So….you’re the boss. Maybe you only have a few people reporting to you, or perhaps you have many. You’ve either worked hard all these years to finally be in charge or you are a young up-and-comer that people are starting to notice. Regardless of the situation, you have some authority and you are ready to use it!
What? Not everyone is listening to you? They aren’t doing things “your way”? They are pushing back? Now what?
Wonderful. You are now ready for the truth about real leadership.
Let’s not talk about being “the boss.” Instead, let’s discuss the role of effective leadership. Being a great leader has very little to do with who you are or how you came to be in that position. It has everything to do with creating an environment for people to excel. A place people want to come daily and an opportunity for them to contribute and grow…..not just get a paycheck.
The following are a few questions all great leaders know the answer to:
- What struggles are your people facing in their job?
- What keeps them up at night?
- Are you able to connect the job at hand with the personal win for your people?
- Do you know “why” they show up every day?
- Is it because you have provided an amazing vision they want to be part of? I hope so.
- Do you provide recognition for your team?
- Do you say “thank you” for a job well done?
- Do you often overhear laughter at work?
- Do you allow new perspectives or are you always saying “that’s the way we’ve always done it around here”?
- Do your people feel like a valuable asset or someone that can be easily replaced?
The truth is, leadership can be the most pride-swallowing, tongue-biting, gut-wrenching job there is. Having authority just means you have a greater responsibility to understand the needs and wants of the people you serve. It doesn’t matter one bit how smart you are, how much you know, how long you’ve been in your job, or even your title. What DOES matter is your ability to connect the needs of the company with the needs of the people that work there.
