Do you want to really have an impact as a leader? Bring your “self” to work!
“Do your work with your whole heart – there is so little competition.”
– Elbert Hubbard
I once attended a sales and marketing conference in which the CEO of a mid-sized company was the special guest. He spoke to 200 of his senior sales management in his twice-annual appearance. At the close of this supposedly motivating conference, he intoned, “If you are working at this company only to make a lot of money, this may not be the place for you.”
Quite an uplifting message, wouldn’t you say? As his perplexed managers left the conference in their Toyota Corollas and Honda Preludes, he climbed in to his E Series Mercedes Benz. The obvious question on everyone’s mind was “If we’re not to expect much money, why is he working here?”
The CEO I’m referring to is actually a nice person with many wonderful leadership traits. Unfortunately, the only people aware of this – and who could simply identify with him as a person – were those who reported directly to him. The other 1,500 employees didn’t have a clue what kind of person, or leader, he could be. During that speech, I really don’t think the CEO recognized he had just put a nail in his coffin.
If I learned anything that day it was that people need to know who their leaders are – as people. If you look back over the past 30 years, there are many half-truths held about leadership and they haven’t changed much: leadership is a science; leaders are born, not made; leaders are extroverts; leaders demand respect; and leaders have to know how to direct and, if necessary, to intimidate.
If you look at what employees want today, however, you will see a much different landscape. Traditionally, employees wanted security and to work for a large organization until they retired. But today’s new breed of employee is looking for a more whole and humanistic approach to corporate life. They want leaders they can identify with. They want to know how and what they are contributing to within the organization. Above all, they demand to be engaged and see the big picture no matter how small their cubicle.
We’ve been reading about “old” leadership and “new” employee expectations. Jack Welch, the former CEO of General Electric who has been the epitome of a successful command-and-control leader, didn’t hesitate to predict the end of his own era. “The leader must become an even more engaged coach, an even more engaging person. You’re going to have to create an environment where excitement reigns, where the challenges are everywhere, and where the rewards are both in the wallet, yes, but also in the soul.”
How do leaders bridge that gap in their experience and the expectations of more and more of the people they are trying to influence? They need to make the transition while being true to themselves and recognizing that they must bring more to their work. They’re required to bring their entire self. Some leaders are unable to comprehend the feedback they receive unless it is stated explicitly. Some follow a leadership style exemplified by others during their formative business years – very different than the kind younger professionals expect today.
There is little doubt that becoming a leader can be difficult for some people who once (wrongly) assumed they had to give up their true personality to put on a corporate, stony face to be taken seriously. At some point in their career, our great leaders of tomorrow are realizing that becoming human again is not so easy if others only know them as subdued, distant or intimidating.
I was once coaching a client, a very professional, dedicated woman in her 30s who was an executive in a fast-growing firm. She was at a crossroad in her career. She wanted to evolve her leadership skills and was worried about her reputation for being hard on people. Her concern was that her reputation was already etched in stone and there was little she could do to change it. Her “face” had been hardened in the ritual of naked ambition that many firms expect for ascendance to the hallowed ranks of being a corporate “officer.”
“How can I reclaim myself?” she asked, exasperated.
We chose a behavioral route, realizing that substantive change in the attitude and perceptions of her people would grow out of consistency and positive assumptions demonstrated day to day – the kind of behavior she wanted to be recognized for.
This leads back to another leadership myth that many hold as truth. It is that leadership is steely jawed, strong and unflinching. If asked, many employees say they actually prefer to be led by someone who shows vulnerability from time to time and asks questions. A leader who knows all the answers is actually detrimental in keeping employees connected to their work. Indeed, there’s a sense the leader will always swoop in and solve any problem. The employees only have to sit back and wait for the solution.
So what’s the alternative? A new truth is that business is facing more uncertainty. If there is complexity and uncertainty in the company’s framework, employees can be given space and accountability to step in and help define it. Make a contribution to the whole and feel validated at the same time.
Leadership is about knowing when to lead and when to stand back and allow people to discover their own skills. Leadership is also about letting your staff know who you are, as a person. Bringing your heart to work and leaving the ego at the door will do more to catapult a leader’s career forward than any tactic or technique that is meant to drive sales but instead drives employees crazy.
My recommendations for leaders trying to make this shift would be to find a mentor or reputable coach with the expertise to help you change. There are many executive coaches who focus on this aspect of leadership evolution. Many of our eminent leaders today have a mentor or coach to help them through the rough spots and ensure their message and human side is accurately portrayed throughout the organization.
This leads me back to my client asking, “How can I reclaim myself?” I feel confident in saying she will be one of her firm’s great leaders. She recognizes that average leaders work on external issues of performance such as acquiring more certifications, education and technical business skills. But professional development is so much more than that.
Unlike the CEO who was an enigma to most of his staff, she knows intuitively the medium is the message, and skill or technique can never make up for self-awareness and character. She asks for validation and external mentoring to complement what her own firm provides her. She asks for tools and approaches to make her leadership style more effective, faster. Her employees will happily follow her because she knows people commit to and follow purpose and strength — with a human face.
|
