Tuesday 19 May, 2026
It’s not defined by titles, corner offices, or applause at conferences. Reality keeps its appointments, whether we do or not.
I once compared good leadership to a golf handicap — it becomes evident after a few holes unless one is an outright cheat, and even those are eventually exposed. The scorecard never lies.
However, many leaders overlook a crucial aspect before reality arrives:
The thicket fence.
A man visiting an African village encountered a small thicket fence in the middle of the road. Without asking questions, he removed it, thinking it was an obstruction. Later, he learned that the fence was protecting the villagers from a marauding lion.
Every organization has its thicket fences — processes that seem inefficient, relationships that appear unnecessary, and structures that look outdated. New leaders often feel the urge to remove these perceived obstacles quickly to demonstrate decisiveness.
Yet, that urgency can be ego masquerading as vision. The best leaders I’ve observed pause at the thicket fence. They inquire about its purpose before making changes, recognizing that someone built that fence for a reason.
Leadership is not about how quickly you clear the path; it’s about the wisdom to understand what lies beyond before proceeding. The handicap will reveal itself, and reality will arrive. The key question is whether you were humble enough to understand the terrain before charging through it.
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