Real leadership is not built in comfort...it’s built in pressure...

Moments where the stakes are real...moments where your integrity is tested...moments where doing the right thing will cost you something...

Those moments reveal the man/woman.

Not the resume...not the title...not the sales numbers...but the person...

I learned that the hard way years ago...

It started with a customer I respected...one of the good ones...family man...straight shooter...hard worker...

He trusted me implicitly...and I never took that lightly...

We were deep into a project when my boss came to me with a problem...a mistake...something that could cause real issues down the road...maybe even a safety concern...

And he told me to bury it...not fix it...not address it...

Hide it.

I don't specifically remember thinking "this is the moment"...but a moment like this is absolutely where you choose who you are...

It would have been easy to lie...easy to protect my boss and the company...easy to keep the peace...

But easy choices destroy strong people of character...

So I told him that I wouldn’t hide this...I won’t deceive my customer...I’m not risking someone’s safety for your convenience...

He didn’t like it...he pushed back...I pushed harder...

Then I went straight to my customer...I told him everything...calmly, honestly, completely...

And something happened...

Not anger...not disappointment...not frustration...

Respect...trust...loyalty...

That moment taught me the true meaning of leadership...

Leadership is not about being liked...leadership is about being trusted...

Leadership is not about having authority...leadership is about having courage...

Leadership is not about rules...leadership is about standards...

Your standards carry your name...your kids watch your standards...your customers sense your standards...your team reflects your standards...

Leadership is not something you talk about...leadership is something you live...daily...quietly...consistently...

Strong leaders don’t choose comfort...strong leaders choose character...and character pays dividends long after comfort fades...

Live by a standard...even when it costs you.

By Chris Errington