Tough Yet Tender

Seasoned founders and CEO’s accept an important truth:

They are responsible for the success or failure of their business.

Success requires the support of others:

Yet there are 3 types of others:
1. Those that work for you.
2. Those that work with you
3. Those that work against you.

A good team of loyal people is rare, difficult to develop, yet essential for success.

Therefore a good leader must be tough yet tender; firm yet fair.

Learning to strike a balance between severity and leniency, authority and kindness, reprimand and praise makes for a good CEO.

As Ikeda Mitsumasa, the 17th Century famous Japanese Daimyo (CEO) wrote:

“If you are never lenient, your authority will lose its force…

if you are never severe, your kindness will become ineffective.”

Put simply:

Too soft and you’re taken advantage of.

Too hard and you build barriers.