For several years I have been fortunate to participate in different courses to improve my training as a manager, but especially as a leader of work groups through methodologies such as situational leadership, DISC, knowledge of our saboteurs, detection of strengths, among many others that have been the perfect complement to exercise skills coupled with my natural taste for the development of people and teams.
Along with this, observing the behavior of leaders and anti-leaders has been essential to build a personal work style because it is interesting to see their work and the impact they produce.
In fact, one of the things I enjoy is simulating what would be the response I would give to the situations faced by those characters I admire, either in interviews or even by witnessing the way a CEO responds to questions from employees. participants in a panel or even in a work meeting.
One of the things that I have seen that these leaders share in their position towards teamwork, is synthesized in a reflection that I heard from one of them, where he stated that the work of a leader is finally a solo job, which is why the best executive is one who is able to motivate himself.
And starting from this point, dear reader, today I want to share with you some of the most relevant things that I have noticed in the behavior of great leaders and even those who, with their mismanagement, teach us to know what we should not do. .
BEHAVIORS TO REPLICATE
Shape matters: The focus on results is part of the dynamics of those who lead teams because without positive indicators, success cannot be understood either individually or jointly, however, “the end justifies the means” is a phrase that leaders reject in a way. systematic because the form always matters. If you are able to consider the consequences related to achieving goals, if you evaluate the impact it can have on people and processes, that will increase your awareness of how to make things happen.
“Always for the good” The director of an area told me when referring to the way to implement a new project that had us very concerned as an organization and whose results were occurring more slowly than expected and clearly in times of crisis we will be tempted to take additional risks ( which is positive) but also to implement actions against corporate logic and that can put the relationship with people at risk in the long term.
“Strong with the result, gentle with the people”It was a maxim that I heard from another great leader who, in addition to saying it, put it into practice and that synthesizes the DNA of high-performance teams.
Recognize the triumphs: Connected with the previous point where the results and the way to obtain them are intimately linked, along the way pauses are required to recognize and celebrate the achievements. High-performance teams and those who lead them have a drive to complete a goal and focus on what follows, but it is essential that this pause exists to seek that people know that their actions are known and appreciated and that their contributions transcend beyond of the numbers.
When the sales team recognizes the logistics team, when marketing thanks their colleagues in the legal area for their support or simply when creative initiatives that helped us meet the budget for the quarter are rewarded, they are huge rewards of what the experts call emotional salary, which does not supplement but complements the economic incentive, for example.
Heroic goals: I’m not talking about double-digit growth, exponential market share growth, and reduced spending, all at the same time. I am talking about the inspiration that can be found beyond metrics, of which I do not want to reduce their value one iota but which have nothing to do with the positive impact that we can generate in an environment, in the community where we participate or perhaps in whole world.
Before the achievement of a sale, you add the benefit for the client or the problem that it solves, for example, with the sale of agricultural products we not only contribute to improve the profitability of a farmer but also to positively impact the lives of their children because They will have the opportunity to go to school and thus make a virtuous circle.
No, it is not about pretty words but about transcendence, purpose and connecting your group towards outstanding goals, goals that will differentiate you from the rest because you will put the customer first.
THE ANTI-LEADERS
I am reference: I ask you to remember if you have heard phrases like “If it cost me work, may it cost them too” or how about the one that says “I don’t need any kind of pats on the back so my team doesn’t need them.” Nothing could be further from empathy, a trait of the best leaders and so necessary in highly polarized environments.
When we want our team to experience things as we perceive them and we try to program their reactions according to our scale of priorities, feelings and values, we will make a serious mistake that will alienate those who will accompany us in this work adventure. One way to detect this is when you realize that you are always right and in other words, surround yourself with reason and “dumb” people. Says a phrase that a talented manager of my team shared: if you are always right, then be suspicious, because something may be wrong.
3 sins: When a person proclaims himself as a unique and unobjectionable reference as stated in the previous point, he makes terrible mistakes in the management of a work group because he can incur 3 managerial “sins”:
- Assume (“what they need is …”), instead of asking and validating.
- Generalize (“my idea represents what is convenient for everyone because …”), instead of personalizing.
- Monologue (“let me share how I see it …”), instead of dialoguing and including other visions.
Remember how that boss made you feel (because in fact he is not a leader) when he committed those sins and above all, think if you have not had some of these behaviors.
Sowing reflection
And what does all this have to do with the customer?
- If you don’t acknowledge your team’s achievements or your own, much less will you appreciate the successes, knowledge, and achievements of your clients.
- If you achieve your goals without caring about anything, surely you will not care about the client and without a doubt, he will leave you sooner or later.
- If you don’t develop the skills and talents of your team, you won’t have more prosperous clients and you’ll surround yourself with clients who won’t give you feedback.
- If you just want to talk to the market without listening to it, that monologue will make you obsolete as a brand, product and person.
And since this is not a monologue, I would love to hear your point of view at @soyjuanbecerril at Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and on my YouTube channel where I dedicated an episode to leaders and another to clients that I bet you will enjoy.
Leaders – https://youtu.be/TYnTPcTq1qY
Customers – https://youtu.be/WKCvqbX-Vvk