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Start with the Ending in Mind
Initiatives are easy to start; great leaders plan how they end.
Apr 18, 2025
“Tell me how this ends.” This famous line was uttered by then Major General (2-Star) David Petraeus as an Army division commander in Iraq in 2003. A student of military history, specifically Vietnam, he knew all too well that wars are relatively easy to start but near impossible to end. The question remained unanswered for years. It’s a powerful reminder of the importance of clarity, foresight, and planning, not just in warfare, but in leadership.
Starting with the End in Mind
Starting with the end (or exit) in mind is a sound business principle. Businesses grow or scale to one day sell or transition in some fashion. The owner’s goal in exit planning is to get the most value out of the enterprise.
This translates to having a healthy business (systems, finances, people, and climate) with great potential. It is also a sound principle for leadership.
Visualize the End State
Leaders must invest some intellectual capital in imagining what the end state looks like. In strategy (ends, ways, means), you start with the end in mind and work backward from there:
“What should we be doing today which will bring us to our strategic ends?”
It also applies to leading people.
If Dana is not performing well in his role, how does his leader address it, and how will it end? An ending could see Dana retrained and functioning efficiently, or if she cannot overcome and perform, on notice to be fired.
What Are You Really Trying to Accomplish?
Contentious statements, accusations, and conversations also have an outcome or an end that leaders must consider. Here are a few examples and guiding thoughts:
“I’m going to admonish my team for their lack of teamwork and innovation in last quarter’s project.”
What outcome should a leader expect from this admonishment? What does ‘right’ look like beyond this conversation?
“We have to put a policy in place to address this problem in our company.”
What is the end goal of the policy? When is it complete and complied with? What is happening—or not happening anymore—which brings the organization closer to its goals and vision?
“I’m going to text Mia and tell her I’m tired of her whining.”
What does a leader hope to accomplish with that text? What lies on the other side of that comment?
The Hard Part Is the Ending
Like policies, big projects, and new initiatives, it’s relatively easy to start, but much harder to end.
In leadership, we don’t get a pass. We have to do the hard work with our teams to imagine, describe, communicate, and work toward the end.
We owe that to our organization and its people.
Make it Personal!
Rob
