The “Situation” Every Leader Should Avoid

The “Situation” Every Leader Should Avoid"
🕒 3 min read 
By Desiree Grace

Your body’s hotter than a brothel in Guam." Singer‑songwriter
Johnny Blue Skies drops this line in his song Situation, where he describes becoming infatuated with a woman, losing all good sense, and landing himself squarely in a “situation.”

It’s a great song with an even better lesson. Give it a listen, though I cannot recommend the video. Johnny Blue Skies’ lyric captures the exact tension leaders face today: the pull of short‑term gratification versus the discipline required to make decisions that support long‑term organizational health.

Some sales leaders and salespeople find themselves in a similar predicament when they become overly fixated on an attractive bonus. They forget that certain decisions require consideration of company goals, organizational alignment, and overall brand reputation. These situations are the professional equivalent of the aforementioned object of Johnny’s infatuation: tempting, exciting, and short‑sighted versus a long‑term, stable, mutually beneficial relationship.

For example, your regional sales leader is asked to assign a resource to a project with global scope. It’s a great developmental opportunity for the person in question. Yet the first words out of the leader’s mouth are, “What about our bonus?” and “I don’t want to lose a direct report.”

Whoa, Nelly. This gent just missed the point entirely. Instead of putting the greater good of the company, the customer, and the employee first, he revealed short‑sighted thinking and a hefty dose of self‑interest. Prioritizing region, bonus, and number of direct reports exposed this as someone who needs coaching. He’s becoming infatuated with the short‑term and inching toward an unpromotable situation.

“I coached a leader recently who was fixated on how a staffing change might affect his bonus. He couldn’t see past it. I asked him one question: ‘If the bonus didn’t exist, what decision would you make?’ He answered immediately, and his answer aligned with the customer, the company, and the employee’s growth. It was a clear reminder of how quickly short‑term incentives can cloud long‑term leadership.” -Desiree

Good leaders understand that the game is long‑term. Healthy selflessness means they recognize decisions should follow a clear order of prioritization:

1. Customer first
2. Company second
3. Region
4. District or Territory
5. Self

Balancing “Customer First” and “Company First” can be tricky.

I recommend putting the customer first as long as it doesn’t put the company in a money‑losing, unethical, or illegal situation. When in doubt, think long‑term.

People who understand this decision‑making framework truly “Get It.” They know that balancing healthy self‑interest with genuine respect and responsibility for organizational goals is what earns real credibility and opens doors for future promotions. When you make the right decisions and keep the right priorities, the bonuses soon follow.

Johnny Blue Skies also sings about “staying up until the cows come home.” That’s a young person’s game, fun for a moment, but absolutely not sustainable for a working professional. The alarm will still go off, the conference call will still start, and you still need to show up prepared and with the right attitude. Otherwise, that tempting “situation” can turn into detonation, aka self‑destruction.

So, the next time you feel yourself getting swept up in short‑term gratification, hit the pause button. Ask whether the quick thrill is really the right decision. Are there more important goals and considerations at play? People who understand that their role extends beyond what’s immediately in front of them tend to have longer careers and longer relationships, too.

If you have a leader who needs coaching to see the big picture and avoid bad situations, give River Heights Consulting a call. We have extensive experience coaching emerging leaders to make wiser decisions and improve how they show up at work. We can partner with you to upgrade their thought processes and decision‑making. And yes, we’ll keep the bad decisions confidential. No NDA required.

TL;DR

Desiree helps leaders upgrade their decision‑making, avoid short‑term thinking, and build long‑term credibility. She teaches the “Get It” mindset, customer first, company second, team third, self last, so leaders can make choices that support sustainable success.

About the Author

Desiree Grace is a leadership coach who helps managers and executives strengthen their decision‑making and avoid the short‑term thinking that derails credibility. She teaches leaders how to “Get It”- the mindset that puts customers, company goals, and organizational alignment ahead of momentary gratification. With a direct, practical coaching style, she equips clients to prioritize clearly, communicate effectively, and make choices that support long‑term success for both their teams and the organization.

 

 

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