Connection

We believe connection creates foundations. It allows for relational equity to draw upon in times of conflict. With business demand shifts, it represents a buildup of deposits that you are able to draw from. The people you lead are people with their own unique lives, challenges, and desires. Their holistic selves are not aligned with you, so your leadership requires you to step back and see who they are more fully while you balance the demands of your business. It’s both/and. It can be missed, but neglect of those relationships will lead to inter-conflict, challenges, frustrations, and less resiliency in times of need. Arguably, it leads to higher turnover, but at the very least, it does not contribute to a reason for your team to stay.

You lead a business, department, or team AND the people within it. It requires you to see both with significant importance. They did sign up to do the job; so, I suppose at the lowest level, you can expect their commitment based on that alone, but they likely did not go in with the expectation that they would be managed as an asset or some utilitarian tool. Neither did you.

People are uniquely driven. They don’t see the world the way that you do.

I think our challenge at time is that we can reduce the world down to our views and perspectives. I especially see this in time of great pressure or unmet needs. In those moments, it’s hard to see people as individuals with their own desires and challenges.

So, how do we confront this?

Intentionality. You must intentionally approach your team in a manner that attempts to see them as people. If you struggle to build an environment that balances it, you can intentionally speak to them about your desires to support them individually WITHIN the business demands. And if you miss the mark, you can apologize and start again. If they miss the mark, you expect the same from them. Apologize, adjust, and then get back in there and try again. It’s only when we commit and continually show a disregard or inability to live up to it that we create distrust. It’s no different than when your employees continually apologize for their shortcomings and never seem to make the adjustment. You are held to the same unspoken rule.

So, be intentional. Get to know your team with that mindset to shift you away from your tendencies to view them as tools that come and go. You certainly appreciate being led with the same perspective.

Your team will thank you. Your results will reflect it. Your fatigue with continual hiring will diminish.

Wherever you are. Whatever you do. Your business can achieve its goals and have connection with their team. Your business can be a place for people to grow and develop and then springboard into something else (either in-house or out). And you can celebrate it (and them) over and over…

Build it and they will come,

Eric