Difficult People

Leading difficult people is…difficult.

You work with someone who has loads of potential and you work really, really hard to pull those capabilities out of them. You continue to pull and pull some more and there are hints of progress, but you are exhausted.

This is taking a lot longer than you thought. How do we motivate people to grow without creating stress?

There is a balance between meeting people where they are, while still caring about them so much that you won't allow them to stay there. They can do it.

We have to realize though, that they can do it in their way, with their gifts and their thought processes. 

As leaders, we love to inspire others to grow into.... well, us. Once we realize that people are not us and that they bring things to the table that we don't, it frees us up to help them grow into the best version of themselves.

Next time you are working on developing someone, own it. Believe they have what it takes and also practice patience without expectations, knowing that they innately work differently than you do. This will give them the space to grow and will save you unnecessary frustration.

For more tips on leadership, check out the Business Lab with Laine Schmidt Podcast.