Fence-sitting and refusing to take a clear stance come at a price — and The Washington Post learned that the hard way.
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During U.S. election season, it is customary for major media outlets to endorse one of the presidential candidates — typically one whose values align with their own.
This time, The Washington Post chose not to endorse anyone.
According to a report from two employees at the company, no fewer than 200,000 subscribers cancelled their subscriptions in response.
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It's reasonable to assume that even if the paper had endorsed a candidate some readers disagreed with, many of those readers would have left anyway.
It's equally reasonable to assume that others who did identify with the endorsed candidate would have filled their place to some degree, and the balance would have been maintained.
But hesitancy commands no respect — because it is perceived as a lack of confidence and an unwillingness to take responsibility.
This is clearly visible in the political arena, where ideological ambiguity leads to electoral defeat, but it's just as true in our own workplaces.
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Even if we think that trying to please everyone will make us more likeable, it is far more likely to make people respect us less professionally.
Instead of trying to figure out what others think of us, we're better off focusing on results, taking responsibility, and leading.