Stop asking whether people like you as a leader. Ask whether they’re better because they worked with you.

Wanting to be liked is not a flaw, but it makes a poor measuring stick, because the things that help people most are often mildly unpopular on the day. A better question is whether anyone can do something now that they could not do before you were in charge. That measure survives a bad week and a few people being annoyed with you.

Think of one person on your team and name a specific thing they got better at this season. If nothing comes to mind, pick them. Give them a job slightly above their level before the month is out.