10 Things I Hate About Leadership

Image by Kenny Louie

Leadership comes with it’s own pitfalls. The trappings we all hate. The frustrations of making a tough choice. The terror of stepping forward.

Yet we lead, even with the long lists of things we hate.

1. The added responsibility of leadership: Yup, we all step into leadership and know there’s going to be added responsibility. Sometimes the added responsibility that comes with leadership can be overwhelming.

2. The responsibility to make the hard decisions: Leaders are there for a reason. We’re there to set a course, to plot the way, to make decisions. Not every decision we face will be easy. We’ll have to make some really difficult choices.

3. The unclear path: As a young leader, you’ll be put into situations where you have no idea what to do. The path will be hidden. Still, you’re called to go forward even when you can’t see more than one or two sets in front of yourself.

4. The desires of others:Any leader who has been in the leadership game long enough knows this one. There’s a lot of politics in leadership and people try to push their desires on you. You’ll be tempted to go their way rather than to forge your own path.

5. The failures we experience along the way: I know failures are a great pathway to learning. But I don’t like to fail.

6. The feelings of responsibility: This thing I hate about leadership is similar to #1 but different enough I believe it deserves it’s own spot. A weight begins to fall upon you as you lead and you begin to feel responsible for those under you. Quitting or changing positions can make you feel like you’re abandoning those you lead.

7. The influence of my leadership: Leaders realize every action they take has an impact on those around them. Your influence goes beyond your wildest imagination. Sometimes I don’t want to influence anyone.

8. The passing of the baton: There will come a time in every leader’s life where they will have to step down. The leader will have to pass the baton to the next generation. Even knowing this can be difficult. And I hate that!

9. The transitions of others: You spend a lot of time building up others and getting them into the right positions. Only they move on and begin something new. It’s hard to accept but great knowing they’re having an impact in other places.

10. The desire to see people change: People have so much potential. So often they fail to live up to their full potential. Us leaders, we’re able to see the potential but we’re not always able to draw it out. We learn that we can create change in others, we can only try to coax it out.

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