Leaders who attempt to please others too often can unintentionally do more harm than good. However positive the goal, being likable is a poor substitute for leading. It simply gets in the way of making tough calls and incisive decisions. As you consider your approach to those you lead, it’s important to gauge the extent to which your concern for others may at times interfere with your own effectiveness. When you avoid people-pleasing, you are able to make more balanced choices, which ultimately better serve those you would aim to please.
Self-coaching Questions:
- How important to me is being liked by those I lead?
- In what ways do I tend to make choices primarily to please others?
- How can I better balance my tendency to please my people with the needs and demands of the bigger picture?
David Peck
Executive Coach and President
Leadership Unleashed
Note: Over 100 of these tips appear in my book: Beyond Effective: Practices in Self-aware Leadership. Click
on the image of the book for more information.
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