At the most recent meeting of the Business Before Breakfast Group, the “Challenge Question” was, “What values do you admire in leadership?” This Mastermind group is sponsored by the Brookfield Chamber of Commerce and is bi weekly forum for the discussion of different business topic. It is open and free to any local business owner and is drop in.
This was an active topic as member talked about great bosses and not so great bosses that they have experienced. Adjectives that were common themes were, of course, honesty, transparency and integrity. But there was one that stood out for me- RESPECT.
A great leader has respect for those he/she serves. This, to me, was a key and overlooked quality in Leadership. People live up to the expectations placed upon them. A leader needs to TRUST their “crew” to do the work assigned. A Leader needs to give everyone a clear understanding of the vision and mission, give clear expectations and then delegate the work needed to fulfill the vision. The Leader needs to EMPOWER their team with the knowledge, resources, tools and encouragement to meet the expectation of the task. They need to be supportive and available to answer questions. Just like a great coach, a great leaders knows how to use different methods to motivate and push individuals to live up to their potential. They have a rapport with their team/staff that allows the free flow of suggestions and corrections without stifling creativity or momentum. The Leader open doors for learning and opportunities for personal growth. Finally, a Leader, cares about others and makes sure that the team knows that they have a voice that is heard and appreciated and that they are important to the organization.
This is the environment that produces optimum productivity and results and is the difference between Leadership and Management. Call it servient leadership, leading by example, or motivational leadership, but whatever label you put on it, you know when you feel that energy in the workplace that inspires you to want to work harder than is even expected and to make meaningful contributions to the organization. It is a culture of personal excellence and contribution. It transforms work into passion.