The Hand That Opens The Window

How can I blame the storm for the wreckage it left behind when I was the one who opened the window?

It is easy to accuse the wind and forget the hand that lifted the latch. Sometimes, the warnings were clear, the shelter within reach—and yet we chose to step outside.

We cannot command every storm. But we must question the choices that leave us exposed.

Before asking, “Why did this happen to me?” perhaps we should ask, “What did I choose to ignore?”

A leader surrounds himself with people who tell him only what he wants to hear. He dismisses uncomfortable questions, ignores repeated warnings and mistakes silence for agreement.

When a crisis finally erupts, he blames his team for failing to alert him. But the warnings were there. He had simply made it costly to speak and comfortable to remain silent.

The crisis was the storm. Silencing honest counsel was the window he opened.