Managing people is hard

This is for any of you who lead a person, a team or a business... Have you ever tried to corral a bunch of toddlers? Not easy, eh? One moment they’re happily engaged, the next they’re melting down because their sock “feels weird.”

Managing a team, a division, a school, or a company? Pretty much the same.

Most of my clients live in this reality. And to a person, managing others is their primary struggle. Not because they aren’t thoughtful, intentional leaders— but because people, like toddlers (or use?cats as an example if you prefer), have minds of their own.

Somewhere along the way, we were taught that leadership means control.?That we can tell people what to do and expect predictable results. That we are at the mercy of other people’s moods, behaviors, or attitudes.

Guess what? Not true.

No matter how exceptional you are as a leader, it’s vital to own what you can and cannot control.?And people? Yeah, they fall firmly into the "cannot" category.

Think of it this way: If you’ve ever tried to get a cat to sit still for a family photo, you already understand leadership?(or you were on a call with me today when I could not get Newton to leave my camera frame...)?You can bribe, cajole, and even dangle a shiny object, but in the end, that cat is going to do whatever the hell she wants. Managing people? Not much different.

You can set clear expectations, provide every tool imaginable, and model the behaviors you want to see. But people are gloriously unpredictable creatures. Someone will misinterpret an email. Someone else will show up to a meeting with a personal crisis brewing behind their professional smile. And someone, inevitably, will completely ignore your well-thought-out plan because “they’ve always done it this way.”

So, what I encourage "my" leaders to consider is that?leadership is less about control and more about influence. It’s about showing up consistently, creating an environment where people can do their best work, and resisting the urge to carry a bullhorn and a lasso (tempting as that may be).

Few teams are?well-oiled machines—because human are not machines.?They’re a a symphony of personalities, ambitions, and moods, not often sounding like The Four Seasons. And your job isn’t to force them into perfect alignment. It’s to guide, support, and, on some days, simply survive the chaos with a sense of humor intact. (you know who you are dear clients...)

So, take a deep breath. Herd your metaphorical cats. And remember—no one has it all under control. And that’s okay. And, if you want help navigating your team of humans,?I'm here for you.?I do this all day every work day. And, I have so many tools and mindsets to share with you to reduce your frustration and shift your mindset about your role. I promise you can have more fun at work and enjoy your role even if none of your team changes. Not a master herder, but a master of my mind while trying to herd, Kristin ?