BCG Blog

Choose Your Rejection

What part of yourself are you willing to be rejected for?

I mean, in a world full of judgement you know you’re going to be rejected for something at sometime, right? Someone will find something they don’t like about you. You might as well count on it. 

Rejection may be a little strong, but you get the idea. People are always looking for ways to sort. Your beliefs serve as one of the many ways they like to do that.

I should add that this isn’t always a bad thing for us. It often guides us into groups of other, similarly rejected people, that are closer in beliefs than those doing the rejecting. 

The willingness to separate is an issue. Rejection knows no bounds in today’s world and is the antithesis of unity and teamwork requires.

As leaders, it’s important that we are secure in what we are willing to be rejected for as well as understanding and willing to withhold judgement for others.


Why Should We Care?
The only people that think they avoid this rejection are the ‘cold and timid souls’ Roosevelt talks about in his Man In the Arena passage - ‘they know neither victory nor defeat’ because they never stand for, or go for anything. 

So many people spend their life trying to appease everyone else, never considering what they believe and who they are. They become a facade, taking on the likes and dislikes of whatever company they keep at the time. 

I’ve seen it most prevalent in two places: middle school and the corporate world ... and both for the same reason. In middle school we think that being liked trumps everything else. So, all feelings and beliefs are subject to change. I think the same can often be said for those trying to climb the corporate ladder.

This lack of commitment to something results in a commitment to nothing. 

REAL TALK - Action Steps
You will be rejected. The good news is, you get to choose what for. 
Below are a few thoughts that will help you lead through it.

• Know Thy Self 
  
  • Your purpose, your core values ... are critical. Before we effectively lead others, we must know ourselves deeply. There are absolutely things you must be willing to be rejected for. This self-work is where you find those answers. Know them, then choose them consistently.
    

• Give Grace
  
  • Just because others choose to reject those with differing values and views doesn’t mean you have to. It’s not a right of passage or a requirement to excel. As a matter of fact, those that choose the path less taken are often the ones still standing at the end because they have the support of the people they withheld judgement on.
    

• Trust the Process
  
  • You’re right where you should be. Always. Do the best you can, where you are, with what you have. Seek to understand others rather than passing judgement. Search for things you have in common and reasons to embrace them rather than differences and reasons to reject them.
    

Rejection, like many other things in life, is neither good nor bad. How we choose to handle it will determine its value. However, the knowledge of yourself and the willingness to hold fast to who you will always be critical to your leadership and pursuit of excellence.

For more information on building excellence in your teams, visit us at www.bluecollargrit.com. 
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