TREAD WITH THE CEOs BUT TALK TO THE UNDERDOG

Great leaders should be able to mingle and interact with any kind of person whatever be their position in the hierarchy, be it heads of organisation or common people without losing their own personalities. They should be able to maintain their dignity and not feel a sense of inferiority while talking to the elite nor should they lose their ability to relate to regular people in their organisation. What this means is that leaders should not become swollen headed and impressed with their self-importance just because they have the privilege of rubbing shoulders with the most important people neither must they lose their sensibilities while talking to the not so privileged in lower echelons. Leaders will be loved by their team members if they stay humble despite achieving greatness, by staying in touch with reality when interacting with the common people.

If leaders treat all people in their teams equally and recognise their worth in whatever they are doing then they radiate goodness and humility. Such qualities are immensely liked by everyone because in these modern times, being super aggressive and wanting to be successful at any cost appears to be the current mantra. Leaders should ensure that employees are happy by giving due credit where it is due and that they get a good feeling by being treated equally important as others knowing that whatever they have to say will at least be heard by their leader.

Being humble does not mean that a leader should become a doormat for all to tread upon or be taken advantage of, but it is about treating others with dignity which they deserve, accepting themselves as they are, knowing their own capabilities and limitations and being able to pick out the good points in every member of the team. Humility comes from acceptance of the fact that one cannot be an all knowing oracle possessing limitless knowledge at all times and the fact that everyone can make mistakes. Sometimes, admission that one does not know everything endears leaders to employees and shows that they are willing to grow and acquire new skills and knowledge. Approachability is a trait that leaders require to inculcate. It gives the message of being available to listen to other people’s problems.

It normally is very easy to be humble when one is at the bottom of the pyramid but as one grows to senior levels, being humble becomes harder because people start looking up towards them for guidance and help, which in turn makes it very hard to acknowledge weakness openly. As one ascends the ladder, pride, arrogance and vanity start to build up and one tends to start thinking to themselves that they are superior to others. Approachability takes a hit during such situations. Humility can be cultivated by making an effort to listen to others’ problems by drawing out their feelings, values and encouraging them to express themselves. Leaders would earn great respect even if they are unable to solve the problem by just by lending a sympathetic ear. After ensuring that the team has put in their best in the existing circumstances, acceptance of the present situation would be in order rather than passing judgement on what should have been done. It also helps to be grateful to people, thanking them often. Courtesy does not cost much but it makes leaders dear to their teams. Giving and receiving feedback is a good method of keeping the team happy provided it is done in a constructive manner and at all levels. It is often seen that insensitive, egocentric and arrogant leaders have destroyed company culture and possibly driven diligent and experienced employees either to underperform or leave. Identifying with the team and showing them that they are alongside their teams for achievement of common goals endears leaders to them.

On many occasions, companies tend to judge leaders merely through the revenue generating lens and not whether they are adequately giving importance to employee engagement and transparent communication. The former method may yield short term gains but the latter will ensure people investment resulting in long term gains. Leaders should focus on the lower level leadership where one has to deal with people with literally low career progression or demotivated employees and concentrate their energy on bringing up such people in the organisation. Empowering lower echelon leaders is a way to develop talent for the benefit of the organisation from within.

Every individual is a leader of some sorts. Parents guide and provide direction to their families such that their children grow up into good human beings. Priests teach society about religion and whom many look up to. Teachers are good examples of leaders as they educate and mentor children. Sports teams have leaders whom other players take orders from in the team. In fact everyone in some capacity or other are leaders of some kind at different levels as they make a difference to other people’s lives. It must be remembered that every individual has leadership potential which may remain hidden because they probably have never got the opportunity to display it at the work place. When such people get encouragement, they bloom and display their best.

Leadership is all about recognising the potential of others and bringing out the best in them.