349. The Leadership Truth You're Not Ready To Hear

The Overton Window explains the range of truths people are willing (or emotionally able) to accept at any given time.
Founders and leaders often have extremely narrow “windows,” making it hard for them to acknowledge their own role in organizational problems.
Feedback only works when someone is ready to hear it—truth outside their window feels like an attack, even when accurate.
Great leadership isn’t about delivering hard truths; it’s about expanding people’s windows so the truth becomes tolerable.
Your career depends on two windows: the window of the people you lead and your own.

Build psychological safety so your team can widen their Overton Windows and receive feedback without shutting down.
Reveal truth gradually—too much too fast freezes people, too little keeps them overheated with ego.
Actively seek and accept constructive feedback, even when it challenges your habits, identity, or leadership style.
Question your “I’ve always done it this way” logic—your growth is capped by the size of your window.
Treat self-awareness like a muscle: stretch it, open it, and let uncomfortable truths shape you.

Identify one truth you’ve been avoiding because it sits outside your window.
Ask one trusted colleague or team member for unfiltered feedback this week—and resist the instinct to defend yourself.