Leadership is Key!

We continue our focus on the Leadership cornerstone and how that impacts creating a culture of excellent service.

What ultimately led to me writing this blog topic was the stark contrast of the above behaviors when compared to a current client. At a very well-run organization, top leadership understands the importance of their role in creating a great working environment. I have had the privilege of working with the leadership team at a Fortune Top 20 company for several years. The top leadership in the Information Technology department manages hundreds of associates in a very difficult area: ensuring the stability of critical systems and processes so that the rest of the multi-billion-dollar enterprise can serve their end customers every day.

Accountability is critical, yet they can hold team members accountable while still creating a positive work environment. It could be easy for leadership to get caught up in meetings and discussions with other leaders and lose sight of the end customer, but these leaders personally demonstrate the importance of customer service and demand the same from their employees.

The work environment for an enterprise IT organization can be stressful, but their leadership focuses on creating a positive culture where even front-line team members are appreciated for a job well done. In other clients, there are many leaders who take themselves way too seriously and do not relate to their employees and customers in a human way. This can lead to a stressful environment and many of the issues listed above.

Most companies share common challenges and stresses. But there is a HUGE difference in how a company performs based on the type of culture created by senior leadership. If you are a leader, don’t get caught up in the daily grind of completing only your assigned duties. I’ve found good leaders remember that they are uniquely positioned to positively impact the work environment for all their associates. Remember, the highest calling of leadership is the development of people!