To be a better leader 6 things will promote greater trust and confidence.

It’s ironic the amount of advice circulating on social media regarding leadership expertise.

How many of these people have built a successful business??Struggled through entrepreneurial adversity for decades and consistently prevailed??Hired leaders and mentored teams that created some of the best products and services in the world??Have a history of generosity, fairness, and success??Financed their own operation with profits created from a profitable sales strategy? How many have a reputation for being kind, compassionate and humble??How many leaders have practiced workplace diversity and advancement for women before it was fashionable??

The problem with advice, it's largely based on opinions and many of those opinions aren't forged in the fire of "actual experience".

It's like a “mission statement” or “corporate values statement”, they are often speculative and highly inaccurate.

It’s easy to manufacture a “wish list” of things we want people to believe we are and dream up mission statements that reflect ideas we hope to embody.

Mission statements and corporate values provide some insight into how organizations "desire" to treat people. However, there's no easier way to corroborate claims than to seek testimonials. If their employees aren’t valued above all else and enjoy high retention rates, it’s a red flag.

Organizations that value people have a compelling history of evidence that’s ubiquitous. They are also committed to customer service, and those values are interrelated.

Too many companies establish a mission statement like a child prepares a Christmas list.

It’s a declaration of everything they "aspire" to be, but neglects to identify the consciousness of the organization. The prevailing mind set, existing leadership and what they believe and truly practice.

Corporate culture, values and customer experience are tangible features of an organization measured in employee satisfaction and customer retention. Striving to be something is vastly different than personifying it.

Mission statements are great, create one. But if nobody believes it, they aren’t worth squat!

So, how do we learn to practice what we preach and earn the reputation of being an organization that personifies the values we profess we have?

“What you do has far greater impact than what you say.” –?Stephen Covey

Here are 6 principles every leader needs to practice:

Focus

I can’t begin to tell you how often I see people providing leadership that think they know it all.?Their confirmation bias about their leadership abilities is grossly distorted and its predicated-on assumptions that presuppose they are infallible.?Letting go and focusing on what we do best is imperative for effective leadership.?At Weatherology I concentrate on three areas that receive my undivided attention.?They are critically important to our success, and everyone knows that’s where my energy needs to be focused.?Everything else, my remarkable teams manage, and they do it flawlessly.?Why??I don’t waste their time with meaningless meetings and constant distractions.?We operate like a well-oiled machine because we focus on our areas of expertise. ?

Improve

Leaders that aren’t committed to constant improvement should be a major concern.?In today’s business environment, that means somebody dedicated to self-awareness and emotional intelligence.?Great leaders balance critical thinking, rational thinking, and emotional aptitude.?Cultivating these skills requires ongoing commitment, and it's a never ending proposition.?Many leaders regurgitate the latest trend.?Find your why, create a tribe.?It’s nauseating how often I hear “leaders” recite the latest “recipe” for success.?Real leaders have a long list of accomplishments that validate their values and principles because they are practiced daily.?They reside over organizations that don’t have constant turnover and have satisfied employees that celebrate tenures that are unparalleled.?Great people don’t stick around if the organization isn’t committed to constant improvement.?

Cultivate

Remarkable leaders coach and mentor their team members.?That has never been more important than today.?True leaders don’t dictate direction without making sure the appropriate people are in place to facilitate their vision.?Pontificating about great leadership, conducting endless meetings, constant meddling in everyone’s affairs isn’t leadership, it’s annoying and highly distracting to extraordinary people.?If you have done a good job assembling teams and guide their development, they reach out to you when they need support.?Otherwise, we trust their competence and capability unequivocally, which doesn’t require constant oversight.?

“Outstanding leaders go out of the way to boost the self-esteem of their personnel. If people believe in themselves, it’s amazing what they can accomplish.” –?Sam Walton

Acknowledge

One thing I see repeatedly prevent leader’s from earning credibility and respect, is their inability to acknowledge imperfection.?Many bloviate and attempt to convince their teams how intelligent they are, as if they have exclusivity on wisdom and great ideas.?In the process they alienate people from contributing, sensor innovation and prohibit improved performance.?Having the humility to admit we don’t have all the answers opens up communication and encourages creativity.?This is especially relevant during challenging times when teams may have the perfect solutions to challenging situations.?Be vulnerable and be transparent and watch cohesiveness and team unity escalate.????

Professional

Since I started my company 36 years ago, I have heard so many stories of “bosses” that can’t resist flirting with female colleagues.?Making sexiest remarks or belittling people when they get upset.?Each time we step over the line we jeopardize our reputation and create an environment of distrust and fear.?Be professional and appreciate people are watching every move we make.?Instilling the same professional conduct in our teams is critical and it never happens if we don’t lead by example.

People

When we fail to place people first, our decisions reveal how important people truly are.??When we show favoritism, shoot down ideas, publicly humiliate, focus exclusively on profit or act condescending, we send a clear signal.?I am the boss and you do as I say. No intelligent, capable, or driven person will ever flourish in an environment that functions like a dictatorship.?When we value people, our actions support our commitment to making sure they are safe, secure, respected and appreciated.????????

“Of all the things I’ve done, the most vital is coordinating those who work with me and aiming their efforts at a certain goal.” –?Walt Disney

Sum it up

There’s nothing worse than watching weak leaders wallow in indecisiveness and inconsistency.?American politics is a perfect place to witness the hypocrisy of flawed leadership.

Have you ever worked for a boss that failed to lead by example? Share your thoughts in the comments section and please like and share this article. I love learning from you as well.

About Steve:

Steve Wohlenhaus is CEO of Weatherology, the leading company in the world at disseminating audio weather information.??Steve began his career as a major market television weather anchor in Minneapolis, where he received several Emmy Awards for science programming.?Steve is an author and host of the podcast program Anatomy of Success.?Reach out and connect with me on LinkedIn.?Learn more about my work and grab the free Weatherology mobile app by clicking any picture in this article!