One of the hardest lessons in leadership is accepting that every decision disappoints someone.
One of the hardest lessons in leadership is accepting that every decision disappoints someone.
Approve the budget and someone loses funding.
Promote one candidate and another walks away disappointed.
Protect safety and someone misses out on an opportunity.
Some people will be pleased.
Some will be disappointed.
Some will be confused.
Some may even be angry.
And you, as the leader, must be willing to carry all of it. That’s the cost of leadership. Many leaders fall into the trap of trying to make the decision that pleases the most people.
That sounds wise. It isn’t always.
Sometimes the right decision is not the popular decision.
A school has a strong year financially. Staff want higher salaries. Departments want new resources. Parents want facility upgrades. All reasonable requests.
But the leadership team chooses to strengthen reserves instead.
Nobody applauds building reserves.
Until the next crisis arrives.
Two strong candidates apply for a leadership position. One is the obvious favorite. Well-liked. Well-known. Expected to get the role.
The other candidate demonstrates greater potential for where the school needs to go next.
One promotion creates excitement.
The other may be better for the future.
Leadership means choosing what serves the mission, not what creates the least disappointment.
A school trip has been planned for months. Students are excited. Parents have paid deposits. Staff have invested countless hours organizing it.
Then a safety concern emerges.
Everyone wants the trip to proceed. The responsible decision is to cancel. The complaints arrive immediately. The gratitude often arrives much later.
Leadership is not a popularity contest.
It is a responsibility.
Listen carefully.
Seek different perspectives.
Invite disagreement.
Then decide.
And once you’ve decided, be willing to carry the disappointment that follows.
As I often say:
If you want to please everyone, don’t become a school leader.
Go sell ice cream.
What is the most unpopular decision you have ever had to make as a leader?
