Wanna Be Liked or Respected?

Sitting in a session with a leadership team I suddenly realized the CEO was trying to win a popularity contest.  How did I know?  Well, for starters, there was a hesitancy in his voice that belied his own uncertainty about conflict.  “I’m not looking to rock the boat”, I want to make sure everyone is on-board” and the ever popular  -- “maybe we all should think about this a bit more” seemed to roll effortlessly  off his tongue.  His eyes scanned the room for nodding approvals  and smiles of support.

It was unnerving to watch him work the team as smoothly as a candidate running for office.   His political skills were admirable.  His leadership skills were questionable.  What was missing?    In a word, decisiveness.

 He was more concerned about being liked than being a leader.  He was more concerned about relationships than he was about results.  That’s not to say that relationships are unimportant.  In fact, they are critical.  However, great leaders inspire, motivate and educate.  They build great relationships in service to a noble goal . They are impactful. They inspire others to greatness.

Worrying about being liked is simply disguised ego satisfaction. It’s more about you than it is about them.   So stop trying to be liked.   Stop tolerating mediocrity.  Inspire greatness and call forth excellence.  And, then you’ll not only be liked. You’ll be loved.