From the outside world, Leadership can look easy. People may see leaders as having the cush job. They get a corner office, they don’t have set office hours, or they get to make all the rules.

These things sound great. Sometimes, they are. But the people looking at leadership from the outside in miss so much more that goes on in leadership.

They miss the hard work.

The Hard Work Of Leadership

What does that mean? Is there really hard work for leaders? You betcha.

The hard work of leadership includes:

• Deciding how to let a potential candidate down
• Working longer hours because you are unwilling to settle for good when you want the best
• Listening to a family who has lost a loved one
• Trying to figure out how to make a financial shortfall work this month
• Disagreeing with your board or executives but making the final call
• Letting a team member you care about go

The hard work of leaders doesn’t end there. There is an innumerable amount of hard work a leader has to put in. Their work continues long after the offices are closed, the people have gone home, and, even, after people have gone to bed.

The work of a leader is long, arduous, and, oftentimes, unappreciated.

But the work of a leader can be rewarding.

The leader knows his work has meaning. He continues forward because he knows the work he (and his team) does today will pay dividends in the future.

Know leadership is hard work. It is also rewarding work.