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1. Hostage to the High Performer
Hostage Taker: The Myth of
“Irreplaceable” Talent
You tolerate a brilliant but toxic person because the short-term output feels too valuable to lose.
The ransom: culture, morale, psychological safety.
Fix: Define behavioural non-negotiables and hold everyone — including stars — to them.
2. Hostage to Your
Amygdala
Hostage Taker: Reactivity Over Reason
Stress, surprise, or conflict triggers fight-or-flight and your better judgment evaporates.
The ransom: your ability to lead with clarity instead of reactivity.
Fix: Take one slow breath or pause 10 seconds to reset your nervous
system before responding.
3. Hostage to the Past
Hostage Taker: Legacy Attachment (Sunk Cost + Old Stories + Outdated Systems)
You keep pouring time, money, or reputation into something because of how much you've already invested.
The
ransom: your future agility.
Fix: Do a quick “legacy audit” — keep what serves the future and retire what doesn’t.
4. Hostage to Perfectionism
Hostage Taker: The Need for Control
You refuse to let go,
delegate, or trust the team. You become the bottleneck you complain about.
The ransom: your bandwidth, the team’s growth, and your own sanity.
Fix: Delegate one task this week that you would normally keep and let good-enough be good enough.
5. Hostage to People-Pleasing
Hostage Taker: Choosing ‘Nice’ over 'Kind'
You avoid conflict, soften every message, or never say “No” because you want to be liked.
The ransom: clarity, boundaries, and your own authority.
Fix: Practice a clean, boundaried “No” — early, simple, and without over-explanation.
6.
Hostage to the Loudest Voice
Hostage Taker: Dominant Personalities
A single dominant personality (boss, peer, stakeholder, team member) sets the emotional temperature for everyone else.
The ransom: balanced decision-making and diverse perspectives.
Fix: Run a structured round where everyone speaks once before anyone speaks
twice.
7. Hostage to the Calendar (No White Space)
Hostage Taker: Reactive Scheduling
Your day is dictated by back-to-back meetings and reacting to everyone else’s priorities.
The ransom: strategic thinking time and real progress.
Fix: Before accepting anything,
ask: “If I say yes to this, what am I saying no to?” — then block one non-negotiable thinking hour each week and protect it like a meeting with your CEO.
8. Hostage to Assumptions and Biases
Hostage Taker: Mental Shortcuts
You run on autopilot: old assumptions, outdated mental models, and quick judgments.
The
ransom: good decisions.
Fix: Ask one curious question before making a conclusion: “What else could be true here?” or "What do I know to be true here?"
9. Hostage to Avoidance
Hostage Taker: Fear of Discomfort
You delay the crucial conversation, the decision, the restructure,
the performance discussion.
The ransom: trust, momentum, and credibility.
Fix: Schedule the uncomfortable conversation within 48 hours and script your opening line and only your opening line.
10. Hostage to Your Own Identity Story
Hostage Taker: Outdated Self-Narratives
“I’m the fixer.”
“I’m the expert.”
“I’m the one who holds it all together.”
These stories lock you into roles you’ve outgrown.
The ransom: evolution, creativity, and the leader you could become next.
Fix: Refresh your leadership brand — decide who you want to be known as now, not who you used to be.