“How do you handle the pressure of people-pleasing?” was a great question on our Facebook page in the past couple of weeks, and it yielded lots of insight. (My favorite answer: “Drink wine!”) It was so well-received, in fact, that it was also made into a short Facebook “article.”
My take? At the end of the day leadership is not a popularity contest, and good decisions almost inevitably disappoint someone. That’s part of the leadership deal. And frankly, trying to please absolutely everyone is: a) impossible; and b) a recipe for not making real progress.
Yes—communicate. Yes—be respectful and listen (and be open) to alternative points of view. But then make decisions that you and your leadership team feel are in the best interests of your group’s long-term mission and success. It’s the only way to go.
My mother-in-law had a saying on her fridge: Motherhood is not for wimps. Neither is PTO leadership. Expecting that and being ready for that and not overreacting to the inevitable critics is how we succeed in the long-term.
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