Do You Work For A Horrible Boss Or An Inspiring Leader? 6 Traits To Look For...

Greetings,

At one time or another, most of us have worked for what we considered to be a horrible boss. If you never have, congratulations but please don't stop reading this article because you may know someone who is not as fortunate as you are! Every year, I have the privilege to coach at least a dozen people through a significant career reinvention. The majority of my career reinvention clients desire to leave a toxic work environment, one that almost always features a "horrible boss". If left unchecked, workplace toxicity can easily wreak havoc in your personal life. It is human nature to bring your home based problems to work and your work based problems home. I often say, if you want to know the true state of your company's culture, pay close attention to how you feel on Sunday night. But enough about horrible bosses (BTW...it's a very funny movie starring Jason Bateman & Jennifer Aniston), let's look at 6 traits commonly found in inspiring leaders.?

Here they are...

Integrity. Integrity goes beyond being a person of your word, integrity is how you interact with the world around you. Someone once said, "I have never seen a successful person who randomly leaves their shopping cart in the middle of the parking lot." In one of his sermons, pastor Joel Osteen spoke to the little things we do when we think nobody is watching. He shared, "dropping trash on the ground may not keep you out of Heaven but it does speak to your character". Inspiring?leaders do the little things, not because they want you to notice them but because the little things?matter to them. Your character is who you are when you believe no one of importance is watching you. Integrity matters!?

Uplifting. I don't know about you but I'm far more prone to follow someone who is uplifting, optimistic and who walks their talk. Many of us have worked for a "dictator" personality type and we know how draining it can be. Their management style is "my way or the highway" and sadly, there are a lot of cars leaving the parking lot headed for the I-10. Emotionally healthy people prefer to collaborate with their?leaders, not cower in obedience. Inspiring leaders are more than willing to roll up their sleeves in order to help get your project over the finish line. Inspiring leaders?respectfully communicate ways you can develop your skills and improve your performance so that you can max out your company bonus structure. Inspirational leaders respect your life outside of the office. They encourage you to seek balance. Bruce Arians, a long time football coach in the NFL, made it clear to his coaches and players that if he found out they had missed one of their children's life events (unless it was game day) they would be fired. To a man, his guys busted their ass for him! Seek that type of leader and if you are in a leadership position be that type of leader!

Humility. "I was wrong", "the buck stops with me", and "I take full responsibility" are just a few of the phrases associated with inspiring leadership. Far too many people in leadership positions are conditioned to blame someone else rather than take ownership for their mistakes or misguided directives. Simply put, humility builds bridges, blame builds walls. If you are in a leadership position, lead from a place of humility. When the sh#t hits the fan, your team is more likely to respond in a proactive way than employ the "duck and dodge" method. Humility is inspiring!

Resiliency. Defined as our ability to withstand or to recover quickly from our difficulties, resiliency is one of the most inspiring traits common to exceptional leaders. Whether it's in your personal or your professional life, you're going to experience adversity. Your ability to rise above your challenges, stay on course and most importantly, cross the finish line is what will set you apart from the crowd. Nobody is inspired by quitters, we are inspired by people who get things done. Resilience = inspiring!?

Empathy. True empathy is born from experience. Many people confuse the words?empathy?and sympathy. For example, Bob tells you that he has to have his wisdom teeth pulled. Karen, his sympathetic friend, says, "that sucks, I heard that procedure is painful, good luck". Stan, his empathetic friend says, "been there done that. Your mouth will hurt for a few days, and make sure to follow the doctor's orders to the T because the last thing you want is to get a dry socket"! Empathy is born from a shared experience. In our work life, we tend to gravitate towards empathetic leaders. They understand our challenges because they have faced them and can guide us through them. They will never ask you to do something they themselves have never done or would never do. Remember, sympathy is a form of lip service, empathy is genuine and it builds relationships.

Self Awareness. Inspiring leaders have an above average sense of self. They possess a flexible mindset, they are reflective, open to change, self deprecating and they are well aware of the effect they have on?those around them. Self aware people, especially those in leadership?positions tend to draw people to them. Self aware leaders are open to feedback and welcome new ideas and strategies. In short, self aware people are enjoyable to be around in personal and professional settings.?

The next time you find yourself dreading Monday morning on Sunday night, I encourage you to think about?the role your company's leadership may be playing in your discomfort. Far too many people are fighting to hang on to things that no longer serve them. Saying goodbye to dysfunctional environments and leadership allows you to say hello to people and environments that better suit you. Here's to honoring your mental and emotional health.

As always, I look forward to your thoughts and feedback.

Cheers!

To learn more about John and his coaching practice, visit www.johnpageburton.com