A fair decision may still disappoint everyone involved.

LEADERSHIP

WHAT THIS MEANS

A decision that everyone is happy with is often one that quietly favored the loudest party. Genuine fairness rarely gives anyone all of what they wanted, so the mark of a good outcome is frequently a room full of people who are each mildly dissatisfied. Judging your decisions by how well they were received will steer you toward appeasement over time.

When a call you made leaves everyone somewhat unhappy, check the reasoning rather than the reception. If you can explain the principle to each side and it holds up, you probably got it right. Approval is a poor measure of fairness and an excellent measure of who pushed hardest.

A QUESTION TO SIT WITH

Which fair call of yours left nobody happy?

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