For those who find themselves among the faithful remnant to a cause there is a nobility in fighting to the bitter end. They become increasingly distinct from the surrounding culture, increasingly distrusting of outsiders, increasingly certain of their own righteousness. At some point there is no longer an option to exit.

Our leadership eyes are finely tuned to see things like Strategy, Execution, Skills, and Effort; but not so good at focusing in on Culture and Identity. Maybe we need a set of lenses to help us see and pay attention to these often overlooked areas.

Your cause is too important to be diminished by your lack of trust in your team. Make a commitment to not letting it continue. Either do what it takes to build trust, remove those that can't be trusted, or depart yourself if you can't (or won't) do the hard work required.

Exploring creative ways to involve your team, donors, beneficiaries, and community in celebrating in these days when we long for good news is a powerful opportunity. The culture of your organization is being shaped by everything that is happening. Wise leaders aren't just letting that happen. Are you intentionally making yours a culture that celebrates meaningfully?

"May, you're too intense! You need to lighten up a little and help people find some freedom so they can do their best under demanding circumstances." Jay said.

"Jay, you're too casual! You need to be more focussed and help people find some structure so they can do their best under demanding circumstances." May said.

There are no guarantees in leadership. That is more clear than ever these days. Being the one who points out the elephant or challenges the value of the cow may be a career limiting move. Some leaders and organizations aren't willing or able to even consider that these things are actually problems that drag against the good you are trying to do. That sucks, but it is occasionally the case.