Escape Overwhelm: Give People Permission to Not Like You

No one likes being disliked.

Being disliked can contribute to a leader's sense of overwhelm.

I’m not going to ask you to start liking being disliked. 

However, I am going to help you sidestep the hurt and frustration that accompany knowing you aren’t other peoples’ cup of tea.

It's time for you to understand what contributes to your discomfort with being disliked and how it could only be adding to your current sense of overwhelm.

Answer these three coaching questions:

1) Why does it matter to me whether or not they like me?

2) How much energy am I using to try to get people to like me?

3) How will my life be different if I focus less on peoples’ opinions of me?

Here’s the bold truth: You can’t make people like you. Period.

But this is also very true and empowering: When you give people permission to not like you, this is strong leadership.
 

If you write a post on social media, fire an employee, or even send an email, you are opening yourself up for criticism. This is part of leadership, and it’s important for you to give people permission to disagree with and dislike you.
 

If people disagree with you, criticize you, and do not like what you have done, that is not evidence of you being a bad person or leader. Others’ opinions and your identity do not have to be connected at all.