Best Compliment a Manager could receive

For any Robin Williams fan or anyone who was older than the age of 12 in 1989, the above image is probably very familiar. A stop frame of the third act climax from the movie Dead Poets Society. You know, when Professor Keating's english students acknowledge the profound impact he has had on their lives with a final salute of "Oh Captain my Captain". As leaders in business, could there be any higher compliment than receiving such an ovation from your team as you depart the company? I was fortunate enough to have such an experience today and it led me to reflect on just what was it I did that created such a close relationship between me and the team I worked with.

Today was my last day at my current employer. I've resigned to pursue a new and challenging opportunity with another organization. As a leader, one of the hardest parts about changing companies is leaving behind a great team of people. This was certainly the case with my most recent job career move. When I received the offer from my new employer, I quite literally was pacing the floors and having trouble sleeping while trying to decide if I could really abandon all that we had built to seek employment elsewhere.

Obviously I decided to pursue the new opportunity. So I announced the decision to my team and it was met with some shock and sadness on their part and some bittersweet emotions on my part as well. Today, as is typical corporate etiquette, I sent out my final farewell to my team, thanking them, encouraging them to do great things in the future, providing contact information, etc. The first response I received to my email had no text in the body at all. No congratulations, no farewell, no wishes for a bright future. Instead, all it contained was the image you see above. I can't lie, seeing this brought a tear to my eye. The meaning was clear and no other words were needed.

So I got to thinking, what was it that I did as a leader that fostered such an intense connection between me and the team. While I don't know for sure, I do have some thoughts. I don't claim to be a management expert, I don't pretend that I have some profound insights that could change the world, but, for those 9 people I said goodbye to today, I believe my approach may have changed their world just a little bit for the better.

So what did I do that created such a strong bond? Well for starters I was simply myself. In every dealing with everyone on the team, I never felt the need to impress or to be bigger than I was. I was not afraid to make mistakes in front of the team, I was not afraid to be a little goofy at times, I was not afraid to just be human. I tend to wear my emotions on my sleeve, and it was no different in my professional dealings with the team. This is not to say I acted unprofessionally or threw tantrums, but I also didn't hide it when certain events or corporate changes left me frustrated. I maintained a focus on working with what we were given to find solutions, but I never pretended that things were rosy when in reality they sucked.

I believe this type of approach earns a leader respect from their employees. I can think of little worse that a leader can do than insult the intelligence of their employees by trying to paint a bad situation as something different than what it really is. Earning your team's respect gains a leader credibility which makes the job of being a leader so much easier. Leaders must act with integrity, such that promises made are fulfilled with true actions. Sometimes we fail in this regard, and when we do, it's important that we own up and admit to it.

I also hold a strong belief that as leaders we are truly in a role of service to our employees. Leaders should never view themselves as above or more important than the people they lead. Ask my team, it was forbidden for anyone to refer to me as their boss or say they worked for me. Why? Because I work WITH them and they WITH me. The term boss has a connotation that simply does not fit my belief system with regard to what a manager should be. So those words were outlawed.

As leaders, part of our service demands that we must be there to defend our team. It is our job to ensure we equip our skilled and talented people with the tools they need for success. When roadblocks threaten to derail their work, it is our job to clear the road. So take ownership of those problems and drive them to resolution. We must also demonstrate trust in our teams. Provide them with objectives and allow them to own the process of achieving those objectives. Celebrate the successes publicly and address the mistakes privately when possible. We hire the most talented people we can find for a reason, so why suffocate that by micro-managing a team?

In the end as I look back on my relationship with this group, I think the overarching theme is just be human. Don't tell your team how much you care about them, show them by being honorable, by having concern when they have trouble in their professional or personal lives, by treating them with even more respect than you expect to receive from them. Don't make the mistake of trying to show them how great you are, instead let them know that you see how great they are. Always remember, it is an honor to serve as a leader, not a status symbol.

While I don't think we can all expect to develop quite as tight of a relationship as it seems I was able to forge with this team, it should always be something we strive for as leaders. That is the true reward of serving in such a role. When you can see, or even be told about the positive difference you've made in someone's life, you'll understand a level of fulfillment that is simply indescribable. Good luck to you all and my best wishes for your success.