“I have three precious things which I hold fast and prize. The first is gentleness; the second is frugality; the third is humility, which keeps me from putting myself before others. Be gentle and you can be bold; be frugal and you can be liberal; avoid putting yourself before others and you can become a leader among men.”
― Lao Tzu
Maybe you’ve seen it before, a callous remark by someone who has a role of leadership that says, “I’m more important than you!”. Maybe you’ve felt those sentiments and asked yourself, “is this the place I want to work at.” High performance organizations know how to engage the staff and find ways to inspire their staff so they can excel, does yours?
What kind of organization do you work at? What do the leaders say to you? How to they encourage you to be your best? How do you they encourage you to learn?
There is a distinct difference between leadership and management. Managing is about getting specific results and in older models people used command and control to get those results. Today work is far less about being told what to do, and rather more about inspiring people to commit their best. Some leaders haven’t figured that out yet and believe that leadership is about controlling others.
Companies that enjoy great success often are led by people who inspire and engage all the staff in the company. Effective leadership is often driven by engaging the positive emotions of the people that are being led. Positive emotions can be leveraged to create the opportunity for desired change.
When was the last time you spoke with a leader in your organization where you were encouraged to excel?
What does leadership look like in your organization?
Examine your answers. Determine what kind of organization you work for and what type of leadership is being exhibited. Observe your emotions over the course of a day, or a week. What sensations do you have? How do you feel when you get home? Energized, drained, indifferent?
One example of a company that is well led is Trilogy Health Care Services. Take a look at their mission and vision.
In this video clip learn what Bob Davis has to say about leadership and what it takes to lead authentically.
Coach with Heart 