leaders should strive for authenticity over perfection.

It is important for leaders to know their stories; to get them straight; to communicate them effectively, particularly to those who are in the thrall of rival stories; and, above all, to embody in their lives the stories that they tell.

To know reality you have to know beyond knowing.

In large-scale organizations, the factual approach must be constantly nurtured by high-level executives. The more layers of authority through which facts must pass before they reach the decision maker, the greater the danger that they will be suppressed, modified, or softened, so as not to displease the "brass". For this reason, high-level executives must keep reaching for facts or soon they won't know what is going on. Unless they make visible efforts to seek and act on facts, major problems will not be brought to their attention, the quality of their decisions will decline, and the business will gradually get out of touch with its environment.

Especially in developing countries, it's so important to get on the ground into the communities because the stats at the federal level, it may not be a real portrait of what's happening on the ground.

To have real knowledge, one must understand the essence of things and not only their manifestations.

Find the truth. Act on it.

Without seeking truth it is unlikely you will find success. The truth very well might set you free, but it’s not always fun. People say they want the truth, but more accurately, they want the truth that is easy to hear. They don’t want the painful truths that don’t support our decisions or force us to accept we were wrong about something. But without truth, you will never be able to course-correct. Putting the company first and your bruised feelings second is an important step in saving your start-up from failure.

What we need is not truths that serve us but a truth we may serve.

All leaders must have two things: they must have a vision of the world that does not exist and they must have the ability to communicate it. The

You had to know the facts if you were ever going to find the solutions.

People don’t believe what you tell them. They rarely believe what you show them. They often believe what their friends tell them. They always believe what they tell themselves. What leaders do: they give people stories they can tell themselves. Stories about the future and about change.

If you want the truth, take no one else’s word for it.

Accept only science, reason, and direct experience.

Start on solid ground. Mind each step.

If you don’t understand or believe in the decisions coming down from your leadership, it is up to you to ask questions until you understand how and why those decisions are being made. Not knowing the why prohibits you from believing in the mission. When you are in a leadership position, that is a recipe for failure, and it is unacceptable. As a leader, you must believe.