There’s a lot of buzz around courageous leadership – and for good reason. It takes courage to create a culture of trust and open communication, where employees feel empowered to share their ideas and perspectives without fear of judgment or reprisal.
This, in turn, leads to increased employee engagement, as team members feel valued and supported in their contributions.
To boost your own courageous leadership and establish an engaged culture use these simple tips:
- It Starts With Trust:
Research highlighted in MIT Sloan Management Review shows employees who trust their leaders are 260% more motivated to work, have 41% lower rates of absenteeism, and are 50% less likely to look for another job. But roughly 1 in 4 workers don’t trust their employer and most employers overestimate their workforce’s trust level by almost 40%.
Any time you are interacting and communicating with someone in writing, verbally or face-to-face, it’s an opportunity to build or erode trust. And it’s worth noting that people define trust differently.
TRY THIS: Ask team members what trust means to them, how they define it, when they’ve had it and when it’s been missing. Specifically ask, “What can I do to build trust with you?” And then do it.
- Clearly Communicate Your North Star:
Provide a clear vision and set of goals for the team. When everyone understands the direction, they are more likely to map their individual role and contribution to your vision. Foster open and honest communication within the team about where you are headed, and encourage team members to express their ideas, concerns and feedback openly.
TRY THIS: Be specific about the vision you hold for the future and the part each person can play. What will be different? Why will it be better? How can each person use their strengths to make a unique and important contribution?
- Focus on Strengths:
Globoforce research shows that 89% of people are more motivated by being told what they are doing right than being told what they are doing wrong. And 71% desire this type of recognition to be given close to the time of the activity. Move your team into “power mode” by paying attention to individual and team strengths, and putting people in situations where they can continue to shine and receive recognition for it.
If you ask your people what their strengths are (and they haven’t completed a strengths assessment) they likely won’t know.
TRY THIS: Here are some probing questions to find out:
- What are the times and situations you are in a powerful performance zone?
- What do you enjoy doing at work?
- When was a time you felt successful? Describe a successful day.
- What comes naturally to you?
Once they identify a strength, you can draw out more information by saying:
- “Great, tell me more about ________. I’ll call it your ________ strength.”
- “When do you use it at work? In what situations do you use it?
- I’ve seen you do________ and I do think you are really strong at ________.”
- “How and when could you use ________ strength more in your role as ______?”
By establishing trust, clearly communicating your vision and focusing on strengths, you’ll create an environment of courage and confidence in which your team and you will thrive.
