As leaders, we’re natural storytellers.
We pitch the vision before all the pieces are in place.
We recruit on future potential, not just current state.
We keep teams motivated with milestones still out of reach.
But here’s the trap:
If the only story you tell is about upside, you’re building a fragile contract.
And when reality hits — whether it’s a layoff, a missed funding round, or a strategic pivot — it’s not just surprise.
It feels like betrayal.
I’ve seen it play out in layoffs — and I’ve felt it firsthand.
The breakthrough. The mission. The payday.
In high-growth companies, that’s the job — until it isn’t.
The Shackleton Standard
More than a century ago, one leader understood this better than most.
There’s a leadership legend — probably apocryphal, but it sticks for a reason.
Ernest Shackleton, planning his Antarctic expedition, supposedly posted this ad:
“Men wanted for hazardous journey. Small wages, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness, constant danger, safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in case of success.”
It wasn’t for everyone. In fact, it was meant to turn most people away.
It was brutally transparent — and somehow, still exciting.
Maybe our future job descriptions should sound more like that:
“Start-up conditions. Tight resources. Big goals. The road will twist, the milestones will move, and success is never guaranteed. But you’ll be part of a team working on something that, if it succeeds, will change lives.”
Because in high-growth companies, we’re often building the boat while we’re sailing it — and the seas can be rough.
And still we sign up.
Not for the smooth sailing.
Not for any guarantee.
We do it for the chance to do meaningful work, with passionate teammates, to build something that matters.
As leaders, we owe our teams more than just a pretty vision.
We owe them transparency, respect, and courage in the telling — especially when the path forward isn’t certain.
Why Upside-Only Leadership Backfires
Leaders are storytellers by necessity.
We pitch the vision before all the pieces are in place.
We recruit on future potential, not just current state.
We keep the team motivated with milestones that are still out of reach.
But if the only story you tell is about upside—
you’re building a fragile contract.
And when hard decisions hit (and they will), it’s not just surprise.
It’s a sense of betrayal.
What It Costs
That feeling sticks.
It undermines trust across the board:
with your team, your board, your future hires.
And it’s preventable.
Because most employees aren’t naïve.
They know biotech is volatile.
What they’re asking—often without words—is:
“Can I trust you to tell me the truth while it’s still unfolding?”
🧠 The Science Behind the Strategy
Framing Effect
How you tell the story shapes how people feel about it.
When leaders emphasize only the upside, even truthful decisions can feel misleading.
People interpret the absence of risk as a signal that things are safe—until they’re not.
The result? A violated expectation.
Not just surprise, but betrayal.
Leaders who frame both the dream and the doubt help their people stay grounded in reality—and still choose to commit.
That kind of framing doesn’t just inform—it earns durable trust, even in volatility.
What This Looks Like in Practice
Tell the Whole Story
🟡 Frame the upside and the risk together.
Don’t hide the uncertainty—name it, normalize it, and show how you lead through it.
🟡 Narrate in motion.
Even when you don’t have all the answers, narrate where you are and what you’re watching for.
🟡 Build informed belief.
Invite people to believe in the mission—with eyes open. That’s what real buy-in looks like.
Your Experiment: Name the Risk, Then the Dream
The next time you’re tempted to rally the team with a polished message, try this instead:
1️⃣ Start with the part that feels uncertain or volatile
2️⃣ Acknowledge what’s outside your control
3️⃣ Then name the vision—and why it’s still worth showing up for
4️⃣ Ask for engagement, not blind loyalty
Example:
“We’re in a fundraising window that could stretch longer than we’d like.
We can’t fully control the timing—but we can control how we show up now.
The strategy is solid. The team is aligned.
And if we land this next round, we’ll be able to push forward on all fronts.
I’m asking each of you to keep pressure where it matters most—and speak up early if the pressure isn’t sustainable.”
Ask yourself:
“What story am I telling—and what am I leaving out?”
The Bottom Line
Hope isn’t the problem.
One-sided storytelling is.
Hope isn’t the problem.
One-sided storytelling is.
Great leaders don’t just sell the dream — they share the risks, and earn commitment anyway.
Do you dare?
👉 Who in your network needs to hear this?
Forward this to a leader who’s in the middle of a high-stakes decision — or share it with your team. The best conversations about trust start before the hard moment hits.
P.S.
If you’re facing a decision where the message matters as much as the outcome — and you’re not sure how to frame it — hit reply. I read every response, and I’ll point you toward an approach that protects both trust and credibility.
