Are you letting the disgruntled people win?
“Even in a volatile world that requires tough decisions, the best way to counter crankiness is through an inspiring, energizing purpose.” –Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Professor at the Harvard Business School
Every organization has them. There will always be disgruntled people. Some of them will be your competition (even if you’re really not competing with them). Some of them will be your customers or congregants. Some of them will be on your team…though you should never pay people to be disgruntled. Some of them will be people who just enjoy being crabby. Regardless of your situation, disgruntled people will eventually surface.
Rosabeth Moss Kanter is one of my favorite writers on leadership and management topics. She recently wrote an article called “9 Do’s and Don’ts for Dealing with the Disgruntled” addressing this topic. It offers some advice for dealing with the cranky people who creep into your life.
The ironic thing is that sometimes leaders subconsciously enjoy entering the fray when it comes to disgruntled people. These people know how to prey on the pride and ego of leaders. Leaders want to be right. If the disgruntled can get leaders on the defensive, it’ll keep the leaders occupied and less focused on the big picture. When that happens, the cranky people have won.
…”These people know how to prey on the pride and ego of leaders.”
That’s eye opening, frightening, true and tragic.
M_
I really like this thought, but I’m struggling with one thing that I hope someone can help me out with. And this is very important for me right now in what’s happening at our church.
You said, “These people know how to prey on the pride and ego of leaders.” I’m not sure what that means. Isn’t the pride and ego of leaders issues of sin? And although they may use those sin issues incorrectly – aren’t they REAL issues that they may be perceiving to be true?
Could they be disgruntled BECAUSE of the pride and ego of the leader (in this case, me)? And if we simply cast them aside as disgruntled – could we be missing the sanctifying work God wants to do in us?