Is effective leadership an unconscious skill or a conscious competent skill?

I admit, that I was an unconscious competent leader for many years. I was motivated by a tragic incident in which an employee was killed in a domestic violence incident and I focused on leading my team with authentic empathy for their humanity.?

I still managed the work activities to get stuff done. But, I led with heart.?

Recently, I’ve been asked about the “why” and “what” of a leadership framework I’ve developed. So, I’ll do my best to break it down here with a focus on simplicity and brevity (no promise on the brevity part ??).

I call it the ?????????????????????? ?????????????? ????????????????????? ??????????????????. The premise is simple.?

This leadership framework is based on the idea that when people feel personally and professionally fulfilled, they bring their best selves to work.

Sounds like common sense, right??

You know about common sense though. It’s been said that common sense is not very common.?

The business pain point the Fulfillment Centric Leadership? Framework addresses is the economic cost of employee disengagement.??

According to Gallup's 2024 report, ????% ???? ?????????????????? ?????? ????????????????????, ?????????????? ?????? ???????????? ?????????????? $??.?? ???????????????? ???????????????? ???? ???????? ????????????????????????. By leading employees through a fulfillment lens, leaders can create a multigenerational workplace culture that results in improved engagement, loyalty, and productivity AND improves employee retention.

Are you tracking so far on the common sense? Help employees experience fulfillment and they will give you their best, stay on the job longer, and help you recruit new talent.?

So, I’m holding nothing back. Here are the 10 steps of the Fulfillment Centric Leadership? Framework.?

????????-??????????????????: Leaders should start by examining their own fulfillment across the five key life pillars to lead with authenticity and empathy.

?????????? ???????????? ???????? ?????? ???????? ??????????????: Leaders should ensure value alignment to understand the influence on your employees’ productivity, satisfaction, and commitment to the organization.

????????-???????????? ????????????????: Leaders should survey their teams to understand their fulfillment levels across the five key pillars to identify areas where support is needed.

????????????????????????: Leaders should share some of their own challenges and successes with their teams to create a safe environment for open communication.

???????????????????? ????????????????: Leaders should promote wellness through flexible schedules, mental health support, and encouragement of healthy habits.

?????????? ?????????? ???????? ????????????????: Leaders should identify what energizes each team member and align their roles with their skills and passions.

?????????? ???????? ??????????????????????: Leaders should foster genuine relationships with their team through mentorship programs and non-work related activities.

????????-???????? ????????????: Leaders should show their teams how their work contributes to the bigger picture and invite their ideas to create lasting impact (legacy).

?????????? ?????????? ???? ???????? ????????????????????: Leaders should organize work activities into three levels of difficulty—low, medium, and high—to create more frequent wins and a sense of accomplishment.

?????????? ?????? ????????????: Leaders should regularly check in with their team to assess what's working and refine their fulfillment-centric leadership strategy.

When challenged about the cost of leading through this framework, my response is, that the opportunity cost is far greater!?

See the Gallup report finding above. The opportunity cost of low engagement, high turnover, and lost productivity is far greater than any investment in a leadership framework that results in improved engagement, loyalty, and productivity.?

The bottom line is this. Effective leadership must be a conscious competent strategy. Leading through the fulfillment lens equips leaders to authentically lead with heart.?

The business benefits are undeniable.?

It’s just common sense.?

Agree? Disagree??

#leadership

Bernie Borges is the creator of the Fulfillment Centric Leadership? Framework and Host of the Midlife Fulfilled Podcast. He delivers customized speaking engagements and workshops to organizations prioritizing employee engagement, fostering loyalty, and boosting retention. Learn more here.