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.
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