There’s always an elephant in the room. They come in all shapes, sizes, and colors—purple, red, green—you name it. Some are big and clumsy, others small and sly.

A few might even look harmless, maybe cute, but most are downright ugly. And no matter how much you wish otherwise, they’re always there.

You see them. Your staff sees them. Everyone sees them. Yet somehow, you, the leader, keep pretending they don’t exist. The more you ignore those elephants, the louder your team’s sighs get. They know you have the power—and the tools—to deal with the problem. But instead, you turn away, hoping silence will make it disappear.

Here’s the truth: ignoring the elephant doesn’t make it leave. It grows. It feeds on your inaction, your excuses, your denial. Every day you look the other way, it gets a little fatter, a little bolder.

You could face it. You could grab a stick, set boundaries, and reclaim your space.

But it’s easier to live in make-believe, isn’t it? Easier to act like everything’s fine while chaos chews on your authority. Just remember—keep ignoring that elephant long enough, and one day it’ll sit right in your lap.

And when it does, the weight will crush you.

Your staff will shake their heads. They’ll say they wanted to warn you, but keeping their jobs mattered more.

So, I’ll ask just once:

Are you ignoring the elephant in your room? That’s all I’m gonna ask,

—Tommy Gibbs