Why do some leaders achieve extraordinary results, while others crash & burn?
Great leaders make you feel recognised, valued, safe. They want your life, as part of their team, to feel good – and they show you that, again and again and again.
When you’re a happy cog in a wheel, you do everything in your power to keep that wheel turning. You even put aside your own desires, for the greater good.
But the opposite is also true. When a team doesn’t feel safe, you’re always on high alert – and if you sense a threat, your ‘amygdala’ sets off a fight or flight response, and floods you with adrenalin, as you ask: what must I do to survive? The fact that this response dates back to caveman days, shows just how embedded it is in our psyches.
As a leader then, for your team to feel secure, you need to build a wall around them that’s so impenetrable, that in moments of doubt, their inner caveman can’t knock it down. Here’s how:
1. Know what makes them tick - at work, and in real life.
2. Over-communicate your listening: get off your phone and give all your attention!
3. Be humble. Share your weaknesses. Be human.
4. Give everyone a voice – because everyone has an opinion.
5. Embrace fun. Laughter is a great connector.
We’re at work for 60% of our lives – so make it safe and make it enjoyable.
And remember – life’s good.
Cheers
Clint