The greatest leaders…
1. Surrender power. If you remember your greatest leaders, you most likely remember them trusting in your ability. They hired you for your talent and expertise. They believed you would create the best result. And, in doing so, they surrendered some of their power to you. This is what great leaders do. They hire smart, talented people who they can trust to increase value. And, as a leader you need to assess whether or not you’re doing the same for your team.
2. Create security. If you smiled when you thought about your best leaders, it’s most likely because you felt safe. Sure, they may have pushed you. They may have challenged you—sometimes in uncomfortable ways. But, they never made you feel unsafe. You were able to share ideas. You were able to be yourself. You were able to succeed or fail at a task, and the ownership was yours—without a fear of retribution. Great leaders do this. Your responsibility as leader is to create an environment where people feel safe and open to give all of their ideas and efforts. It doesn’t mean those ideas and efforts will always result in the best outcomes. But, at least your people will feel safe.
3. Share common goals. While every organization has an overarching purpose, the best leaders understand how to align that purpose with the goals of their team members. Maybe you recall how your best leaders seemed to understand, or communicated, how your everyday work contributed both to the shared goals at the company, but also your individual future (creating a great resume, preparing you for leadership, or positioning you for a promotion). Great leaders understand that shared goals lift everyone, including the organization, higher.
4. Applaud. We often write and speak about the power of recognition. We have the research to make an undeniable business case for it. But, one aspect we don’t often talk about is the deeper meaning of applause. Of course you remember your greatest leaders cheering you toward a goal. You probably recall their exact words and how they made you feel. What you probably don’t recall is your realization that those leaders, quite simply, were paying attention to your effort and energy. Great leaders communicate their appreciation of their people.
5. Expand opportunity. This is a big one, and it’s often for an understandable reason. Remember your great leaders? Remember how they inspired you to become better, reach for the next level, and believe in your own potential? We all want to grow in our careers. Truly great leaders never loose focus of this aspect—even though they can become distracted by their own growth and potential. They understand that if they want to become a better leader, their responsibility is to help their people become the best as well.
With big titles and greater responsibilities it can easy to lose sight of the real definition of power. You can choose to exert your power. But, it’s important to realize that you become the best leader possible when your people chose to exert theirs—the power to chose to follow you.
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