The president of an organization I work with was complaining about being second guessed. He had made an unpopular decision and everyone, it seemed, thought they could have done better.
My advice: Get used to it. Being second-guessed goes with the territory. Often the only people who will truly sympathize with you are other leaders who have the same thing happen to them.
This is one reason why “Big L” leadership–leadership at the top with a title–isn’t for everyone. We’re all sensitive to criticism, some more than others. We may never enjoy being second guessed but we need to get over being bothered by it.
Clint Hurdle, coach of the Colorado Rockies puts it well. He says, “I wish I’d read the book. Everyone else has read it–the book that explains what I should have done instead of what I did during the game. There must be a book and everybody has read it except me.”
When you’re a leader others who almost always have far less information believe they could have done better. Maybe. But more likely if their decisions were really better, they’d be the leader instead of you.
That is Brilliant! I love what Clint Hurdle says. I really respect him as a coach and a leader. I get a little put off by people who always want to play Monday Morning Arm Chair Quarterback. Most of the time I find they are people who have never had to make leadership decisions, instead they just want to play like they have. Like you suggest, I wish they could read the book “What would have happened if they were leader” maybe then they would sympathize a little more.