What is your objective as a leader? Popularity or profitability?

Be honest now – what do you really want?

Sometimes the decisions needing to be made, the actions needing to be taken, the words needing to be said, the changes needing to occur – those things that are ‘profitable’ for the people and/or the organization you are leading – may be unpopular. This is when we discover how committed we are to leading for profitability.

Or, are we more concerned about our popularity so we don’t do or say what needs to be done or said? We take a course of action less threatening, and consequently less profitable for the people and the organization.

It’s always a balance between the two though. Clearly we can’t be solely concerned about popularity, but nor can we be solely concerned about profitability with no regard for popularity – or what we could call ‘buy-in’ or ‘engagement’ with the people we are leading.

We always need to endeavor to create buy-in and engagement with the stakeholders who are impacted by our leadership, but there are times when we need to lead people into something profitable for them and the organization, even though it may be unpopular at the time.

I call this “Buckley’s Leadership” – it may taste bad at the moment, but it works. Our health will improve because of it.

I recently had an experience with this…

I presented a message on the ‘Heart of a Leader’ being our most valuable asset – the engine that drives everything we do, and maximizes our abilities, talents, gifts, experiences, and education. I explained how we oftentimes don’t understand the nature of the heart, and the reality that our hearts are in hiding due to life’s trials, tribulations, and wounds. Our hearts are often held captive by the “lies” we believe about ourselves.  So, we must be willing to courageously embark upon a journey to find our heart, heal/free our heart and then guard our heart to be able to lead and live wholeheartedly.

I gave what I thought was a passionate, professional, creative and compelling presentation to convince the audience of the ‘profitability’ of this course of action.

However, my message was not popular. Swing and a miss. A fail. It bombed.

Sure there were some who commented to me that the message really resonated with them, but for the most part it appeared to be ‘unpopular’.

I tried to figure out what went wrong. Why wasn’t this life-changing message welcomed with open arms? Did I do a bad job with content, with presentation, or with organization? Perhaps. Was I off my game? Perhaps. Was the audience not open to this message? Perhaps. Were there myriad other factors contributing to the outcome? Perhaps again. I still don’t know the answers, but I am asking some good questions.

Questions like, “Am I doing this for ‘popularity’, or am I doing this for ‘profitability’?” – because I know this message can radically change people’s lives and leadership.

Well, it’s both. Definitely more the latter than the former, but if no one wants to listen, if my message isn’t popular, then I certainly won’t be helping to launch a revolution of wholehearted leadership. I have to figure out how I can make this message palatable to a greater number of people. How I can grow in my ability as a leader to create buy-in and engagement with people for what is truly profitable for them, even though the message may be initially somewhat intimidating.

Likewise with every leader: we must concern ourselves with both popularity and profitability. We must do all we can to facilitate and create buy-in and engagement (popularity), but not for our own approval. We must ensure we are working toward ‘profitability’ – that which is in the best interest of the people and the organization.

It’s about respect, not approval.

Leadership requires making tough decisions, taking tough actions, and saying tough words that may be unpopular at the time, but ultimately prove to be profitable for those concerned. Good leaders work to build buy-in and engagement, but will always work toward what is profitable, even if it may not be popular.

What are you most committed to – popularity or profitability?