Here’s a concept that just might change your entire career:
Being a leader isn’t about being liked. It’s about doing what’s right.
So many people are scared motionless of creating conflict – they have this deep-seated need to be popular and cherished and feel like some sort of a Rockstar or something.
They hate ruffling anybody’s feathers or making noise on a controversial topic. They constantly feel insecure about what they know, and this makes them uncomfortable in their own skin.
But…real leaders are different.
Real leader fearlessly make tough calls, have tough conversations, and give tough love.
They speak their truth.
They run their own race.
They make the right decisions and worry very little about what anybody thinks of them.
Throughout my career as a health and fitness coach, and in many cases the “coach of coaches” – I have spoken a lot on having a positive mindset and being respectful to others, especially your clientele and to those around you at your work.
If you treat your people well, they will treat you well.
If you’re a leader and you treat your people well, they will reciprocate by treating your customers well.
This should be a no-brainer.
Help people get to their goals and they will happily help you get to yours. I will take that value to my grave.
Having reflected on this positivity, compassion, and seeing the best in people…understand that when I say you should be kind, that in no way should be seen as being weak.
Being a good human doesn’t mean that you don’t need to be strong, courageous, and even confrontational when required by the circumstances. I will never suggest that these things aren’t necessary to your development.
Extraordinary leadership is a balancing act between being tender and tough, compassionate yet courageous, friendly yet firm, calm but assertive.
All that the best leaders really care about is being fair, doing what’s right for getting results. Which brings me to arguably the most important lesson I could ever pass on to you:
Do what is right, rather than what is popular.
If you’re having trouble deciding what is right, it’s normally the harder thing to do.
Make the right decisions, speak with candor, let underperformers know when they are underperforming, and tell your superstars how much you love them. Put another way, just be real, and allow realness to be your mantra.
Being a leader will never be about being liked. It will always be about doing what’s right.
I have never concerned myself with haters online or people who approach me and let me know that I could make an additional “six figures per year doing basically nothing!” – yeah, except selling my soul by selling your garbage. I’m also doing quite well financially as well, but thanks for inquiring, I do my shit the real way. You know, with actual truth and integrity. Weird, huh?
Look – when you lead from a place of truth, justice, fairness, and excellence – you’re always going to have critics.
Who cares!?
Have you ever seen a critic show up at a deathbed?
Neither have I.
But, I have seen regret show up at a deathbed – he’s one of the most frequent visitors.
Don’t let him show up. Great people are the ones who build monuments from the stones that others throw at them.
If I listened to my critics, I’d still be depressed and working in a machine shop.
How about you?
Dan Garner
