How Leaders Make Tough Decisions When the Risk Is Real | Larry Gulko
What gives a leader the courage to leave a secure position, start over, and pursue a vision that others may not understand?
In this episode of Create the Future with Rick Williams, Rick sits down with Larry Gulko, Brand Strategist, Strategic Growth Advisor, and founder of BRAND: NEW DAY, for a candid conversation about leadership, courage, difficult decisions, entrepreneurship, and knowing when it is time to take a different path.
Larry shares the story of a pivotal leadership decision in his career: leaving a senior position when his vision no longer aligned with the organization’s leadership and culture. With a young family and no job, he took the risk of starting his own business based on a belief that he could create something better.
The conversation goes well beyond entrepreneurship. It explores what it really takes to make tough leadership decisions, how leaders evaluate risk, when to trust their instincts, how to deal with uncertainty, and why great leaders sometimes have to make decisions that are uncomfortable in the short term to create a better future.
In this episode, you’ll learn about:
- How leaders make difficult decisions when the outcome is uncertain
- Finding the courage to leave a successful but misaligned organization
- Knowing when your personal vision no longer fits the organization’s leadership or culture
- Taking calculated risks when you have family and financial responsibilities
- How leaders can turn uncertainty into opportunity
- Why successful leaders need to challenge the status quo
- The importance of listening to people who may see a situation differently than you do
- Building trust by giving people permission to speak honestly
- Why complacency can be dangerous for leaders and organizations
- How brand leadership, customer loyalty and business growth are connected
- Lessons from working with senior leaders and major organizations
About Larry Gulko
Larry Gulko is a Brand Strategist and Strategic Growth Advisor and the founder of BRAND: NEW DAY, a one-day brand-building thought leadership retreat designed for leadership teams that want to take a fresh look at their brand and move their business forward.
Larry has spent his career helping organizations strengthen their brands, build customer loyalty and drive growth. His experience includes working with senior leaders and major organizations on brand strategy, growth and leadership challenges.
Learn more about Larry and BRAND NEW DAY:
About Create the Future with Rick Williams
Create the Future with Rick Williams is a leadership podcast focused on the real-world decisions that shape organizations, careers and the future.
Hosted by Rick Williams, the podcast gives leaders an opportunity to share the stories behind the difficult decisions and tough calls they have made — for their companies, their organizations and sometimes for themselves.
Rick’s goal is simple: to share practical leadership lessons from real experiences so that today’s leaders can become better decision-makers and more effective leaders.
Rick Williams is a deeply experienced corporate leader, management consultant, company founder, board member, thought leader and author. He works with leaders through speaking, thought leadership and board service, with a particular focus on helping leaders navigate challenges and make difficult decisions.
The future of your organization is shaped by the decisions you make today.
Learn more about Rick Williams and Create the Future: