In a recent LinkedIn post, Florence Divet ☀️ tackles a common misconception about leadership, asserting that true leadership is rooted in responsibility rather than the pursuit of universal approval. The post challenges the innate human desire for consensus and likability, arguing that these can be significant impediments to effective decision-making.
Florence Divet ☀️ begins by acknowledging the natural inclination towards wanting to be liked and to avoid conflict. However, the core of their message emphasizes that genuine leadership often necessitates making difficult choices that may not please everyone.
“Real leadership requires something uncomfortable: Making calls that someone will hate.”
The post illustrates this point with relatable scenarios: promoting one employee might disappoint another, choosing one strategy over another can alienate a portion of the team, and rejecting a project can disheartened those who invested time and effort. Florence Divet ☀️ identifies a common leadership pitfall in these situations: the tendency to “freeze” or delay decisions in a quest for a universally agreeable solution, which ultimately leads to disappointment for all involved.
The Accountability of Leadership
Florence Divet ☀️ reframes the leader’s role, moving away from the idea of being a people-pleaser towards that of an accountable decision-maker. The author clarifies that difficult decisions are not personal rejections but rather actions taken to safeguard the company’s mission and long-term health.
“When you say yes to everything, the company goes broke. When you avoid hard feedback, your best people quit without warning. When you chase universal approval, you build nothing that lasts,” Florence Divet ☀️ writes.
According to Florence Divet ☀️, the focus should be on making the right decision for the organization’s future. This approach, while potentially unpopular in the short term, builds trust and respect over time. As Florence Divet ☀️ notes, “People might disagree with your call, but they’ll respect that you made one.” The ultimate goal, Florence Divet ☀️ suggests, is not to be universally loved, but to be universally trusted by virtue of effective and courageous leadership.
Actionable Steps for Courageous Leadership
To help leaders navigate these challenges, Florence Divet ☀️ outlines several practical steps:
- Notice where you avoid discomfort: Recognizing personal patterns of avoidance is the first step toward growth.
- Make decisions efficiently: Aim to decide within 48 hours rather than getting bogged down in endless meetings seeking consensus. This builds momentum and prevents teams from waiting indefinitely for perfect agreement.
- Explain reasoning transparently: Clearly articulating the rationale behind decisions, even unpopular ones, fosters trust. Florence Divet ☀️ emphasizes, “People can handle disagreement. They can’t handle mystery.”
- Clarify, don’t apologize, after tough calls: Following up to clarify intentions, rather than apologizing for difficult decisions, can turn initial resistance into alignment and commitment.
- Own trade-offs openly: Being transparent about the options considered and the trade-offs made can lead to greater buy-in from the team.
Florence Divet ☀️ concludes by reinforcing the idea that the most effective leaders are not necessarily the most popular, but those who are ultimately trusted because they consistently make the necessary, albeit sometimes difficult, choices to move their teams and organizations forward.
📝 About This Content
This article is based on insights shared by Florence Divet ☀️ on LinkedIn.
📅 Originally posted on January 22, 2026 | View original post on LinkedIn →