Simple Doesn’t Always Mean Easy: Why Leading People Is Hard (And That’s Okay)

We live in a world where you can get almost anything with a tap on your phone. Food, entertainment, a date, your weekly shop — all delivered to your door or your screen with zero hassle. We’ve got so used to ease and speed that we’ve started to expect everything in life to work like that.

Including leadership.

But here’s the truth no one’s slapping on a motivational Instagram tile:
Leading people is hard.
It’s not “just a conversation.”
It’s not “just setting a vision.”
It’s not “just giving feedback.”

All of those things might be simple in concept. But they’re rarely easy in practice.

Because people are complex. Emotions are messy. Workplaces are fast-paced, under-resourced, and constantly changing. And despite all the shiny LinkedIn posts about ‘empowered teams’ and ‘servant leadership’, the real work of leadership often involves wading through grey areas, having uncomfortable conversations, and making decisions no one else wants to make.

And you know what? That’s not a sign you’re failing.
It’s a sign you’re actually doing the job.

We’ve Lost the Art of Doing Hard Things

Somewhere along the way, we’ve bought into the myth that if something feels hard, it must be wrong. That discomfort means you’re not “in alignment” or that you’re not a “natural leader.”
That’s nonsense.

Some of the most important leadership moments come from doing things that are deeply uncomfortable:

• Holding the line when someone isn’t performing.

• Sitting with someone’s tears and not rushing to fix it.

• Owning your own mistakes in front of your team.

• Leading through ambiguity when you don’t have all the answers.

It’s all hard. But that doesn’t mean it’s not worth doing. In fact, that’s exactly what makes it worth doing.

Simple ≠ Easy

There are loads of leadership principles that are deceptively simple:

• Communicate clearly.

• Listen more than you speak.

• Be consistent.

• Set clear expectations.

• Treat people like adults.

You’ll find them in every leadership handbook going.
But putting them into action — day in, day out, when you’re tired, triggered, or under pressure... that’s the real work. That’s the difference between knowing what good looks like and leading it.

So What’s the Answer?

Stop looking for the hack. Stop thinking it should be easy by now.
Instead, build your capacity to do the hard stuff. To sit with discomfort. To act with courage, even when your knees are knocking.

That’s where leadership growth really happens. Not in the knowing, but in the doing.
And not just when things are calm, but especially when they’re not.

Need help building those leadership muscles?
If you’re a leader navigating the messy middle - growing a team, leading through change, or figuring out how to hold the line without burning out - let’s talk. I help women in leadership lead with clarity, courage, and calm, even when things are tough.

Because leading well isn’t about being perfect. It’s about showing up when it matters.