some hard truths the most?
Share in the comments.
#BeTheException
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1moCan't change for the better in life if you don't accept the cold hard truths that come with it.. nothing else to say.. you hit the 🔨 on the head with this one!! 👍🏼👍🏼💯🔥
🏆 I coach senior leaders and SLTs to grow personally and organisationally. | 🧬 EQ, NLP, Mindfulness, Therapy | 📕Best Selling Author | 🎙️Podcast Host
1moThis hits a bit close to home… I once coached a CEO who only wanted ‘positive reinforcement’ from their exec team. Let’s just say it didn’t end in a ticker-tape parade. Feedback’s not a threat, it’s your sat nav when you're lost in fog. Sometimes the hardest truths come from the quietest voices. Who in your life might be whispering what you most need to hear?
Helps Real Estate Investors Maximize Profits w/ Seller Financing, Note Investing & Private Money Nationwide - America's #1 Referral Agent
1moThanks for sharing this important perspective. 👀