Empowering Leadership in 2021
Let’s face it, leading in the year 2020 was a lot like a squirrel trying to cross a street in heavy traffic. To make it even more challenging, many of us are now leading in our sweatpants (or even no pants for some of us) by working remotely. The good news is we can still implement powerful principles for outstanding leadership – even if it is remotely.
Empowering leadership is about making other people better due to our presence, which also lasts in our absence. There are three principles of empowering leadership that can be applied to create a culture of Trust, Belonging, and Love. We previously discussed creating a “Culture of Trust” (The Foundation of Everything) in an earlier post (click here). Our attention now turns to create a Culture of Love. With all of the challenges we have been through that continue into 2021, there is no time like the present.
Creating a Culture of Love
Love is not often discussed in the business world. Even bringing up the topic may be considered a little taboo. But love does have an appropriate place in the work environment. Leaders empower their people by loving them through having high standards and a deep devotion to their success.
High Standards: Your employees need a blueprint for success. They need to know your expectations clearly. We now have candidates asking us for a written career path prior to acceptance of a job offer in addition to a detailed job description. When a leader’s expectations are High and Clear, employees know their destination and stretch their skills to reach the goal.
Deep Devotion: Your team needs to know you have their back and that you are there to support them fully. A leader can show their devotion to their team members by coaching and improving their performance, delegating increased responsibilities to them, and supporting their behaviors that align with the company’s values. The following graph helps to illustrate this point.
Ideally, an organization wants to achieve the perfect balance between High Standards and Deep Devotion – in other words, Justice. It is rare to achieve this ideal balance. Most of us have to work intentionally to get there. Most of us fall in one of two categories: Severe – by having high standards and our employees not feeling our devotion or in the area of Fidelity – and not setting clear expectations but having a deep commitment to the team.
Looking at this chart, where do you think most people are likely to experience you as a leader? If you’re not sure or are unhappy with where you think you might be – we can help.
Implementation
Concepts are easy to understand but much harder to implement. We all have days where our schedules get busy, or we didn’t get enough sleep. Life happens. It is a process.
To successfully set high standards and be devoted to our team, we need to be focused and intentional at implementing these principles.
In what areas do you feel you need the most help? You’re not alone, and we are here to help.
SOURCES:
Unleashed: The Unapologetic Leader’s Guide to Empowering Everyone Around You, By Frances Frei and Anne Morriss (Authors)
Nancy Hintz is a Senior Human Capital Advisor at BEST Human Capital Advisory Group. Nancy has over two decades of diverse experience in chemical, biotechnology, manufacturing, and nonprofit industries. This broad base of knowledge helps her serve an array of clients in identifying top executive leadership. According to Nancy, “Clients need more than just candidates. They need solutions. I strive to help my clients identify the right solutions by listening to their needs, utilizing behavioral-based assessments, and asking the right questions.” Nancy is also the Executive Director of the Million Meal Movement, a nonprofit based in Indianapolis.
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