Tag Leading

The One Weakness All Leaders Have

Steve Keating Leave a comment

There is one great weakness that all leaders have. It makes no difference if they are a leader by title or position, and it makes no difference if they are an Authentic Leader. That weakness is that they are human beings.

For an Authentic Leader that is also their greatest strength. But they never lose sight of the fact that it is also a potentially dangerous weakness. That’s because, as humans, we “connect” better with some humans than others. There are people we just naturally hit it off with, and there are people we may never “click” with.

Sometimes we know why we “just don’t click.” Oftentimes we don’t. Sometimes the reason we don’t can be an unconscious bias. If your goal is to be an Authentic Leader, you must raise your unconscious bias to a conscious level. That will help you understand and connect with every member of your team.

Not surprisingly, one of the biggest challenges with moving from an unconscious bias to a conscious bias is realizing that you have an unconscious bias. Most people, and therefore most leaders, would tell you that they don’t have any unconscious biases.

I was part of an interview team a while back, and we interviewed a guy who seemed perfect for the role. But another member of the interview team was questioning the candidate’s judgment. When I asked why he said, “didn’t you notice the tattoo on his neck?” I guess I had noticed but didn’t pay much attention to it.

My co-worker couldn’t explain why, but he felt a tattoo on the neck indicated poor judgment. I suspected immediately we were dealing with an unconscious bias. I suggested he keep that thought to himself because the interview team was going to ignore it anyway. I also warned him that HR wouldn’t be exactly impressed with his thought process.

We hired the guy and later learned that the tattoo was a tribute to a buddy who was killed in Iraq, while saving our new hire’s life.

To this day, my co-worker doesn’t think he’s biased in any way towards people with tattoos. He’ll only say that tattoos don’t belong on anyone’s neck.

You’ll never deal with an unconscious bias that you don’t know you have. Uncovering unconscious biases in yourself involves some self-reflection, education, and lots of active, intentional practice.

Here are some steps to help you identify and address your unconscious biases.

1. Self-Reflection and Awareness

• Introspection: Spend time thinking about your own beliefs and values. Consider where they come from and how they might influence your perceptions of others.

• Mindfulness: Practice mindfulness to become more aware of your immediate thoughts and feelings. This can help you catch biases as they arise.

2. Education and Exposure

• Diverse Perspectives: Engage with a wide range of media, literature, and art from different cultures and communities. This can broaden your perspective and challenge stereotypes.

• Learn About Bias: Educate yourself on different types of biases (e.g., confirmation bias, availability bias) and how they play out in everyday life.

3. Seek Feedback

• Ask for Input: Invite friends, family, or colleagues to provide feedback on your behavior and attitudes. Sometimes others can see our biases more clearly than we can.

• Mentorship: Seek mentors or coaches who can provide guidance and perspective on recognizing and addressing biases.

4. Engage in Conversations

• Open Dialogue: Have conversations with people from diverse backgrounds. Listen actively and empathetically to their experiences and perspectives.

• Challenge Assumptions: When you notice assumptions or stereotypes in your thinking, question them. Ask yourself why you hold these beliefs and whether they are based on evidence.

5. Practice Empathy

• Perspective-Taking: Try to see situations from the perspective of others, especially those who are different from you.

• Compassion: Cultivate compassion for others, recognizing that everyone has unique experiences and challenges.

6. Implement Changes

• Set Goals: Establish specific, measurable goals to address your biases. For example, aim to diversify your social circle or consume media from different cultures regularly.

• Take Action: Make conscious efforts to act in ways that counteract your biases. This could involve speaking up against stereotypes or supporting inclusive practices in your community or workplace.

7. Continuous Learning

• Stay Informed: Keep up to date with research and discussions about bias and diversity. Learning is an ongoing process.

• Reflect Regularly: Periodically reassess your beliefs and behaviors to ensure you continue to grow and address any biases that emerge.

Having an unconscious bias doesn’t make you a bad person. It means you’re human. Everyone, that’s a big statement but I really believe that everyone has one or more unconscious biases. By actively engaging in these steps, you can uncover and address these biases. That will allow you to better understand yourself. Understanding yourself is absolutely vital if you want to understand someone who may be different from you.

As humans, we’re all a work in progress. The humans willing to put in the work to overcome their unconscious biases will indeed make progress. Progress towards being a better leader and a better human too.

Why So Many People in Leadership Positions Fail

Steve Keating 2 Comments

So, the first thing I’d like to point out is that the title doesn’t say “why so many leaders fail.” It says “so many people in leadership positions.” Authentic Leaders seldom fail. They, and the people they lead, regularly overcome challenges to accomplish their goals and objectives.

Holding down a leadership position in an organizational chart doesn’t make you a leader. In fact, if you’re in one of those positions, I’d highly encourage you to look behind you on a regular basis to make sure someone is actually following you. If no one is truly following you, then you’re not leading. No matter your title or position.

So let’s take a look at exactly why so many people in these positions of leadership do in fact fail at leading.

1. They don’t understand the vast difference between managing and leading.

This is likely because they have bought into the easy-to-believe myth that there actually is no difference between managing and leading. They miss the fact that “stuff” is managed, but people must be led. Budgets, buildings, equipment, inventories, spreadsheets, and the like can be managed. People, human beings, strongly resist being managed. They insist on being led.

People who merely hold down leadership positions never seem to figure out that most of what they would describe as “personnel issues” are caused by them trying to manage another human being. Low employee effort, poor attitudes, disengagement, and unreliability can be traced directly to a lack of Authentic Leadership. And, in fact, much more can be attributed to that.

Authentic Leaders know that truly leading their people results in most, or even all, of those issues disappearing. People who are led commit to their leader and will work their butts off to help their leader, and the organization succeed.

2. They lack essential communication skills.

Many leaders fail to grasp the need for speaking frequently to the people they wish to lead. In fact, many of them intentionally withhold information that could help their people in a myriad of ways. Information can help people understand their role in the organization. It helps them understand how they “fit” and how they matter to the organization. That helps keep them engaged.

True leaders know something important. That the most expensive employees aren’t the highest paid ones. They are the least engaged ones. Disengaged employees take home a paycheck, but leave behind few results in return.

Information is also the key to motivation. No one truly commits to a leader without knowing where that leader is leading them. Authentic Leaders have a clear vision and they share it with their people on a regular basis. Informed people are inspired. So, Authentic Leaders use tools like podcasts, blogs, newsletters, and emails to keep their people informed.

People merely holding down leadership positions will literally withhold information from their people because of the false belief that knowing more than their people somehow makes them more powerful or important. They miss the fact that their people can’t use information they are unaware of. This limits the potential success of their people and the organization.

3. They have low Emotional Intelligence

People in leadership positions struggle to lead because they fail to understand the importance of making a human connection with the people they are responsible to lead. Authentic Leadership is about people, and it’s only about people. People need to know that they matter. They need to know that what they do makes a difference. They need to know that the person leading them cares for them as a person, not just an employee.

Authentic Leaders understand the difference between caring “about” and caring “for” someone. While people holding leadership positions may say they care about their people, Authentic Leaders consistently demonstrate that they care for their people.

People in leadership positions often feel that making an emotional connection makes them look weak to the people they hope to lead. They are wrong. That is one of the biggest “misses” that leaders in name only experience. They miss the reward of improving lives. They barely know the people they would lead. So, they barely try to manage them, much less lead them.

4. They “lead” the way they were led.

Most people in leadership positions were promoted there because they did their previous job well. I love organizations that promote from within. But, there’s this one little fact: the skills needed to do their old job are quite different from the skills needed to lead.

When you add that to the fact that nearly 85% of promoted people won’t receive any formal leadership training, you have a big problem.

Absent that training, most people in leadership positions will lead in the same manner in which they were led. If they were led by a leader in name only, then that’s how they will attempt to lead. If their previous leaders were autocratic bosses, then they too will follow that example.

That cycle will continue until it is broken by someone who decides to be better than the boss they had. When they choose to be the leader they wish they had, then they will seek out formal leadership training and learn to lead effectively.

Once that happens, they can create a new cycle. A cycle where they produce more leaders who will one day produce more leaders themselves. That creates an opportunity for explosive and sustainable growth for their organization.

It all begins with a person in a leadership position deciding that they will lead people instead of attempting to manage them. It begins with a decision that says I will Lead Today. I won’t lose another minute; I’m going to start building myself into the leader I needed before I was promoted. I’m going to help my people reach their full potential and succeed.

So what do you say? Are you in a leadership position or are you actually leading? If it’s the former, then only you can change it. The question is, will you?

Your answer could change a lot of lives, including your own.

Becoming a Person of Influence

Steve Keating Leave a comment

I often start presentations on leadership by working with the participants to agree on a one word definition of leadership. I ask for their individual one word definition. The responses I get are just what you would expect from up and coming leaders. Motivating is one of the more popular ones. Integrity often pops up as well. Coach is another big one. But none of those are the answer I’m looking for.

I want the groups to understand that at its core, leadership boils down to one thing. If you have this one thing then you have the potential to impact the lives of people in very special ways.

When we stop to discuss the answers to my question provided by participants, we see that all of them require one thing and that “thing” is influence.

If you have the ability to influence others, then you have the ability to lead. That’s as true in our professional lives as it is in our personal lives.

So exactly how do we become more influential? Doing so takes work. It involves personal growth, clear communication, and understanding relationships and social structures. Let’s take a look at each of those.

Personal Development

1. Build Confidence: Confidence is key to influence. Believe in your abilities and be assertive without being aggressive.

2. Develop Expertise: Be knowledgeable in your field. Expertise commands respect and authority.

3. Cultivate Emotional Intelligence: Understand and manage your own emotions, and be empathetic towards others. This helps in building strong relationships.

4. Maintain Integrity: Be honest and consistent in your actions and words. Integrity builds trust.

Effective Communication

1. Listen Actively: Show genuine interest in others’ perspectives. Listening builds rapport and shows respect.

2. Articulate Clearly: Be clear and concise in your communication. Avoid jargon and be mindful of your audience.

3. Use Persuasive Techniques: Learn the art of persuasion. Use logic, emotion, and credibility (ethos, pathos, and logos) to make your case.

4. Non-verbal Communication: Pay attention to body language, eye contact, and tone of voice. These can reinforce or undermine your message.

Relationship Building

1. Network: Build a broad network of contacts. The more people you know, the greater your influence can be.

2. Be Supportive: Help others achieve their goals. This fosters goodwill and reciprocal influence.

3. Mentorship: Both being a mentor and having mentors can enhance your influence. Sharing knowledge and receiving guidance strengthens your position.

Strategic Actions

1. Set Clear Goals: Know what you want to achieve and create a plan to get there.

2. Be Adaptable: Be open to change and willing to adjust your approach as needed.

3. Leverage Social Proof: Highlight endorsements and support from credible sources to bolster your position.

4. Create Win-Win Situations: Aim for outcomes where all parties benefit. This builds long-term alliances.

Understanding Social Dynamics

1. Know Your Audience: Understand the needs, values, and motivations of the people you want to influence.

2. Use Timing Wisely: Timing can significantly impact the effectiveness of your influence. Be patient and strategic about when to present your ideas.

3. Build Credibility: Consistently demonstrate competence and reliability. Credibility amplifies your influence.

4. Understand Power Structures: Be aware of the formal and informal power dynamics within your organization or community. Navigate these structures effectively.

No matter where you start, you can increase your ability to influence others. You can also earn the opportunity to Authentically Lead. The effort and consideration required may seem daunting, but the rewards, both personal and professional, make it well worth it.

But, and this last point is critical. However, gaining influence comes with a big responsibility. You must use it to make those around you better. You can use your influence for good or bad. If you intend to use it for anything other than being a positive influence, then kindly ignore this post.

Demonstrating You’re a Leader Who Cares

Steve Keating 1 Comment

There are certain “facts” of leadership that are immutable. The biggest one is this: you can care for people without leading them, but you absolutely can’t lead people without caring for them.

I chose the words in that prior sentence very carefully. Before you go patting yourself on the back because you’re a leader who cares about their people, you should notice I didn’t say “care about.” I said care for people.

There is a world of difference between “care about” and “care for.” Both in terms of mindset and actions. Anyone in a managerial role will care about their people. Much like they care about their budget, their inventories, their building, and all the “stuff” that goes into running a business.

Authentic Leaders care about all that stuff too, what separates them from leaders in name only is that they go beyond caring about the people they lead. They care for the people they lead. That means they invest a part of themselves into their people’s success. They aren’t just concerned with the performance of their people “on the job.” They are invested in the lives of their people outside of the organization as well.

Authentic Leaders know that the people who work with them are human beings. They know that it’s actually impossible to completely separate “work life” from life in general. So they don’t expect or ask the people they lead to do that. They know that the human beings they lead need to be cared for. They need to know they are cared for. They can’t just be told they are cared for, they need to see it. They need to feel it.

So Authentic Leaders are intentional, proactive, and consistent in showing the people they lead that they are indeed cared for.

Demonstrating that you’re a leader who cares for the people you lead involves a combination of behaviors, communication styles, and actions that show empathy, respect, and genuine concern for their well-being. Here are some key strategies to effectively show your people that without a doubt, you really do care for them.

1. Active Listening

• Give full attention: When your team members speak, listen actively without interrupting. Show that you value their input.

• Reflect and clarify: Paraphrase what they’ve said to ensure understanding and demonstrate that you’re engaged.

• Ask for feedback: Regularly seek their opinions on decisions that affect them.

2. Empathy and Understanding

• Recognize individual challenges: Understand that each team member has unique personal and professional challenges.

• Show compassion: Respond to their issues with empathy, offering support where possible.

3. Transparent Communication

• Be open and honest: Share information about the organization, decisions, and changes openly.

• Encourage questions: Create an environment where team members feel comfortable asking questions and voicing concerns.

4. Support and Development

• Invest in their growth: Provide opportunities for professional development and career advancement. Encourage them, often, to take advantage of those opportunities.

• Offer constructive feedback: Help them improve by giving feedback that is specific, actionable, and supportive. You have to “do better” is not constructive feedback. Again, specificity is the key to constructive feedback.

5. Recognition and Appreciation

• Celebrate achievements: Acknowledge both small and significant accomplishments publicly and privately.

• Personalize recognition: Tailor recognition to the individual’s preferences and needs. Yes, this requires more effort, but Authentic Leaders put forth this level of effort all the time.

6. Creating a Positive Work Environment

• Promote work-life balance: Encourage taking breaks, vacation time, and maintaining a healthy work-life balance. And let’s be real clear on this one, if you’re pushing your people to extremes, to working 24/7 with no life outside of work, then you may be a boss, but you’re no leader.

• Foster teamwork and collaboration: Create opportunities for team-building and collaborative projects.

7. Leading by Example

• Exhibit the behavior you expect: Model the values and behaviors you want to see in your team. Whether you realize it or not, you ARE leading by example. Your people are always watching. They will do what they see you do 1000 times faster than they will do what you say to do. So if you’re having performative issues with your people, the first place to look is in the mirror.

• Show resilience and optimism: In times of challenge, demonstrate resilience and a positive attitude. Authentic Leaders create hope where despair once existed. If you can do that, you’re an Authentic Leader.

8. Availability and Support

• Be accessible: Make yourself available to your team for support and guidance.

• Provide resources: Ensure they have the necessary resources and tools to perform their tasks effectively.

9. Personal Interest

• Know your team members: Take the time to learn about their interests, families, and personal lives.

• Check-in regularly: Have regular one-on-one meetings to discuss their progress, concerns, and well-being.

10. Empowerment and Trust

• Delegate responsibility: Trust your team members with important tasks and decisions.

• Encourage autonomy: Give them the freedom to approach their work in their own way, fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility.

When you consistently use these ideas you’ll demonstrate that you are a leader who genuinely cares for the people you lead. The key is “genuinely.” You might be able to fool some of the people for a little while, but if your caring is not sincere they will figure it out in relatively short order. And once they figure out you don’t really care for them, they will no longer care to follow you. Then my friend, your days as a leader are numbered.

When the Boss is a Bully

Steve Keating Leave a comment

There are three types of people who have authority over others in the workplace. One is an Authentic Leader. This type of individual is a joy to work with. They care as much about the success of the people they lead as they do about their own success. They work tirelessly to help people reach their full potential, both at work and in life.

The second is a manager. They often think of themselves as leaders, but leading and managing are two very different things. The managers are typically more concerned with process than with people. They get stuff done, but in a much more tactical way than a leader would. They are not necessarily bad to work for, but it’s not as rewarding an experience as working with a leader.

Then there is the boss. Bosses are not usually great at managing, and they are even worse at leading. It’s not that they want to be, but if they have worked for a bad boss in the past, they are very likely to be a bad boss themselves. That doesn’t make them bad people; it just limits their ability to help people grow while getting stuff done.

But just as there are “levels” of leadership and managing, there are also levels of bossing. And no level of boss is worse than the boss who is a bully too.

Dealing with a bully is hard. It’s especially hard when the bully is your boss. Here are some steps to at least make an attempt at handling that situation.

• Stay Calm. Keep your composure and try not to react emotionally. It’s essential to maintain professionalism in any confrontation. Obviously, this is easier said than done. None of us want to be somebody’s doormat. It’s instinctive to stand up for yourself. But you must rise above your lowly bully boss and be as professional as possible in all circumstances.

• Document Everything. Keep a detailed record of the incidents. Jot down dates, times, what was said or done, and any witnesses present. This documentation can be crucial if you need to escalate the issue later.

• Understand the Motivation. Try to understand why your boss is acting this way. Sometimes, their behavior might stem from personal issues, stress, or insecurity. Understanding their motivation can help you devise a more effective strategy for dealing with them. Don’t merely dismiss them as being a jerk; they might be, or it might be something entirely different causing them to be difficult.

• Set Boundaries. Politely but firmly assert your boundaries. Let your boss know that their behavior is not acceptable to you. Be assertive without being confrontational. Let them know when they have crossed a line. You may need to remind them more than once. Only you can determine when “enough is enough” and it’s become time to escalate. If one time equals “enough is enough” for you, that’s fine. It doesn’t make you weak or a quitter or anything else. It only makes you someone who is protecting your own mental health, and that’s never a bad thing.

• Seek Support. Talk to someone you trust about the situation, such as a colleague, HR representative, or mentor. They might offer valuable advice or support.

• Address the Issue Directly. If you feel comfortable, consider having a private conversation with your boss to address their behavior. Choose a time when both of you are calm and free from distractions. Use “I” statements to express how their actions are impacting you, e.g., “I feel uncomfortable when…”

• Utilize Company Policies. If the bullying persists or escalates, familiarize yourself with your company’s policies regarding harassment and workplace behavior. Consider reporting the behavior to HR or a higher-level manager. Again, this does not mean you’re a tattletale or any kind of loser. The policies exist because, as long as there have been bosses, there have been bosses who were bullies. Use the policies to your benefit because it’s very likely you’re benefiting others in your organization as well.

• Explore Other Options. If the situation does not improve and your well-being continues to suffer, you may need to explore other job opportunities. No job is worth sacrificing your mental health. Resist the very human temptation to seek revenge on your way out the door. That’s not going to “fix” the boss, and in the long run it may cause you more regrets than the short-term satisfaction of revenge is worth.

Remember, you have rights in the workplace, and no one should have to endure bullying behavior, regardless of the perpetrator’s position. Never forget how valuable you are, both within the workplace and outside of it too. Don’t allow a bully to cause you to doubt that reality. You matter, you are special, you make a difference for people. A bully saying otherwise will never change those facts.

How to Build a Strong Organizational Culture

Steve Keating 4 Comments

Peter Drucker, the legendary management consultant once said, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” What he meant by that is you can have all the strategy in the world and if the culture in your organization is poor the strategy is unlikely to be implemented.

You can also hire the very best people but if your culture is poor it’s your very best people who are likely to leave first. Nothing plays a bigger role in an organization’s success than culture. Absolutely nothing!

An organization’s culture is the responsibility of the top leader. It is not something that can be delegated to HR or some consulting firm. CEOs of top performing companies invest a massive amount of time ensuring that the organization’s culture is one of two-way trust, with a growth mindset and exceptional lines of communication. It’s a caring culture where people are valued for the mere fact that they are human beings who make a difference in the world.

CEO’s who do not understand their role in defining their organization’s culture are CEO’s who put their organizations at risk. Make no mistake about this fact, every organization has a culture. If it’s not intentionally crafted to be healthy culture, and nurtured DAILY to stay that way, then the culture will develop on it’s own.

A “self-developed” culture is never an organization sustaining culture.

Building a strong organizational culture involves creating an environment where employees feel valued, engaged, and aligned with the company’s mission and values.

Here are the building blocks to a healthy sustainable culture that fosters long-term success.

Define Core Values. Start by defining the core values that reflect what your organization stands for. These values should guide decision-making and behavior at all levels. Ensure that these values are clear, concise, and actionable. Understand that if every member of your organization does not understand and live these core values then they likely aren’t worth the paper you’d print them on.

Lead by Example. Leadership plays a crucial role in shaping organizational culture. Leaders should embody the values they preach. They should show integrity, transparency, and inclusivity in their actions and decisions. Remember, you lead by example whether you realize it or not. Your people are always watching you and if you’re not living the core values of the organization then they won’t either.

Communicate Effectively. Transparent communication is essential for fostering trust and alignment within the organization. Keep employees informed about company goals, strategies, and any changes. Encourage open dialogue and feedback channels. Some “leaders” believe withholding information from their people somehow makes them more important. If you’re a leader who believes keeping your people in the dark is a good thing then you’re a weak leader beyond measure.

Encourage Collaboration. Create a team where employees are comfortable sharing ideas. They should seek feedback and work together towards common goals. Promote cross-functional collaboration to break down silos and encourage innovation. Silos are good on a farm but they are often deadly in an organization looking to grow.

Empower Employees. Empower employees by giving them authority. Also, give them chances for growth. And, recognize their contributions. Encourage autonomy and ownership over tasks and projects. And remember, if you’re standing in their way with your micromanagement hat on, then you really haven’t empowered them. So turn them loose and stay out of their way.

Promote Diversity and Inclusion. Embrace diversity and inclusion. Do this by creating a culture that celebrates differences. It should value the unique perspectives and experiences of all employees. Ensure that policies and practices promote fairness and equality…for everyone. Understand the difference between valuing diversity and going woke. Valuing diversity builds bridges, going woke builds walls.

Celebrate Successes. Recognize and celebrate achievements, both big and small. This reinforces good behavior. It creates a sense of accomplishment and belonging in the organization. There really is not a success that is too small to celebrate.

Invest in Employee Well-being. Prioritize employee well-being by offering programs and resources that support physical, mental, and emotional health. Create a supportive work environment that promotes work-life balance and stress management. Then, encourage your people to use those resources on a regular basis. There is no value to a resource that is never used.

Provide Continuous Feedback. Create a culture of continuous feedback. Employees get regular, helpful feedback on their performance. They also get chances to give input on the organization’s processes and initiatives. And just so we’re clear on this… a once a year “review” is NOT continuous anything, except perhaps a continuous waste of time.

Adapt and Evolve. Culture is not static; it evolves over time. Stay attuned to changes in the internal and external environment and be willing to adapt cultural norms and practices as needed. This will ensure relevance and alignment with the organization’s goals and values.

Building a strong organizational culture is not a part time job. By focusing daily on these key elements and consistently reinforcing them through actions and initiatives, CEO’s and their organizations can build a strong and vibrant culture. One that drives employee engagement, retention, and overall success.

Earning the Commitment of the People You Lead

Steve Keating Leave a comment

I am frequently asked about the difference between managing and leading. I am frequently asked that by people who don’t believe there is a difference. I know almost instinctively that the people who do not believe there is a difference between managing and leading are not leading people. They are attempting to do the impossible, which is manage another human being.

It’s impossible because human beings mostly refuse to be managed. They resist at every opportunity and when the opportunity to resist doesn’t arise they will create one. People want to be led.

The best a manager can do is coerce the compliance of their people. The problems with that are many but here’s one of the biggest ones. When the manager isn’t directly in the presence of their people the compliance isn’t either. That’s why I say attempting to manage people causes most of the people issues managers deal with.

Leaders on the other hand work to earn the commitment of their people. The advantages of having the commitment of the people you lead are also many but here’s a huge one. When the leader isn’t physically present the commitment of the people remains. They continue to produce and behave exactly as they would if their leader was with them.

The reality is, earning the commitment of the people you lead is crucial for building a strong and cohesive team. Without that commitment there will always be personal issues. Managers will tell you that some of the biggest challenges with their job are people related. Leaders seldom if ever say that.

If you’re interested in eliminating most of the personal issues in your organization, here are some strategies to earn the commitment of your people and put them, and your organization on the path to long-term success.

Lead by Example. Demonstrate the behavior and work ethic you expect from your team members. Your actions speak louder than words, so model the values, attitudes, and work standards you want your team to embody. When your team sees your commitment, they are more likely to emulate it.

Communicate Effectively. Keep lines of communication open and transparent. Provide clear instructions, share information openly, and actively listen to your team members’ feedback and concerns. Effective communication creates trust, encourages collaboration, and ensures everyone is aligned with the team’s goals and vision.

Empower and Delegate. Trust your team members with responsibilities and empower them to make decisions within their areas of expertise. Delegating tasks not only shows your confidence in their abilities but also allows them to grow professionally. When people feel trusted and valued, they are more committed to achieving shared goals.

Recognize and Appreciate. Acknowledge and appreciate your team members’ contributions regularly. Celebrate their successes, both big and small, and publicly recognize their efforts. Genuine appreciation fosters a positive work environment. It boosts morale, and reinforces commitment to the team and its objectives.

Provide Growth Opportunities. Support your team members’ professional development by offering training, mentorship, and opportunities for growth. Invest in their skills and career advancement, and encourage them to pursue their goals. When people see a clear path for their development within the team, they are more likely to stay committed.

Foster a Positive Culture. Create a supportive work culture. Make everyone feel valued, respected, and motivated to contribute. Encourage teamwork, collaboration, and a sense of belonging. Address conflicts and challenges promptly and constructively to maintain an environment where people are committed to working together towards common goals.

Lead with Empathy. Understand and empathize with your team members’ individual needs, challenges, and aspirations. Show genuine concern for their well-being and provide support during difficult times. When people feel understood and supported, they are more likely to remain committed to the team and its objectives.

Set Clear Goals and Expectations. Establish clear goals, objectives, and expectations for your team members. Ensure everyone understands their role in achieving these goals. Provide the necessary resources and support to help them succeed. Clarity and alignment around goals enhance commitment and motivation.

Celebrate Successes Together. Celebrate team achievements and milestones as a collective. Recognize the contributions of each team member towards the shared success. Celebrating together builds a sense of camaraderie and reinforces commitment to future endeavors.

These are the strategies that will help you earn the commitment of the people you lead. They will help you to build a high-performing team. They will act as the glue that holds the organization together in challenging times. They are key to achieving shared goals and lasting success.

As a leader you must remember, you manage “stuff.” Stuff like budgets, buildings and inventory. But you LEAD people. Once you have that difference firmly in mind your leadership potential is greatly enhanced. And so is the potential of every person you lead.