The key to success...

“I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.” attributed to Bill Cosby

Well, that’s certainly one to roll around in the brain some. I’ve seen this one come true more than once in my life. Either in my personal life or my business life. It’s sometimes hard to not let this quote become a reality. Especially when you have a personality that prefers harmony and peace among people you are related with through work or personal affairs.

Pleasing everybody is almost impossible. Take that back, it IS impossible. I certainly think that in management there are negotiable and non-negotiable things. However, we can not confuse the two. Trying to be the good guy ALL the time falls into the “trying to please everyone” category. The results of this approach I have lived through and have had to live with (to an extent).

In life and business there are black and white things, right and wrong, yes and no. There are absolutes. There are also shades of gray. Being able to discern the difference separates good leaders from great leaders.

Leaders make decisions. That’s what we do. That’s what we are paid to do!

We won’t please everyone all the time or anyone sometimes.