Rise by Lifting Others !

When we talk about workplace upliftment, it’s more than just a trendy phrase; it’s crucial for building a joyful and productive team. The role of CXOs are essential in holding an organization together. Star leaders know that fostering employee engagement is not about coercion—it's about creating an environment where employees feel truly connected. Your leadership presence and values can significantly shape the culture and morale of your team, which ultimately affects the entire organization. Feeling engaged and empowered comes from taking ownership of tasks and being involved in overarching goals.

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“People-First” Approach to Uplifting Teams?

Research from Forbes shows that leaders who emphasize upliftment are 78% more likely to motivate their teams. What if your employee benefits truly resonated with their individual needs? ?Lets take an example of working hours and interdependent teams operating across different geographies. While leading global teams, leader should respect and adapt to the diverse work styles of their team. By embracing flexibility in working hours and locations, leaders acknowledge cultural differences and individual needs, creating a supportive environment that values outcomes over rigid schedules. When you trust team members with such flexibility, often they go beyond call of duty to reciprocate.

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?Think about offering flexible hours or wellness programs that speak directly to your employees' lives. When people feel valued, they’re far more likely to engage. A star leader has a knack for making employees feel like VIPs. They emphasize the power of recognition and fun in the workplace. When employees feel valued and engaged, they will naturally deliver their best work. From regular team celebrations to actively involving employees in decision-making, you can create a thriving culture where everyone feels uplifted. Your leadership presence extends beyond corporate strategies—it’s rooted in making your team feel seen and appreciated, which leads to stronger morale, loyalty, and exceptional performance.

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Set the Bar High for Your Team

Trust is powerful. When you delegate a significant project to your employees, you’re not just assigning tasks; you’re showing them that you believe in their abilities. How would your team respond if you said, "I trust you to lead this initiative; I’ll be here to support you"? Suddenly, it’s not just about the project; it’s a vote of confidence. Star leaders who practice this style of leadership presence focus on empowering their team members to realize their potential , all while fostering collaboration, creativity, and loyalty. By highlighting and celebrating their achievements, you show your team that their contributions matter. Instead of managing from a distance, star leaders get involved, provide support, and uplift their people.

The result? Teams that aren’t just productive but are also highly motivated to excel, knowing their leader stands by them and values their growth as much as their results. Very often, teams connect seamlessly across functions/domains to pursue the goal as a unit , which otherwise is plagued with bureaucracy maze !

Conversations that Elevate and Uplift

Leadership isn’t just about setting strategies and KPIs; it’s about making time for those all-important one-on-one conversations. CEOs like Satya Nadella of Microsoft are known for engaging deeply with their teams through regular, personal conversations. These “CXO conversations” are opportunities to uplift, offering feedback that builds confidence rather than discourages. Uplifting your team in these discussions creates an atmosphere of trust and respect, allowing your leadership presence to shine through. Not only does this improve team morale, but it also gives you valuable insights into how to better lead, support, and grow your people.

Impact on Leadership

According to Bass (1985), transformational leadership consists of four sets of behaviors:

(a) idealized in?uence : leaders engage in behaviors that cause followers to respect and admire them;

(b) inspirational motivation : leaders provide followers with an appealing and inspiring vision of the future;

(c) intellectual stimulation: leaders encourage followers to pursue creative thinking and solve problems in new ways; and

(d) individual consideration : leaders identify and pay attention to follower needs.

As various researchers (George,1995; Grandey, 2008; Kelly & Spoor, 2006; Sy et al., 2005) have suggested, star leaders who uplift their teams, can shape team processes and team performance by engaging in conscious and deliberate behaviors.

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What could be the barriers for Leaders ?

If there is ample evidence suggesting that leaders uplifting their teams, leads to awesome results, what could be holding leaders back ?

I can think of two barriers :

a) Excessive focus on Success in Short Term ?—> To be fair to leaders , in crisis situations where directive leadership seems to be recommended approach, will the “slow burn” pace of engagement work ? Creating bonds, building trust takes time ! Well, this could be the topic for another article :)?

b) Disengaged Leader —> Leader does not find herself engaged enough, and could then have little room for uplifting team members. Constant “scanning other opportunities” mode will mean leader does not have adequate appetite to attend to team grievances which at times could take medium to long term efforts.?Team essentially notices the same and limits the reciprocation. ?

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Star Mindset

Star leaders encourage their teams to share ideas and celebrate small wins, creating a culture of positivity that propels everyone forward. They empower their team by recognizing individual strengths and aligning them with the team’s goals, turning potential into performance. Whether it's through team-building activities, casual brainstorming sessions, or just a heartfelt “Great job!” after a project, star leadership make it clear that success is a collective journey.

3 Immediately Applicable Action Steps

1. Prioritize Flexibility of your team : Create a workplace atmosphere that supports work-life balance, making your employees feel like an integral part of the business. Give max possible flexibility to the team. They wont disappoint you.
2. Weekly Reflection: Set aside 15 to 30 minutes every week for your team to reflect on their performance and discuss future goals.
3. More empowerment and less review : While RCAs and CAPAs are critical, focus has to be on how can team be empowered with processes, systems, resources which leads to continuous improvement of business performance as well as teams development & growth.

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Conclusion

In essence, leadership presence isn’t defined by titles or authority—it’s built by empowering others. When leaders prioritize flexibility, encourage open conversations, and trust their teams, they foster a culture where everyone feels valued and motivated to achieve shared goals.

Uplifting others isn’t just a strategy; it’s the foundation of a resilient and innovative organization. By embracing a ‘Rise by Lifting Others’ mindset, leaders can unlock unparalleled potential within their teams, fueling long-term success and creating a workplace where everyone thrives !

Author: Jeevan Pawar is Global Head of Supply Chain at Aditya Birla Advanced Materials. Empathetic leader managing multicultural global team, he has gone through the journey, from “Calling a spade a spade” to “ What we appreciate, appreciates – what we depreciate, depreciates”! Avid psychology enthusiast & Jazz lover!

Co-Author: Coach Vikram is an Executive Presence Coach who helps senior leaders bring a magnetic presence to their leadership. By cultivating a culture of upliftment, Vikram helps leaders create environments where employees thrive and feel valued. Connect with him to elevate your executive presence skills and transform your leadership journey.

References

●???? Dewiana Novitasari, Marissa GraceHaque Haque, Heri Supriatna, Masduki Asbari, & Agus Purwanto. (2021). Understanding the Links between Charismatic Leadership, Intrinsic Motivation and Tacit Knowledge Sharing among MSME Employees. International Journal of Social and Management Studies, 2(3), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.5555/ijosmas.v2i3.29

●???? Myers, C. (2016, July 9). Cultivating Charisma: 3 Tips For Becoming A More Influential Leader. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/chrismyers/2016/07/09/cultivating-charisma-3-tips-for-becoming-a-more-influential-leader/

●???? Wilson, G. (n.d.). 6 Characteristics of Charismatic leadership That Motivates Employees. https://www.thesuccessfactory.co.uk/blog/characteristics-of-charismatic-leadership-that-motivates-employees

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●???? Stein, S. J., Papadogiannis, P., Yip, J. A., & Sitarenios, G. (2009). Emotional intelligence of leaders: a profile of top executives. Leadership &Amp; Organization Development Journal, 30(1), 87–101.

●????https://www.researchgate.net/publication/229932538_How_Do_Happy_Leaders_Enhance_Team_Success_The_Mediating_Roles_of_Transformational_Leadership_Group_Affective_Tone_and_Team_Processes1

#Leadership #ExecutivePresence #Uplift #TeamEmpowerement