Leadership dilemmas – Our teachers of growth

By SOCH Business Mentors LLP Posted March 5, 2024 in Leadership

Leadership dilemmas – Our teachers of growth

Dilemmas come to those who want to expand their heart and create a future that counts.

There are no dilemmas for leaders who give up or worst, give in.

These teachers are crucial and were valued by leaders like Nelson Mandela during times when his peaceful protest was met with heightened force and violent suppression. Mandela termed this critical juncture as the decisive point, marking the moment when South Africa became free – neither before nor after this moment.  

He was about to give up but he feared more of his weaker side should he give in. He chose what you know as Mandela moment. 

Same was for Gandhi and same was for Samuel Walton (founder of Walmart).  

These humans were also once full of fear, anger and imminent threat of death – and this made them realise that unless they speed up their actions and decisions for their calling, they will be uncalled forever. And with that, lose who they are.  

Dilemmas come to those who aren’t wishing but daring them to go against the grain because they are in love.  

They are in love of that future which no one but they alone have the spirit to create and emotions to feel.


Leaders who create with genuine love do not ignore dilemmas or seek comfortable solutions. Instead, they opt to show courage and align their mind, heart, and soul to fulfil their ultimate purpose. 

Dilemmas (teachers of growth) as opportunity for spiritual upliftment comes to all but only a few choose to respond.  

Leadership dilemmas are solved in the resolve of a leaders’ heart.  

This resolve drives them to wholeheartedly invest their time, effort, and energy into their creations, giving their all without slowing or pausing until the ultimate purpose is achieved. 

They avoid detours, remain focused, and are not swayed by distractions that could hinder their dedication to consistently and swiftly build momentum as if there’s no tomorrow. Their drive stems from the awareness of death.  

They are aware that maybe tomorrow won’t come for them, hence, they have no respite and no nonsense of their comfort or convenience. These are the leaders who invite these growth teachers (dilemmas) and help themselves build their muscle with all speed. 

Most leaders get unconsciously stuck in either or both of this fix: Learn to fail (or) Fail to learn. 

We come across owners of businesses, and they all have dilemmas that have gripped their progress, speed of progress, the direction of progress or haphazard progress.  

If you are in this fix too, then below are the traits to help you identify and acknowledge the trap. 

Traits if you are in ‘Learn to Fail’ fix:

  • You get worked up with guarantee-based thinking about how you will reach your desired goal 
  • You also get worked up intensely with deep fear of what if you fail? 
  • If you are okay to fail investing your time and effort but not okay if your investment of money fails then you should find yourself in the danger of perilous growth mindset. 
  • You have prioritized all but not time.  
  • You blind yourself with your emotional mind creating stories and excuses for not acting now 
  • Your beliefs are about proving someone or something right or wrong. 

Traits if you are in ‘Fail to Learn’ fix:

  • You care about the safe way above progress and risk
  • You have a dim or no prioritised daily actions igniting your why 
  • You trust you can do all by yourself 
  • You have superior complexity because underneath your surface, you feel inferior. We all have times when we feel inferior but what keeps you at it is your ignorance and denial of it. This is the fundamental reason why highly capable leaders fall prey to egotistical ruins.

Both fixes are equally dangerous.   

To resolve either of above fix: 

Love and self-compassion hold the key. The essential remedy lies in taking consistent actions to nurture their impact and grow their momentum each day. 

Leaders in dilemmas please remind yourself that we have just one life.

We have the power to control our living by consistently growing towards our calling, but what we cannot control is when life ends.