Sicilian proverb:
“Ti manciasti u sceccu e ti confunni p’a cuda?”
(You ate the donkey and now you are embarrassed by the tail?)
This saying captures a classic leadership misstep: making a bold decision, then hesitating over something trivial.
You see it often in management:
- A CEO greenlights a major acquisition, then flinches at rebranding costs.
- A manager reorganises a team, but cannot confront one underperformer.
- A transformation begins with vision, but ends in silence when things get tough.
These are not minor contradictions.
They reveal a gap between the courage to start and the resolve to follow through.
Three reminders for leaders:
- Own the full arc of your decisions.
If you take the leap, see it through — publicly and privately. Partial courage is no courage at all. - Small hesitations send big signals.
Integrity is tested in the details. A leader who cannot handle the tail risks undermining the whole strategy. - Do not confuse fear of judgment with prudence.
Backing down to save face is not wisdom — it is vanity.
The proverb is a warning:
Real leadership is not just about making brave starts.
It is about finishing with coherence.
If you have eaten the donkey, do not choke on the tail.