The Hill to Die on

This is a concept that I learned from my old boss, and it is a pretty simple concept:

When running a company that isn’t wholly owned by you, you are going to be responsible for shareholder expectations. Your job is to do what they have asked you to do and achieve what they have expected.

Regardless of your title, they are your boss and are not the one on the ground, fighting tooth and nail with suppliers, partners, customers, to grow, you are.

Bosses don’t necessarily see these struggles. So when they do ask you to do something or achieve something, chances are there will be times where you have to fight back. The hill to die on concept comes from knowing which fights you back down from and which fight you don’t.

On which hill are you willing to stand on, plant your flag and not back down? And, on which hills are you ready to let go?

This concept is easier said than done. It means you have to take a hit to your ego. It could even mean having to fire staff. Decisions like these are what keep CEOs up at night. This part is what makes the job difficult.

How do you know which hill to die on?

It's simple.

It is the decision that if executed you will not be able to look in the mirror proudly. It is the decision that affects you to the core of your belief. That is the fight you don’t back down on, and that is the fight that you do not give in. You have to be able to look at yourself in the mirror and face yourself every day. Without this, you lose passion, drive, and yearn to grow and face another day.

If you have ever had to make decisions like this in the past, do share some of your experiences. Would love to hear from the most experienced entrepreneurs out there on how you deal with decisions like these.

Which fights aren’t you willing to back down from? Feel free to comment below