Do you remember playing Follow The Leader when you were a kid? What a fun game where you looked at the person in the front of the line and mimicked everything they did. Imagine how that game would have gone if you couldn’t see the leader. Every kid would be doing their own thing or following the lead of the person in front of them. It would be chaos at best and certainly wouldn’t be fun. Unfortunately many leaders try to lead from behind closed doors and that’s not good for any organization.
Here are some tips to make sure your team is following your lead:
1. Be Visible
One of the most powerful things you can do as a leader is to be visible. If you aren’t visible, how can you influence your team? People replicate what they see in leadership. Their attitudes, actions and work ethic as a whole reflect their leader. If you want a team that creates great customer experiences, works hard and has a great attitude, then demonstrate that in front of them rather than demanding it from them.
2. Lead from the front
It’s been said that leaders know the way, go the way and show the way. People would rather follow a visible leader out front than be pushed from behind by a person who is trying to manager them. If you want people to follow, you need to be willing to get out front and be the first to do things. People are inspired by leaders who take risks, recover from failed attempts and are honest.
3. Value your followers
Leaders value their followers by respecting their time and their contributions. While leaders show the way, it’s their team that makes progress happen. Every member of your team contributes something that you can’t. The only way to see those contributions is to make sure you are out doing the work with your team and seeing what they do. Appreciation goes a long way in helping people to know they’re valued and the work they do is contributing to the overall success of the business.
Let us know your thoughts and share your experiences.