Always do your best…..nothing speaks to your personal brand more than how you treat people. It’s easy to treat people well when we have a lot in common with them. It is more difficult when we are faced with those who will challenge and question the way forward, people who see other opportunities and ways of being. Whether you are a leader at work, at play, or in your community. Never underestimate the power of treating people well. This means listening when you would rather do anything but listen, it means considering points of view different than your own. It is an opportunity to remind yourself of the wisdom of Covey…..seek first to understand, and then to be understood. People perform better and at a higher level when you treat them well and most importantly with inclusivity.
So the question you must ask as leader is do I drive a culture of “Listen up, and fit in” or do I encourage challenge and innovation to ensure that I mine the very best from those around me? Leadership is not about being in control, it’s about Leading. To do that, we need to love, grow, and nurture our teams. They need to feel the relationship of what they do, and how it fits in to the greater plan. They need to feel autonomous, not controlled. At the end of the day it won’t be about who worked the longest. It will be about the richness of the work, and how much they felt a part of changing their world for the better. The single biggest tool that any leader has at their disposal is appreciation. Show it often, because rewards are one way of showing recognition, but appreciating the good work of great people….that is true excellence in your leadership. We will find what we look for….so look for the best today.
Brene Brown said “It’s easy to underestimate the importance of civility at work, but new research shows just how crippling incivility can be for teams and organizations. Incivility can fracture a team, destroying collaboration, splintering members sense of psychological safety, and hampering the teams effectiveness. If leaders really want people to show up, speak out, take chances and innovate, we have to create cultures where people feel safe – where their belonging is not threatened by speaking out and they are supported when they make the decision to brave the wilderness, stand alone, and speak the truth to bull$%^&.”
Lisa Scott
Scott & Associates Consulting Group