3 Things Your Team Wishes They Could Tell You
"What's one thing people don't understand about leadership?"
When asked that question recently, here's how I responded:
"I don't think leaders really understand the impact they have on the lives of those they lead."
For many people, the relationship with their manager or leader can be one of the most significant in their lives. In fact, surveys suggest that it ranks right up there in importance with personal partner relationships.
With this in mind, here are 3 things your team wishes they could tell you.
We want to know you care.
Your team members, first and foremost, want to know you care about them as individuals. They are not cogs in a machine; they are humans with a deep desire to connect and be in relationship with others.
Let your team know you care by leading with empathy and compassion. Get to know your team members personally. Learn about their families, hobbies and interests. Check in with them regularly on things both inside and outside the workplace, particularly when you know they're dealing with hard stuff.
A good rule of thumb is "Relationship before task."
We want to do a good job.
I don't know of any person who goes to work saying to themselves, "I want to mess stuff up today." Your team members want to feel good about the work they do. They want to believe they're making a difference.
It's your job as their leader to clearly communicate what success looks like. Brene Brown in her book, Dare to Lead, describes the "Paint done" concept. "Paint done" means share a picture of what "done" looks like. The more color and context you provide, with the added invitation for questions and dialogue, the more likely you and your team will be generating positive results worth celebrating.
Add "Paint Done" to your tool kit.
We want to know what's going on.
Nothing gets a destructive rumor mill going more than the belief that something's going on that isn't being talked about. I get that there can be things that can't or shouldn't be shared with your team. But that doesn't stop the uneasy feelings associated with the unknown.
As a leader, be mindful that the first thing your team members want to know about a situation is, "How will this impact me?" And remember that it's human nature to fill in the gaps with stories that may bear no resemblance to the facts.
As soon as you can, share what you can about what's going on. Be clear and honest about both what you know and don't know.
And always remember that, depending on the situation, your team members may be able to provide insight into and solutions for particularly confounding problems. (Here's a resource to help you shift from having all the answers to asking questions.)
Communicate with clarity and empathy.
You, dear leader, have a huge impact on your team members.
Will this knowledge change the way you lead?
Want to explore what you might do differently?
Click the link below to schedule a time for a confidential chat.
_______________________
Passionate Leadership
is who you're being as you're leading.
About the Author
Gayle Ely is a Leadership Coach, Trainer and Facilitator and founder of Total Life Leadership. At Total Life Leadership, we partner with purpose-driven non-profit leaders and service entrepreneurs to help them answer the question “How Do I Become a Better Leader?”
Using The Six Pillars of Passionate Leadership, we equip leaders to be the best they can be. The result is a passionate leader whose team and organization are operating for maximum impact.
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