I had my first meeting with my new boss yesterday and within the first 20 minutes she said "I do not care if people like me." I'm curious if others have encountered this and how was the experience reporting to someone who says this.
I will tell you, I thought it was odd.
Thanks, Chris
Seems high-D to me
Had a few folks during my career introduce themselves with some variation of that. Most were high-D and emphasizing that they wouldn't let "how things have been done in the past" get in the way of getting results.
I'm high-C, and my variant is "I prefer that people like me, but I do not care if people who have earned my disrespect do not like me". ;-)
Like vs Respect
Chris,
I agree with the reply above that your new boss just may be a High D. It's nice to know that early in the game. That being said, as someone whose been around the block a few times, I've adopted a bit of this attitude myself. I want to earn respect but to be liked just has way too many variables I can't control. I wouldn't be spooked too badly by your boss' comment but it is a strong clue that she or he is likely to be very results oriented and likely no nonsense. In many ways, this is refreshing. You should be prepared to receive feedback and to be held accountable. And that's a good thing for your long term career.
Best of luck to you!
Rhonda
Her comment might seem
Her comment might seem jarring, but some leaders use that approach to signal they prioritize results over popularity. It could be her way of setting clear expectations from the start. Give it some time to see if her direct style translates into effective leadership.