Handling Pushback

Not all team members are as enthusiastic as others about conditions at your organization, and some are downright pessimistic. You will find that some team members are cheerful by nature, while others are chronic contrarians. A leader should always take the temperature of the entire team, especially when change is in the air. The best leaders don’t get swept away by the good vibes of their enthusiastic staff, nor are they bogged down by the skepticism of others. Instead, they take a balanced view and make it clear to everyone that all voices are heard, valued and understood. By doing so, those who are pushing back register that their leader values transparency and fosters trust — which makes them less likely to engage in surreptitiously disruptive behaviors and more likely to provide important feedback.

A great leader absorbs and processes the pessimism as well as the enthusiasm of their staff.