“Not everybody will buy into what you’re saying.. Lead Anyways!” — John Maxwell
Skepticism often derives out of a fear of failure. A leader can be so concerned about failing that no ideas appear to offer a reasonable level of risk because they are scrutinized so heavily by his / her peers. None will work well enough. The task is too difficult to attempt. The threat of failure is too large. Have you ever felt like this in your leadership? Well, you’re not alone.
There isn’t a leader I know who hasn’t feared the possibility of failure. We are under constant pressure to produce, succeed, and grow the organization. Though we have this in common, as leaders we have a choice of how we view potential failure: something to be avoided or an opportunity to improve (and succeed.)
Quick story: When I was a young leader (25-30 years old range), I was the leader that wanted everybody under my charge to like me and be my friend. I’d take guys out to lunch, grab a beer after work, gossip about other employees. It was NOT what great leaders do. These skeptics were never going to change. It took me some time to break that bondage and realize that not everybody is going to buy into my vision of the future. Once you realize that you have to pour your energy into those that want to rally behind you, it’s onward and upward from there. I never looked back!
Trying to be everybody’s friend that you have been called to lead is a guaranteed recipe for disaster. Lead those that want to be led, and want to grow, and stay away from those that want to see you fail, or don’t have a desire to grow themselves. I don’t care how hard you try, you can’t soften a hard heart, or change those that inevitably have zero regard in their minds to see the mission through!
Don’t think that skeptics indicate a lack of commitment from others either. Consider the possibility that a skeptic is simply someone who is not ready to trust you just yet. That does not mean they aren’t committed. After all, if they weren’t, they might not have so much to say about what they are feeling!
Instead of trying to go into combat with the skeptic, try listening to understand. You will likely learn something that can be helpful. Listening past someone’s skepticism will help earn their trust in you. At some point they may just start to trust you. What a concept! That is where real growth happens!
If you want to change the hearts and minds of your skeptics, you have to be the example for others to follow. Remember, you are the lid to your people. As the leader, anybody under your charge will never surpass your ability. It is impossible. This is where your commitment to continuous growth, living out your mission, passion towards growing others, empathy, honesty, and integrity ALL come into play. Good communication skills and decision-making capabilities, especially in the face of adversities, will also always play a vital role into whether or not you will succeed or fail in getting others to follow you!
What are your skeptics saying about you?