Leaders and Leadership Part II

What do I believe in besides vulnerability? Love, positivity and fun.  I know, you think this to be all whoooy-balooey.  Froo froo stuff. Too soft.  Well I disagree, and some of the largest companies agree with me.

Who you are cannot be segregated by personal vs. professional. You are a whole person who brings the whole you to work and to home.  Therefore, it is my belief that having a heart in the workplace is important. If you want to read more about this, check Kouzes and Posner’s The Leadership Challenge or Encouraging the Heart. Excellent books by leading authors in the leadership field. I have talked of this before but showing that you care, that you appreciate, and value another person is not soft. It is a valuable trait that makes an incredible difference in the workplace. Ask Herb Kelleher of Southwest Airlines.

Positivity and fun go hand in hand in my opinion. As a leader, you must reflect positivity in the workplace. Don’t let shit roll downhill. Don’t emulate the climate of those above you. Create the environment you want for your group and support each person.  Keep everyone moving forward, allowing for mistakes the associated learning that comes with, and create an atmosphere of joy.  At the same time,  bring fun in and laugh, make jokes, have fun. This is a great boost to productivity, creativity and overall desire to do work.  Ask Tony Hsieh of Zappos.com who has a new book out about this very thing, Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose.

This does not mean you don’t have to be a tough boss, who expects a lot and challenges others.  You can do all of this.

The greatest compliment I received today was from a friend and former coworker. It was out of the blue, but she told me that I was the best boss she had ever had, that I challenged her more than anyone but I also believed in her fully.  It almost made me cry. That was 4 years ago and she mentioned that she hadn’t had a good boss since.  This is the true measure of how I am doing – what others believe of me as a leader.