This is the second article in a six part series which discusses the Qualities of Leadership. It builds on what was covered previously so if you haven’t read the first article, be forewarned.
In this article we will discuss in greater detail two of the qualities of leadership: Genuine Respect for Others and Humility.
A Leader Shows Genuine Respect for others - This is perhaps the fundamental trait of an effective leader. If those around you perceive a lack of respect for them - they'll never respect you. The key word there is perceive. You may say, "Of course I respect them..." But, if their perception is you don't - their perception is their reality. If history has demonstrated anything it's that when one group lacks a genuine respect for others, when they allow inequities, then resistance and conflict erupts. So how does someone decide whether or not you respect him or her? It's in the way you speak to them. It's in the way you listen. It's in how you thank them for their effort (if you do). It's in how you credit them for their accomplishments. It's how you apologize when you're wrong. It's in the way you respond to their requests for help. It's in the way you're sensitive to cultural and gender issues. It's in the way you treat them no differently than you would the president of the company.
Leadership Behaviors which demonstrate genuine respect for others include:
1. A Leader speaks to all coworkers, regardless of position/title in a professional manner.
2. A Leader takes time to listen objectively to the ideas and opinions of coworkers. If situation does not allow for full attention he/she offers an opportunity for follow up.
3. A Leader thanks co-workers for their efforts and hard work.
4. A Leader is not influenced by gender, race, religion, age, or any other personal characteristics. He or She treats all employees with equity.
5. A Leader is sensitive to co-workers' personal life and commitments outside of work.
6. A Leader follows all guidelines for avoidance of discrimination and harassment in the workplace.
7. A Leader does not tolerate inequity – such as preferential treatment by managers, unfair interviewing, selection or evaluation practices, etc.
A Leader Demonstrates Humility We all notice when someone is humble. Likewise we notice the person who takes credit for someone else's work. It's like the manager who can't admit mistakes and inadvertently teaches his staff to hide theirs.
Leaders recognize that they alone cannot move the world. They know their power lies in the cumulative efforts and talents of their followers. By recognizing that, they acknowledge the importance of the team, and the strengths and weaknesses of the individuals that comprise it. Humbleness also means accepting responsibility for personal mistakes and acknowledging when help is needed. By doing so you model a powerful quality to those around you. It says, "It's okay to err...it's okay to be open about it...and it's okay to ask for help." How much energy and resources are wasted in organizations because mistakes and failures are covered up? How many opportunities to learn and improve are lost because we're afraid to acknowledge problems? Leaders have to be seen as human, as real people that anyone can follow and aspire to emulate. Leaders also have to be comfortable stepping back and letting others take the driver's seat when they're the experts. That's humility.
Here's an experience that speaks to the importance of respect and humility as leadership qualities.
At a chemical manufacturing plant a team was tasked with improving the production process for a prototype industrial solvent. The solvent would be used by large manufacturers to purify transport containers. While the new solvent showed tremendous promise in this niche market it produced an unacceptable amount of foam residue. It was also expensive to manufacture. The team members took up the challenge to reform the product in six months - a daunting task. A portion of the team worked with engineering to analyze the production process. Another portion worked with R&D to address the foam residue. A team leader was appointed to oversee the effort. In short time the engineering team had identified a method to produce the product in larger batches cutting the production cost. Later they found a way to eliminate a major step in mixing the components of the solvent. Due to the chemical nature the components had to be processed and treated before they could be combined to produce the solvent. The R&D team was taking longer due to the complexity of their task. However, they were able to reduce foam residue by 8% and theorized a method to cut the residue another 40-50%. Seemed everything was going better than expected - almost.
The team leader took it upon himself to present the findings to upper management. He insisted that no communications be sent out by team members on the progress and that he would serve as the communication vehicle. Not a bad policy from a project management standpoint but his method had a disastrous effect on the team. Seemed progress reports from the Engineering and R&D teams were being reworded by the team leader and forwarded to management. In the reports the team leader took direct credit for supervising the processes when that was untrue. He also presented findings directly to management. Meanwhile team members had gotten a hold of the modified status reports. They were already angry that the team leader insisted on presenting the findings alone when he was not knowledgeable enough to speak to the specifics. Several commented that the team leader always spoke in terms of "I" rather than "we." A subtle observation but an important one. The team was quickly losing confidence that their hard work and ingenuity was not being realized. Then came the kicker. Due to the significant progress in the product viability there was talk that the team leader would be promoted to Product Manager.
Things unraveled fast. Team members complained to the team leader and upper management. Progress ground to a halt as the team leader found himself trying to repair his relationship with the team and salvage his credibility with management.
Had the team leader made an effort to recognize the team they would have continued to give 110% to the cause. Instead, the inequity stole their motivation. Humble leaders realize that they cannot move mountains by themselves. They need to work as part of a team. They need to allow others to step into the limelight and be recognized. Perhaps the most effective leader is the one that fades into the scenery allowing the team to be recognized and steps into only to offer direction and encouragement.
Here are a few Leadership Behaviors which demonstrate Humility.
1. A Leader ensures coworkers and team are recognized for accomplishments rather than promoting self.
2. When needed he/she asks for help from coworkers and management.
3. A Leader encourages others to take the lead when they are the most knowledgeable or capable.
4. A Leader will assist with tasks and responsibilities "below" his/her level when coworkers or team needs support.
If you have the time, why not move on to our next article “Qualities of Leadership: Honesty and Integrity and Confidence and Courage.
Ray Miller is Managing Partner of The Training Bank, a Training and Consulting firm specializing in Customer Focus, Service Improvement, Leadership and fully customized training solutions. He is also co-author of the book That’s Customer Focus.
You can get more information about The Training Bank and That’s Customer Focus by visiting www.thatscustomerfocus.com or www.thetrainingbank.com
Qualities of Leadership Part 2 Genuine Respect for Others and Humility - To learn more about this author, visit Ray Miller's Website.
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