--- title: "The Leadership Playbook: Facing Harsh Realities | The Sales Blog" description: A leader must face harsh realities. This is as true for one who would lead themselves as it is for one who leads an organization. The only thing that happens when you avoid harsh realities is that you suffer the harsh consequences you wish to avoid. If you don’t have enough opportunities to be able […] image: https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/shutterstock_289375949.jpg --- ### [Now booking SKO meetings for 2026/27! Learn more](https://www.thesalesblog.com/authority) [![Iannarino The Sales Blog](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/2021%20Website/Images/ai-logo-web.svg) ](https://www.thesalesblog.com) - WIN AT SALES - The Sales Environment - [ Sales is broken ](https://www.thesalesblog.com/sales-is-broken) - [ Modern sales ](https://www.thesalesblog.com/revenue-growth-blueprint) - Sales Resources - [ Blog ](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog) - [ Podcast ](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/the-anthony-iannarino-show) - [ Live Training Events ](https://events.thesalesblog.com) - [ Modern Sales Methodologies for Enterprises ](https://www.thesalesblog.com/modern-sales-metholodogies) [![View Events](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2922376/b2e09c31-23bf-4ae9-b840-9ce632f62111.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2922376/b2e09c31-23bf-4ae9-b840-9ce632f62111) ###### Live Training Events ### Upcoming training events & workshops [![Sales Accelerator Training](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2922376/cda2541c-e77c-44de-9752-0a68716d50e9.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2922376/cda2541c-e77c-44de-9752-0a68716d50e9) ###### Online Training Platform ### Sales Accelerator [![Revenue Growth Blueprint](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2922376/b2913e6b-029b-4079-96bb-20e4ad251bc6.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2922376/b2913e6b-029b-4079-96bb-20e4ad251bc6) ###### #1 Resource ### Revenue Growth Blueprint - [ BLOG ](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog) - [ SPEAKING ](https://www.thesalesblog.com/speaking) - SALES TRAINING - [ Sales Accelerator + Monthly Webinars Bundle ](https://www.thesalesblog.com/sales-training-events-bundle) - [ For Individual Reps ](https://www.thesalesblog.com/individuals) - [ For Teams ](https://www.thesalesblog.com/sales-accelerator) - [ Events & Other Programs ](https://events.thesalesblog.com) - [ Hire Anthony to Speak ](https://www.thesalesblog.com/speaking) - [ Modern Sales Methodologies for Enterprises ](https://www.thesalesblog.com/modern-sales-metholodogies) - [ EVENTS ](https://events.thesalesblog.com) - [ BOOKS ](https://www.thesalesblog.com/books) - [ ABOUT ](https://www.thesalesblog.com/anthony-iannarino) - [ CONTACT ](https://www.thesalesblog.com/contact) - Hit Sales Targets [![View Events](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2922376/b2e09c31-23bf-4ae9-b840-9ce632f62111.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2922376/b2e09c31-23bf-4ae9-b840-9ce632f62111) ###### LIVE TRAINING EVENTS ### Upcoming virtual training events & in-person workshops ###### Improve your win rates [![Speaking](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2922376/2a02e2ae-517f-42dc-a8db-40ef42615279.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2922376/2a02e2ae-517f-42dc-a8db-40ef42615279) ###### Keynotes & Workshops ### Hire Anthony to Speak @ Your Event # The Leadership Playbook: Facing Harsh Realities ![Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/ai-blog-profile-crop.jpg) Post by [Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/author/anthony-iannarino) February 6, 2016 A [leader](http://thesalesblog.com/blog/2014/09/07/the-leadership-playbook-leaders-deal-with-constraints/) must face harsh realities. This is as true for one who would lead themselves as it is for one who leads an organization. The only thing that happens when you avoid harsh realities is that you suffer the harsh consequences you wish to avoid. If you don’t have enough opportunities to be able to reach your goals, avoiding that reality will do nothing to improve it. By shining a light on the fact that you don’t have the potential deals you need, you can create a burning platform, determine a new course, and take massive action. By facing the harsh reality of too few opportunities, you can take steps to avoid the negative consequences. “But wait,” you say. “That will take too much time.” The time will pass whether you take action or not. By acting, you may be able to mitigate the harsh consequences. You may not relish the idea of letting go an employee who is a top performer with massive character flaws who is also so negative that they are destroying your culture. The harsh reality is that they are disruptive and damaging your workforce. The consequences are a culture unlike the positive culture of high performance you have built. Facing the fact that you’ve allowed this employee to run roughshod for too long and removing them prevents you from paying a higher price than you are paying now. “But what about the revenue they bring?” you ask. You can replace their revenue, and you can replace it by hiring someone who can perform at that level without the character flaws and baggage. The harshest reality that a leader has to face is that they are ultimately responsible for what happens on their watch. The harsh reality is that the leader has to make hard calls, calls where the cost of making the decision is high and the cost of not making it is even higher. A leader is charged with [making decisions](http://thesalesblog.com/blog/2012/06/21/a-fish-rots-from-the-head-down-a-note-to-the-sales-leader/) that move the people they lead forward, even when they are unpleasant. There are harsh consequences for not facing harsh realities. It is a mistake to think that avoiding the decisions you need to make don’t come with a stiff penalty. Over time, you pay a higher price. - What is the harsh reality you need to face? - Why are you avoiding the decisions and the actions? - What is the price of your inaction? [**Tweet](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The+Leadership+Playbook%3A+Facing+Harsh+Realities&url=https%3A%2F%2Fthesalesblog.com%2F2016%2F02%2F06%2Fthe-leadership-playbook-facing-harsh-realities%2F%3Futm_source%3Dtwitter%26utm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_campaign%3DSocialWarfare&via=iannarino) **Pin [**Share16](https://www.linkedin.com/cws/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fthesalesblog.com%2F2016%2F02%2F06%2Fthe-leadership-playbook-facing-harsh-realities%2F%3Futm_source%3Dlinkedin%26utm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_campaign%3DSocialWarfare) [**Share13](https://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fthesalesblog.com%2F2016%2F02%2F06%2Fthe-leadership-playbook-facing-harsh-realities%2F%3Futm_source%3Dfacebook%26utm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_campaign%3DSocialWarfare) [**Email](mailto:?subject=The%20Leadership%20Playbook%3A%20Facing%20Harsh%20Realities&body=A%20leader%20must%20face%20harsh%20realities.%20This%20is%20as%20true%20for%20one%20who%20would%20lead%20themselves%20as%20it%20is%20for%20one%20who%20leads%20an%20organization.%20The%20only%20thing%20that%20happens%20when%20you%20avoid%20harsh%20realities%20is%20that%20you%20suffer%20the%20harsh%20consequences%20you%20wish%20to%20avoid.%20If%20you%20don%E2%80%99t%20have%20enough%20opportunities%20to%20be%20able%20to%20reach%20your%20goals%2C%20avoiding%20that%20reality%20will%20do%20nothing%20to%20improve%20it.%20By%20shining%20a%20light%20on%20the%20fact%20that%20you%20don%E2%80%99t%20have%20the%20potential%20deals%20you%20need%2C%20you%20can%20create%20a%20burning%20platform%2C%20determine%20a%20new%20course%2C%20and%20take%20massive%20action.%20By%20facing%0D%0A%0D%0ARead%20More%20Here:%20%20https%3A%2F%2Fthesalesblog.com%2F2016%2F02%2F06%2Fthe-leadership-playbook-facing-harsh-realities%2F%3Futm_source%3Demail%26utm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_campaign%3DSocialWarfare) [**Pocket](https://getpocket.com/save?url=https%3A%2F%2Fthesalesblog.com%2F2016%2F02%2F06%2Fthe-leadership-playbook-facing-harsh-realities%2F%3Futm_source%3Dpocket%26utm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_campaign%3DSocialWarfare) [**Buffer3](https://bufferapp.com/add?url=https%3A%2F%2Fthesalesblog.com%2F2016%2F02%2F06%2Fthe-leadership-playbook-facing-harsh-realities%2F%3Futm_source%3Dbuffer%26utm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_campaign%3DSocialWarfare&text=The+Leadership+Playbook%3A+Facing+Harsh+Realities) 32 Shares ###### Tags: [Leadership](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/leadership) Post by [Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/author/anthony-iannarino) on February 6, 2016 Written and edited by human brains and human hands. ![Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/ai-blog-profile-crop.jpg) Anthony Iannarino is an American writer. He has published daily at [thesalesblog.com](https://www.thesalesblog.com) for more than 14 years, amassing over 5,300 articles and making this platform a destination for salespeople and sales leaders. Anthony is also the author of four best-selling books documenting modern sales methodologies and a fifth book for sales leaders seeking revenue growth. His latest book for an even wider audience is titled, The Negativity Fast: Proven Techniques to Increase Positivity, Reduce Fear, and Boost Success. Anthony speaks to sales organizations worldwide, delivering cutting-edge sales strategies and tactics that work in this ever-evolving B2B landscape. He also provides workshops and seminars. Connect with Anthony on LinkedIn, X or Youtube. You can email Anthony at [iannarino@gmail.com](mailto:iannarino@gmail.com) [Follow me on my website](https://www.thesalesblog.com/anthony-iannarino) [Follow me on Facebook ](https://www.facebook.com/thesalesblog) [Follow me on LinkedIn ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/iannarino/) [Follow me on Twitter ](http://www.twitter.com/iannarino) [![AISA-square-ad-SKOs-26-27](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AISA-square-ad-SKOs-26-27.jpg?width=400&height=400&name=AISA-square-ad-SKOs-26-27.jpg)](https://www.thesalesblog.com/authority) [![ai-cold-calling-video-sidebar-offer-1](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hs-fs/hubfs/ai-cold-calling-video-sidebar-offer-1.jpg?width=318&height=179&name=ai-cold-calling-video-sidebar-offer-1.jpg)](https://www.thesalesblog.com/free-cold-calling-video) ![how-to-lead-ebook-v3-1-cover (3)](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hs-fs/hubfs/how-to-lead-ebook-v3-1-cover%20(3).jpg?width=768&height=994&name=how-to-lead-ebook-v3-1-cover%20(3).jpg) ### How to Lead: The Leadership E-Book As leaders, we're faced with decisions everyday—not all of which are easy to make. Learn how to make those tough decisions, hold yourself and your team accountable, and build a legacy with How to Lead: The Leadership E-Book. [![DOWNLOAD EBOOK](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2922376/d345d648-812a-428a-81e4-53ce30822212.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2922376/d345d648-812a-428a-81e4-53ce30822212) ## Are You Ready To Solve Your Sales Challenges? ![Anthony-Solve-Sales](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Anthony-Solve-Sales.png?width=290&height=221&name=Anthony-Solve-Sales.png) Hi, I’m Anthony. I help sales teams make the changes needed to create more opportunities & crush their sales targets. What we’re doing right now **is working**, even in this challenging economy. **Would you like some help?** [![Solve for Sales](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2922376/d3a4938b-2008-4a27-8b44-7b2223f6d035.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2922376/d3a4938b-2008-4a27-8b44-7b2223f6d035) ### Join my Weekly Newsletter for Sales Tips Join 100,000+ sales professionals in my weekly newsletter and get my *Guide to Becoming a Sales Hustler* eBook for FREE! --- ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org/", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Anthony Iannarino" }, "dateModified" : "2022-01-21T4:33:51 PM", "datePublished" : "2016-02-06 22:11:58", "description" : "A leader must face harsh realities. This is as true for one who would lead themselves as it is for one who leads an organization. The only thing that happens when you avoid harsh realities is that you suffer the harsh consequences you wish to avoid. If you don’t have enough opportunities to be able […]", "headline" : "The Leadership Playbook: Facing Harsh Realities", "image" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "height" : 16, "url" : "https://f.hubspotusercontent20.net/hubfs/2922376/Image/favicon.ico", "width" : 16 }, "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/the-leadership-playbook-facing-harsh-realities", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "name" : "The Leadership Playbook: Facing Harsh Realities", "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "height" : 24, "url" : "https://f.hubspotusercontent20.net/hubfs/2922376/TSB/images/TSB%20Logo%20Dark.svg", "width" : 228 }, "name" : "The Sales Blog" } } ```