10/08/2025
If your goal is to be liked, don’t lead.
Because real leadership will require you to disappoint people.
You’ll have to say “no” when everyone wants you to say “yes.”
You’ll have to correct someone who’s already doing “okay” — because you know they’re capable of more.
You’ll have to enforce standards, even if it makes you look “strict,” “too much,” or “heartless.”
You’ll be misunderstood.
You’ll be talked about.
You’ll feel alone, sometimes even betrayed — especially by the ones you thought “got” you.
And when that happens, you’ll ask yourself:
“Is it worth it?”
Here’s what I’ve learned:
Leadership is not about being liked.
It’s about being clear.
It’s about being consistent.
It’s about staying anchored in your values even when the crowd shifts moods.
You’re not here to babysit emotions.
You’re here to raise people higher — even if that means making them uncomfortable.
Because growth is uncomfortable.
And if you’re the kind of leader who avoids discomfort to preserve likability…you’ll shrink the people you’re supposed to build.
So no — you don’t need to be cold or harsh.
But you need to be courageous.
Courageous enough to hold the line.
Courageous enough to be disliked — for the right reasons.
Because one day, the very people who were once frustrated with your standards…will thank you for not lowering them.
- Gizelle Giray-Lim
