Three Truths, One Season: Summer Reflections on Leadership

Quick wisdom for deeper leadership growth—whether you’re starting, stuck, or searching.

Dear Clients and Colleagues,

Our usual monthly letters tend to dive deep into a single theme within our practice areas. This month, however, we’re keeping things a little more on the surface—while still offering rich insights for those who wish to dig deeper. And of course, in the spirit of email, you’re always free to delete and move on. But if you choose to stay, here are three truths to guide your summer leadership thinking.

Truth #1: On Winning and Losing

“When you win, say little. When you lose, say less.” — Paul Brown

This gem, originally shared during a business school presentation, has been lingering with me since February. It’s a powerful reminder in an age obsessed with public reactions, viral rants, and nonstop opinion-sharing. Whether you’re soaring or stumbling, grace and humility never go out of style. In leadership, it’s often your silence—not your statements—that speaks the loudest.

Truth #2: The Messy Middle

Borrowed from a Lenten reflection rooted in Hebrews 12:1-3, this truth hits hardest for those feeling stuck in the middle of a challenge. As Rosabeth Moss Kanter famously put it:

“Change is hardest in the middle… Everything looks like a failure in the middle.”

The start of something new is exciting. The end—rewarding. But the middle? That’s where the grit lives. It’s thankless. It’s mundane. It’s the grind that tests your patience and conviction. But here’s the hopeful part: the middle doesn’t last forever. Something will move. Growth, however, is not guaranteed—you still have to choose to move with it.

Truth #3: The Fragility—and Nobility—of Being Human

This one’s deeper. So if you’re not in the mood for philosophical reflection, feel free to skip. But if you’re still with me, consider this passage from Blaise Pascal, as cited by Ken Boa:

“Man is but a reed, the most feeble thing in nature; but he is a thinking reed… A vapor, a drop of water, suffices to kill him. But… man would still be more noble than that which killed him, because he knows that he dies… the universe knows nothing of this.”
— Pensées, p. 347

We are fragile. Vulnerable. And yet, our awareness—our ability to reflect, to lead with purpose, to understand—makes us noble. It’s a sobering reminder that leadership isn’t just about control or strength. It’s also about consciousness, humility, and meaning.

So there you have it—three truths for this season. Let them guide you, challenge you, or simply remind you that leadership is as much about introspection as it is about action.

Enjoy the summer. And stay thoughtful.

Warm regards,
Jeremy C. Garlington
Point of View LLC
4060 Peachtree Rd./Suite D-#117
Atlanta, GA, 30319
Phone: 404-606-0637