Leadership: Illuminating the path forward with honesty and hope

Report by Oluwole Dada, General Manager at SecureID Limited

A leader and his team will encounter challenges and that is why they are there. The reason you are in that office either as the leader of the team or a member of the team is to solve problems. However, when you encounter problems, you must not make it look insurmountable. Leaders are not just to identify challenges; they light the way through them. There is always the delicate balance between the reality of challenges and the clarity of solutions. The ability to decipher between the two is what separates exceptional leaders from merely competent ones.

Many years ago, I resumed in a new region that was having sales problems. Unfortunately, it was a product that was seasonal, and this resumption came at an off-peak season. I needed to create results as that was the only way to justify the confidence reposed in me by the leadership team. I met the teamon ground, and I admitted that there are challenges regardingsales, and this was also the off-peak season so sales will be a very difficult task at that time.

However, I told them a statement which remained with many of them till date. I said, “Stars don’t shine in the day, they shine at night. The only way your performance will strike a chord with the leadership is when others are finding it difficult to perform.” I assured them of my support, and I accompanied them to the trade on many occasions. The rest is history as we performed, and this led to a bigger assignment for me at the end of 9 months.

A leader must give hope to his team members whenever they encounter challenges. You are not only to identify problems, but you are also to show the way out of the problems. Leading a team is like leading an army to war. General Dwight D. Eisenhower, before the D-Day invasion, was acutely aware of the operation’s dangers. Yet his message to troops balanced recognition of challenges with confidence in victory. “The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you.” said the General. Leaders must not only identify the dangers ahead of the battle, but they must also provide hope of victory and direction for winning the war. Showing the way out of problems and leading the way on the same are part of the virtues of a great leader.

Ford, the automobile company, was losing billions when Alan Mulally became CEO in 2006. In his first major leadership meeting, he instituted a new reporting system using color codes: green for good, yellow for caution, and red for problems. Initially, executives only presented green status reports, despite Ford’s obvious troubles. Mulally responded by applauding the first executive who shared a “red” problem, saying, “That’s great visibility. Now, who can help solve this problem?” This simple act transformed Ford’s culture from one of denial to one where problems were identified openly, but always with a collaborative approach toward solutions. Mulally’s “One Ford” plan provided a clear roadmap out of the crisis, and Ford became the only major U.S. automaker to avoid bankruptcy during the 2008 financial crisis.

When the COVID-19 pandemic devastated the airline industry in 2020, Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian didn’t minimize the crisis. In a message to employees, he stated bluntly, “We’re facing a crisis unlike anything we’ve seen in our business.”

Rather than stopping at the problem statement, Bastian outlined specific survival steps including voluntary unpaid leave programs, reduced executive salaries, and accelerated retirement of older aircraft. Critically, he maintained regular communication through weekly videos where he not only acknowledged evolving challenges but also consistently emphasized the airline’s path to recovery. This approach helped Delta weather the storm with stronger employee loyalty and positioned the airline for a faster recovery than competitors.

Research in neuro-leadership explains why a balanced approach of identifying problems and proffering solutions works. When leaders only highlight problems without solutions, it triggers threat responses in team members’ brains thereby reducing cognitive function. On the other hand, when leaders pair problem acknowledgment with clear direction, it activates the brain’s reward networks, enhancing creativity and resilience.The most respected leaders in business history have all mastered this critical balance: unflinching honesty about challenges coupled with unwavering clarity about the path forward.

They demonstrate that true leadership isn’t about avoiding storms but about showing your team how to navigate through them. When leaders acknowledge difficulties with directions on solutions, they fulfill their most fundamental responsibility: transforming uncertainty into purposeful action.

Oluwole Dada is the General Manager at SecureID Limited, Africa’s largest smart card manufacturing plant in Lagos, Nigeria.