Let’s Not Double Down on the Wrong Call
Johan Meyer
A leadership reflection on knowing when to change course
The Moment We All Recognise
There’s nothing quite like the feeling of defending a decision…
…that you know, deep down, isn’t quite right anymore.
You’ve already said it out loud.
Committed to it. Shared it with confidence.
So you keep going.
You tighten the narrative.
Add a bit more logic.
Speak with just enough certainty to convince yourself.
And quietly, underneath it all, this thought lingers:
“We might need to rethink this.”
But you don’t say it. Not yet.
Because changing your mind, especially publicly, is uncomfortable.
They notice, by the way.
People always notice.
And that moment? That tension?
That’s not a failure of leadership.
That’s the test of it.
Leadership Doesn’t End With the Decision
We often think leadership is about making the call.
But it’s not.
It’s about what happens after the call is made.
When:
- New information emerges
- Stakeholders push back
- Reality doesn’t quite match the plan
- The unintended consequences start showing up
That’s where leadership becomes visible.
Because now you’re balancing:
- Conviction and humility
- Confidence and curiosity
- Direction and adaptability
And in today’s environment, those tensions are sharper than ever.
A Real-World Example
Labor changes course on trust changes, CGT concessions, increased turnover threshold
Right now in Australia, we’re seeing this play out in real time.
Proposed changes to capital gains tax and trust structures triggered strong reactions, expected in a space that touches business ownership, long-term planning, and personal security.
Tax is never just technical.
It’s emotional.
And that creates heat.
After consultation and feedback, adjustments were made:
- The turnover threshold for small business CGT concessions increased from $2 million to $10 million
- Broader access to concessions introduced
- Policy refinements following stakeholder input
There’s no need to take a view on whether that’s right or wrong.
That’s not the point.
The leadership takeaway is simple:
A decision met reality.
Reality pushed back.
And the decision evolved.
Why This Matters More Today
We’re operating in a world where:
- Opinions are louder
- Positions are more extreme
- Nuance is often mistaken for weakness
So when a leader adjusts direction, it can be seen as:
- Backtracking
- Losing conviction
- Giving in
And that perception creates pressure.
So instead, many leaders do the safer thing.
They dig in.
Not because it’s right.
Because it feels stronger.
The Myth of “Strong Leaders Don’t Waver”
There’s a long-held belief that strong leaders are:
- Decisive
- Consistent
- Unwavering
And yes, those traits matter.
But here’s the part that often gets missed:
Real strength isn’t about never changing your mind.
It’s about knowing when to.
And more importantly... Being willing to do it early enough.
When Leaders Don’t Adjust
History gives us plenty of examples where the signal was there… but ignored.
Kodak didn’t miss digital photography.
They invented it.
But it threatened their existing model.
So they delayed.
And the market eventually made the decision for them.
Blockbuster had the chance to acquire Netflix.
They passed.
Their model worked, until it didn’t.
By the time they responded, behaviour had already shifted.
These weren’t failures of intelligence.
They were failures of adaptability.
The Cost of Doubling Down
When leaders hold the line too long:
- Teams disengage
- Feedback dries up
- Customers drift
- Opportunities pass quietly
And eventually, one of two things happens:
- Slow decline
- Forced correction
Neither is ideal.
And both are usually avoidable.
A Better Version of Leadership
Now flip it.
Some of the most effective leaders weren’t defined by always getting it right.
They were defined by how they responded when things changed.
Take Abraham Lincoln.
He led during one of the most divided periods in history and openly acknowledged that circumstances shaped his decisions, adapting his approach as conditions evolved.
He adjusted:
- Leadership structures
- Strategy
- Political approach
Not out of weakness.
Out of alignment with reality.
The Power of Experimentation
Franklin D. Roosevelt took a similar approach.
The New Deal wasn’t a fixed blueprint.
It was a series of experiments.
Policies were introduced.
Adjusted.
Refined.
Some worked.
Some didn’t.
But the philosophy was clear:
Act. Learn. Adapt. Repeat.
That mindset is incredibly relevant today.
What This Looks Like in Business
You may not be setting tax policy or leading a nation.
But this shows up every week:
- A pricing model that doesn’t land
- A strategy that starts to drift
- A system that frustrates your own team
- A client approach that feels off
The signals are usually there early.
Small. Subtle. Easy to dismiss.
Until they’re not.
The Signals Most Leaders Miss
Watch for these:
1. You’re Explaining More Than You’re Solving
When a decision needs constant defending, something’s off.
2. The Feedback Gets Quieter
Not because things are working, because people have stopped pushing.
(Dangerous.)
3. The Data Starts Drifting
Your story still sounds right… but the numbers don’t match.
4. You’re Clinging to Consistency
Consistency is valuable. Blind consistency isn’t.
The Skill We Don’t Talk About Enough
We focus heavily on:
- Strategy
- Execution
- Decision-making
But not nearly enough on:
Course correction
And yet, that’s where leadership is most visible.
Anyone can make a decision with enough data.
Fewer are willing to revisit it.
A Simple Framework
If something doesn’t feel right:
1. Separate Signal from Ego
Are you defending the decision… or your ownership of it?
2. Reassess the Inputs
Have the conditions changed?
If yes, the decision may need to change too.
3. Consider the Cost of Staying Put
What happens if we don’t adjust?
4. Bring in the Right Voices
Not the loudest. The closest to the issue.
5. Adjust Early
Small pivots now beat major corrections later.
The Difference That Matters
Not all change is equal.
- Reactive flip-flopping erodes trust
- Considered course correction builds it
People don’t expect perfection.
They expect:
- Awareness
- honesty
- sound judgement
Bringing It Back
The current tax conversation will continue.
More feedback. More changes. More perspectives.
That’s expected in any complex reform.
But the leadership lesson stands:
You don’t get judged on the first call.
You get judged on how you respond when the environment shifts.
Final Thought
Leadership isn’t about:
“Was I right at the start?”
It’s about:
“Am I still right now?”
And if the answer changes? You adjust.
Our Perspective
We see this every day.
Business owners making decisions in real, evolving environments.
Not perfect conditions.
Not static plans.
But moving parts, changing inputs, and competing priorities.
And often, the most valuable work isn’t helping make the first decision.
It’s helping refine it.
So What?
If you’re sitting on a decision that doesn’t feel quite right…
Pause.
Reassess.
Bring the right people into the conversation.
And give yourself permission to adjust the path.
Because more often than not
Clarity doesn’t come from getting it perfect the first time.
It comes from being willing to improve it as you go.
