Leaders should wisely balance diverse views

As a leader, you will hear many and varied opinions about whatever decision that you make. The intentions of such opinions will not necessarily be malicious but just differences in opinions and  reflect how each person would have approached the same issue differently. PHOTO | FILE 

In Summary

• It can never be possible to please everyone even when the ultimate goal is the same, especially when decisions must be made every day. 
• When you make a decision knowing fully well that  it will attract diverse views and perceptions, you become psychologically prepared for some of the venomous opinions that may come your way.

By DAVID MUTURI
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When you sit in any position of leadership one critical thing to appreciate is that there are  as many leadership styles as the number of leaders.

Each leader has different priorities. Each person leads in their own way. You must then be continuously awake to the fact you will hear many and varied opinions about whatever decision that you make.

The intentions of such opinions will not necessarily be malicious but just differences in opinions and  reflect how each person would have approached the same issue differently.

Each approach to any issue will have the pros, cons and risks. You can never have a perfect solution to any problem. There is no decision that does not have an alternative view which will  be as persuasive as the option taken.

VENOMOUS OPINIONS

It is important to protect yourself from the noise and the din. Never lose focus. 

When faced with diverse opinions, it is wise to identify the truth  while fully acknowledging the fact that you are not perfect. The truth may help improve future decisions even when they may not help in the current circumstances.

It can never be possible to please everyone even when the ultimate goal is the same, especially when decisions must be made every day.  When you make a decision knowing fully well that  it will attract diverse views and perceptions, you become psychologically prepared for some of the venomous opinions that may come your way.

When an opinion is venomous,  separate the tone of the suggestion from the suggestion itself. The tone is noise that should be ignored.  If you take every other verbiage personally you will not only get dragged down but this will rob you the energy you need for your work.

As a leader you receive all counsel, solicited and unsolicited. Some will be honest advice while others will be outright self-seeking. The deceptive credibility of some of the counsel may send you on a confused roller-coaster.

Every person you listen to has a very passionate way they would have gone about a particular issue.  This is may lead  you to wonder;  if all this can be done  differently with equal passion which then is the right way to go?

As a leader, the bottom line  is to take a decision and live with it.