There have been a lot of them.

No, we can’t stop because it’s raining. We need to get this done.

No, we can’t take the weekend off. We have a commitment to meet.

No, you can’t go home yet. We still have work that needs to be finished.

Those aren’t decisions I enjoy making, and I understand exactly what I’m asking of somebody when I make them.

But part of being responsible for an operation is understanding that what’s best for one person at that particular moment isn’t always what’s best for the job or the team.

That doesn’t mean people don’t matter. It means sometimes the work requires something from all of us that we would rather not give that day.

When I make that call, I need to be able to explain why. There should be a real operational reason behind it—not because I’m trying to prove who’s in charge.

And if I’m asking somebody else to make that sacrifice, I need to recognize what I’m asking of them.

Fair doesn’t always mean everybody gets what they want.

Sometimes it means making the decision the operation requires and being willing to own it.