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It’s an overused saying, but when it comes to leadership, it certainly rings true.
You may hold the position of top dog, but to truly earn that magic key to success, you must leave your ego at the door and accept that it’s not always about what you want or need from your employees, but rather what they need from you. .
Recognizing the gray
It’s increasingly clear these days that a positive culture is the glue that holds your team together. It motivates, inspires, connects and ensures long-term success and happy, committed employees.
But what if, despite knowing all of the above, things just don’t add up? There’s a growing toxic cloud snaking through the office that won’t clear no matter how many windows you open or how many Friday lunches you serve.
Weeds may be starting to grow in your business landscape – gray areas as we like to call them or issues that need to be explored and vigorously addressed to restore peace to your perfectly balanced ecosystem.
Step up
It is understandably difficult for leaders to keep everything in tip top shape at all times, as with every part of life. There are always peaks and valleys to overcome, but the more people you have on your side and supporting you on that rollercoaster, the easier it will be to enjoy the ride.
Leadership is about being courageous. Therefore, in a difficult situation, you just have to stand up and take responsibility. Recognize when things are difficult and when there is work to be done. There will undoubtedly be brutal truths you need to hear. Asking your team for anonymous feedback will give you a better idea of the issues from the employee’s perspective.
Most importantly, once you’ve processed that feedback and synthesized the common themes, act on it. Now is the time to be pragmatic and walk the talk, otherwise your leadership skills will be questioned and your team will start to defect. After all, if you don’t have their back, why should they have yours?
Transparency & communication
In the right culture, people will roll up their sleeves and help in times of adversity, but only if they feel respected, valued and truly believe that they are part of something. And while overcoming a challenge can indeed be a team effort, that will only be the case if the challenge is clear in the first place.
Therefore, you need to be open and honest about the issues you face and clear about the actions needed to remedy the situation. As a leader, you may not be the only one who needs to hear and accept some brutal truths. You may also need to have difficult conversations with others. Not everyone may like what they hear, but ‘you can’t make an omelet without breaking eggs’ and the longer you leave it, the bigger the problem will become. However, it is always best to deliver such truths with kindness, empathy, and understanding of one’s individual experience. And if the very idea of this fills you with anxiety, outside help can be helpful in facilitating difficult discussions.
It’s also good to remember that the more willing you and your team are to share and accept hard truths, the more resilient and successful your business will become.
What other actions can you take to make a positive difference?
- Lose the blame culture
- Create an environment where owning your mistakes and learning from them is the norm (you too!)
- Encourage autonomy where everyone is responsible for actions/decisions and wins are recognized and celebrated
- Value questions as a means of improvement
- Strive for transparency at all times – clinging to assumptions and denials about the extent of a problem can put you in crisis mode
- Reject complacency – even when times are good, never bury your head in the sand and ignore the danger signs of what lies ahead
In summary
Running a business is not always a bed of roses. Let’s face it: being a leader is tough. If it weren’t, everyone would be doing it!
Make sure you enlist the help of someone impartial to support you through difficult times and give yourself the space you need to reflect, calm down and show up as the best version of yourself. This way you lead from the top and build the best company with the best team around you.
And while the truth can sometimes hurt, the pain of ignoring it can be much worse. As seventeenth-century philosopher Thomas Hobbes ominously wrote, “Hell is the truth seen too late.” Regardless of the type or size of your organization, you may unknowingly harbor a harsh reality that needs to be exposed and addressed to avoid greater consequences. Therein lies the road to prosperity!