Leadership takes grit. Sometimes that means dealing with temporary discomfort to achieve a healthy culture.
During a group coaching session with our Be the Leader Nobody Wants to Leave cohort, one of my colleagues recently said, “Don’t trade temporary discomfort for long-term dysfunction.”
That statement reminds us of the regular struggle many of us face in leadership on a daily basis.
Time to Stop Making Excuses
Most of us would hear that quote and agree with it. Yet, with an honest assessment of our own behaviors, we may realize we are making that trade more often than we’d like to admit when addressing behavior issues with staff.
Why? Because it’s less painful to make excuses that keep us in our comfort zone.
Are Excuses Holding You Back?
There are a number of excuses that can keep us from making leadership choices designed to drive positive change and strong performance.
Here are a few:
- I don’t want to make a big deal out of it.
- It was probably a one-time thing.
- She/he is just having a bad day.
- I don’t want to be mean.
It’s easier to ignore bad behaviors in the moment than to address them head on. But when you choose to believe one of your excuses and allow bad behavior to persist, you are creating a new norm—a lower standard.
Your team sees it, and it erodes your credibility as a leader.
Ask yourself if you have been avoiding temporary discomfort. Make a list of times you could have taken other action and ask yourself what kept you from doing so. By getting clearer, you will be opening the door to better leadership.
Tags: be the leader, healthy workplace, leadership coaching, leadership lessons, people management, team performance
