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Business leadership requires unpopular decisions

8 points by saltysalt 3y ago

woliveirajr 3y ago
TL;DR: the title says it all.
chiefalchemist 3y ago
In business, to be a successful leader often requires unpopular decisions. Your job is to deliver value for the company and it's shareholders, not to be popular. In politics, unpopular decisions end careers. To be a successful political leader, you need to be popular because you need to get reelected. > Yes and no, but mostly no. By defintion, leaders - any / all leaders - make difficult and yes sometimes unpopular decisions. If that isn't happening, that isn't leadership. Yes, in theory we have politicians in leadership positions. The reality is, very few meet the defintion of leader. That is, getting elected is simply not enough to qualify for the title of leader. The writer is too generous, to a fault. Such sloppiness needs to stop. Put another way, if your pet barks do you still call it a cat? Of course...OhHellNo. The same rule applies to leader/leadership. People need to stop doling it out like candy on Halloween. The title should be earned and honored. It shouldn't be one of those trophies everyone gets just for showing up. Else we'll continue to stuck in this Orwellian infinite loop were complete muppets are considered leaders and no one stops to say that's no true. We don't need more fake leaders.
- saltysalt 3y ago
  > Else we'll continue to stuck in this Orwellian infinite loop were complete muppets are considered leaders and no one stops to say that's no true. We don't need more fake leaders. Strongly agree.
thenerdhead 3y ago
Unpopular decisions end business careers too. What is the point being made here? You can also lead businesses with popular decisions if your incentives all align.
- saltysalt 3y ago
  > Unpopular decisions end business careers too. True, but business leaders are not elected, and can therefore make broadly unpopular decisions with the backing of their boards and shareholders. In fact I believe its required. For example: redundancies are unpopular, but can benefit the share value.
  - thenerdhead 3y ago
    No single person is making those decisions. Not even the CEO. And yes, business leaders are elected by the board they represent.
    - saltysalt 3y ago
      Your missing the key point that the incentives are different: the board are electing the CEO to protect their investment, not to be a popular leader.
      - thenerdhead 3y ago
        How do you think most public companies protect their investments? By electing a popular leader.
        saltysalt 3y ago
        I offer Elon as a counter-example.

8 points by saltysalt 3y ago

TL;DR: the title says it all.

In business, to be a successful leader often requires unpopular decisions. Your job is to deliver value for the company and it's shareholders, not to be popular. In politics, unpopular decisions end careers. To be a successful political leader, you need to be popular because you need to get reelected. > Yes and no, but mostly no. By defintion, leaders - any / all leaders - make difficult and yes sometimes unpopular decisions. If that isn't happening, that isn't leadership. Yes, in theory we have politicians in leadership positions. The reality is, very few meet the defintion of leader. That is, getting elected is simply not enough to qualify for the title of leader. The writer is too generous, to a fault. Such sloppiness needs to stop. Put another way, if your pet barks do you still call it a cat? Of course...OhHellNo. The same rule applies to leader/leadership. People need to stop doling it out like candy on Halloween. The title should be earned and honored. It shouldn't be one of those trophies everyone gets just for showing up. Else we'll continue to stuck in this Orwellian infinite loop were complete muppets are considered leaders and no one stops to say that's no true. We don't need more fake leaders.

saltysalt 3y ago
> Else we'll continue to stuck in this Orwellian infinite loop were complete muppets are considered leaders and no one stops to say that's no true. We don't need more fake leaders. Strongly agree.

thenerdhead 3y ago

Unpopular decisions end business careers too. What is the point being made here? You can also lead businesses with popular decisions if your incentives all align.

saltysalt 3y ago
> Unpopular decisions end business careers too. True, but business leaders are not elected, and can therefore make broadly unpopular decisions with the backing of their boards and shareholders. In fact I believe its required. For example: redundancies are unpopular, but can benefit the share value.
- thenerdhead 3y ago
  No single person is making those decisions. Not even the CEO. And yes, business leaders are elected by the board they represent.
  - saltysalt 3y ago
    Your missing the key point that the incentives are different: the board are electing the CEO to protect their investment, not to be a popular leader.
    - thenerdhead 3y ago
      How do you think most public companies protect their investments? By electing a popular leader.
      - saltysalt 3y ago
        I offer Elon as a counter-example.