Be a Leader, not a Complainer

There's a lot to complain about these days.  Gas prices, politics, the hot weather (ok, that one's too close to home!). Let's face it, it's easy to complain. It's harder to hold our complaints to ourselves. We want to air them out for all to hear.

Do you know any chronic complainers? Of course. We all do. These people suck the life out of us. They are no fun to be around. What's worse is that complaining is contagious. When I'm around a chronic complainer I find myself wanting to complain too.

Yes, it's easy to complain. It's harder not to complain. But that's what good leaders do. They find reasons to inspire, not complain.  Occasional venting? -Yes.  Complaining? -No.

So what's the difference between venting and complaining?  For starters, venting is helpful and therapeutic.  It's for the purpose of getting something unhealthy out.  It's often quite necessary.  Complaining, on the other hand, is toxic and always unnecessary.  It's done for the purpose of sucking others in, hoping to pull others down to the complainer's level of misery.  Second, venting is done with a close confidant - someone who's prepared to listen and may help with a solution.  Complaining waits for no one in particular and is self-centered.  Finally, venting has constraints.  It doesn't go on and on.  Complaining, on the other hand, never ends.

Venting is healthy for a leader to do once in a while (as long as it's directed up the ladder).  Conversely, complaining tends to trickle down the ladder to those who are being led.  For this reason, a chronic complainer is not fit for leadership.  Why?  At the very least it undermines one's leadership ability by conveying doubt and uncertainty to the troops.  At its worst it can lead to discention.  After all, who wants to follow a leader who's always complaining?  No thank you.  A good leader inspires and works to solve problems, not gripe about them.

So do you want to be a good leader or complainer?  You can't be both.

GrantJ