I am not a huge advocate of New Year’s Resolutions. I feel like it sets people up for failure. It’s not that I am against goals, commitment, or change it’s simply that trying to hold yourself accountable to a yearly goal is much more daunting than setting smaller incremental goals.
Although New Year’s resolutions are not my thing, I do believe people should be setting personal and professional goals on a regular basis. If you are not growing and changing you are dying. The beginning of the New Year is the perfect time to reflect on the past and contemplate the future. If becoming a leader who connects with your team hits the top of your list this year, here are a few thoughts for you to consider.
Changing who you are as a leader can feel daunting. You may be asking yourself where do I begin? To help you get started I have provided a few things that I have learned along the way. This short list will inspire more meaningful connections with your team and will have a positive impact on the success of your business.
- Lead with Why. As a leader you know WHAT to do and HOW to do it. But do you know WHY you do it? Getting clear on your WHY will be a game changer within the culture of your business and the experience of your people. When your people and culture align with the WHY everything falls into place. People are more engaged and focused. You will experience more collaboration and better working relationships.
- Onboard to Culture before anything else. Upon hiring new people take the time to introduce them to the culture before skills and tasks. Tell them your story. Help them to feel the energy behind your WHY. When you spend time upfront engaging new people in the culture you will find they are more involved and want to stay for the long term. People will stay with a company that aligns with personal values and beliefs. Spend the time upfront to ensure there is a cultural fit. It will pay dividends on the back end.
- Give Trust before you expect to get it in return. Let your people know you trust them and allow them to show you they have what it takes. But also know that it is your responsibility as a leader to be there to support and inspire them along the way. If they fail, use it as a coaching opportunity to help them grow, and when they succeed celebrate expressing appreciation for their hard work and commitment.
- Focus on Strengths Always. I sometimes feel like companies are stuck in the 1980’s. In my experience and opinion focusing on weakness is a waste of time. First, it’s demotivating, and second at best you are going to develop a mediocre employee. When you focus on strengths you are not only helping someone to identify their natural born gifts and talents you will allow them to be more satisfied with their contribution and work. When you align people with their strengths they will develop more quickly and be able to contribute in a more meaningful way.
- Openly express gratitude and appreciation. This is easy, just be kind. It’s important to remember you cannot be successful without a team of people who feel cared about. People like to be a part of something more meaningful than themselves. Show them.
I hope this helps you to get started in your 2023 leadership journey. Please Like and Share.
