A leader’s experience of their own company is different than other people’s experience of their company.
You are the leader. People talk to you better. They smile at you. They kiss your butt.
Some people are genuine. Some are fake to you. And how fake they will be depends on whether you genuinely like them, if you are authentic, and if you can mix easily with them.
When the boss walks into a room, some people act better. You must know this.
Some people won’t like you straight away, because you are the boss and they have prejudices, fears, past experiences, or false ideas about a boss. They may hide, look away, or pretend.
I have been a leader a long time and I have seen all kinds of behavior toward me. I can interpret it now, and I am not much surprised or affected by it. Often, it has more to do with them than me. If someone comes to me, I listen.
The worst thing I can do is bite people verbally or use my position to make them feel small.
The best thing I can do is smile, be kind, and see if I can help.
People will feel better and perform better if they like and trust their leader.