Doing the right thing is often difficult in itself.
Setting a tight budget on specific costs, telling ‘no’ to people with sensible-enough requests, missing a deadline to ensure good quality - all of these can lead to difficult discussions and make you fail on your commitments. But they often are the right things to do.
Yet it can become even harder
Imagine going through a difficult round of annual salary reviews for your Tech team, for which your CFO only allowed you a 5% budget increase. Difficult, as your team is doing extremely well, but necessary. Then, a few months later, you discover that the Sales team were allowed increases of 10%...
Or imagine having to set a budget of £75 for hotel stays - tight, but reasonable. Only for one of your team members to later complain that the Marketing team are booking hotels for £150 per night?
So you did the right thing, which was hard. But others didn’t make the same effort - and their lack of effort is making your situation even harder. This isn’t fair! You’re being let down by your peers, but aren’t we meant to be on the same boat, supporting each other? This is demoralising... I'm not sure I want to be a part of this anymore?
First, don’t worry
You are doing the right thing. Relax and think about this. It is obviously the right thing to do, and you should feel good about it. Regardless of what others are doing.
Also, you are not alone. I have seen this situation happen time and time again. It is, for right or wrong, pretty common.
Second, you can do something about it
Make sure you are doing the right thing
Clarify your thinking - why is this a good thing? You’re most likely right, but make sure that ‘Why’ is clear in your mind. Then explain this ‘Why’ to your team - they will get your point and will appreciate knowing why things are as they are
Raise this as a problem
Don’t be afraid of bringing it up in a management meeting, however embarrassing it may be, or potentially conflictual. If it matters to you, then it matters enough to be raised
Finally, lead
Use this situation as an opportunity to engage, discuss and educate your peers on the right way of doing things. Raise the bar for everyone, and people will see you not as being prickly, but as taking the lead
“Next to doing the right thing, the most important thing is to let people know you are doing the right thing”