The Unpopular but Necessary Decisions of Managers

Do what is right, not what is popular

Jasper was the CEO of the company his grandfather founded. What started out as a paper mill adapted over time to be a leader in other stationary tools like pens and pencils. Jasper’s grandfather instilled in his employees to never forget their roots. By the time Jasper was in charge the paper mill component of their business was holding them back and he made the unpopular decision to sell the mills. Without the mills’ overhead he was well-positioned to shuttle newly found resources into newer revenue streams and grow the stationary company to new heights. While selling the mills was not the popular decision, it was what was necessary for the company and its employees.

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In pharmacy, sometimes we need to sell the mills like waiving co-pays, outsourcing to central fill, limiting on-hand narcotic inventory, paying the ESI service fee or offering free delivery. There are countless decisions in pharmacy that we need to make even though they may be less than ideal or feel less than comfortable. As the profession continues to adapt with the complexity of healthcare, pharmacy will continue to change and that will mean having to make unpopular yet necessary decisions.

Executing an unpopular decision takes bravery. It means understanding what needs to be done more than your critics and trusting that your analysis of the situation is correct. It means you have thought deeper about the details, tangents, repercussions and opportunities of the maneuver and know with all your heart that the act will lead to net positive outcomes.

Dealing with noisy critics

Others will judge us for our decisions, but it does not mean what they say about us is accurate and it certainly does not mean what they are saying is true. Outsiders are less invested in your goal and if they find time to discuss it with so much passion, then what you are doing is important to them. That importance leads to engagement, followership and growth.

We do not necessarily need to make popular decisions, the ones the average person would see as normal or expected. Rather, we need to make the appropriate decisions. Silencing those critics is best done by succeeding. When your team is successful, it takes away others’ arguments and forces your competitors to follow. Being successful sometimes means finding comfort in being uncomfortable.

In the contest of business and life, make the moves you need to, not the ones the world wants you to.