“They won’t let me.”  “I’ve tried in the past and it failed.”  “Why go the extra mile – no one cares.” 

I can’t tell you how often I hear comments from professionals that sound so defeatist.  I recognize that there are difficult aspects of every professional’s role – challenging colleagues, bad bosses, inflexible environments.  However, it’s sad to see how many people fall victim to constraints and personalities.

As leaders, we cannot be defined by what we can’t do – we have to develop coping mechanisms that tell us what we can do.   We determine the value we bring to the organization.  We determine the work ethic that we put forth.  We determine the quality of our performance by being prepared, exceeding standards, and proactively approaching our roles.  And we can counter difficult people by cultivating an inner discipline to tune out the negative noise. 

For any professional who is falling into a routine of blame and despair, I highly encourage you to start reading more leadership literature to give yourself some inspiration and also start challenging your routine to ensure that you overcome the status quo.  Also, re-examine your leadership behaviors and see what you can do more of to show your true value in your professional environment.  Small actions, over time, produce profound results.