He looked across the conference room table at me and said, almost in a whisper, “I hate to be the bad guy.” We were talking about a product that was months late, burning through cash, and sitting right on the edge of a do or die moment for his company. Engineers were behind. Vendors were checked out and still sending full bills. The roadmap had turned into a wish list and opportunity was burning faster than jet fuel as Starship one catapults into space.

But, for some reason, in his head, asking people to meet deadlines and respect the budget felt like the moral equivalent of setting kittens on fire.

That is how twisted the word “accountability” has become in a lot of leadership circles. Expecting people to deliver the work they agreed to do is now framed as “being the bad guy,” while letting the company drift toward the rocks passes as being compassionate.

At some point you have to decide what you are protecting.
Feelings, or the business.

This is not about being cruel. It is about being honest. When you are the person in the big chair, you either carry …