Great companies don’t hide from hard truths. They build systems, rhythms and cultures that drag reality into the light early and often. This article breaks down how leaders can confront the brutal facts with clarity, discipline and confidence, and use them to build a stronger, more resilient organisation.

I recently sat down with Blake McLean, UTS Sports, Exercise and Rehabilitation Associate Professor and Head of Performance R&D with the Oklahoma City Thunder, 2025 NBA champions. We discussed his research, which focuses on both player and non-player performance, and how it applies to organisational performance. Blake is also a keynote speaker at the CEO Summit 2026.

Continuously improve your enthusiastic re-hire rate Are all highly skilled and capable Talent valuable? Some have deep skills and incredible expertise. They get the job done. Maybe they break a few rules and make a few enemies along the way. But the results are there. They speak for themselves. But they can lead to team dysfunction, persistent problems and long-term drop in capabilities of your business. In my previous article “ How to get the right people in the right seats