I snuck out of the snowpocalypse last week in Texas to work with clients in Phoenix. (It was for work, not a sunny vacation in Cancun).
As a business performance hacker, it was motivating to catch up with a dozen leaders we trained back in 2018-19 and hear their pandemic stories:
“The leadership training we had the last 2 years really paid off for me as I led my construction teams through the pandemic. I was able to help them overcome fear and keep working safely.”
“This is becoming the kind of company I’ve always wanted to work for.”
Leadership is a huge, sometimes foggy theoretical idea. When we are developing leaders for our small and medium business clients, we have learned to simplify first before focusing in on three key areas.
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Build Respect and Trust:
This is the foundation of all leadership. We always do our best work for the leaders we know, like, and trust. Be authentic, build credibility, and act with integrity.
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Deliver Results:
The leader’s job is to deliver results through others – in other words, it is not about the leader anymore, it is about the team. Create the vision, chart the course, lead the action.
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Develop Strong Relationships:
Leaders can’t deliver results without people on the team. Connect with the individuals first (1-on-1), develop team camaraderie, and multiply engagement with daily doses of inspiration. CEOs and owners often think they are controlling the culture and performance of an organization. The real heartbeat of the company is controlled by the frontline leaders and managers. How are the leaders doing on your team?