Who Can Leaders Vent To ?

I believe everyone is a leader in one way or another.  Parents are leading their children.  Bosses lead their employees.  Church leaders lead their congregations.  Scout leaders lead their scouts.  Older siblings lead their younger brothers and sisters.  And so on.

As both a leader and a follower (often in the same role), I have noticed one flaw that bothers me.  When you are in the "follower" role, you retain the right to complain, vent, question, and in general be more demanding and needy.  But in the "leader" role, you give up these priviledges.

Sometimes as a leader, I wish I could say what I am really thinking and/or react the way I naturally would as a follower.  Often the questions I am asked (across a variety of leadership roles) are reasonable, and I enjoy providing answers.  But sometimes ... sometimes the complaining and whining and "woe is me" becomes rather unbearable.  And that is when it really sucks to have to be the leader ... because you're not allowed to whine back.  Not that I am advocating any whining on either side.  But no matter what words or message the leader provides to a whiny follower, they will be received as an attack and lead to ... you guessed it ... more whining!

So I am open for suggestions from any readers out there.  When you're firmly in a leader role (in any capacity), who do you get to vent to?  How can we break the cycle of whining without just having to suck it up ourselves?

Song Of The Day:
Although it is a country song, "What Do You Want" by Jerrod Niemann could easily pass in several genres.  The tune is written more as a lost love song, but sometimes I can hear the desperate pleas of a "leader" who just wants the "follower(s)" to suck it up themselves.  Don't you get tired of "taking me back, taking me back to where I've already been" by making me repeat myself over and over.  Can't you just learn the lesson once and we can all move on?!  Sigh.

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