I’ve been thinking about what makes effective leaders stand out. What I see is that companies thrive and grow when leaders help people feel fulfilled, individually and collectively. At the core are relationships—the lifeblood of organizational dynamics—the fuel that makes things happen.
Unfortunately, organizations run by leaders with traditional management mindsets lag behind their forward-thinking competitors in many areas: turnover, morale, productivity, market share, financial stability and profitability. The impact reaches far beyond the workplace and has a boomerang effect.
Unhappy employees bring work woes home with them. Their frustrations and stress trickle down to their families, neighbors and friends. As these relationships suffer, employees’ lives grow worse. Illness, depression, harmful habits and personality changes incubate, return to the workplace and hasten a downward trajectory. Some experts claim many of today’s current family and cultural problems originate in our workplaces.
Studies and surveys show a common cause: traditional management approaches that devalue people by regarding them as replaceable—nameless resources to be tolerated as long as numbers are met. Old-school leaders want goals achieved; if employees somehow benefit, then that’s a bonus.
Create a Culture of Unity
Companies thrive when leaders recognize the importance of people’s welfare. People need to be part of something bigger than themselves, and they generally embrace opportunities to contribute to organizational success. They want to be part of a unified team. When people are fulfilled, unity blossoms and companies profit.
Initiating and maintaining a culture of unity may initially seem daunting. The process requires diligence, patience and passion. I like how Bob Chapman and Raj Sisodia break it down in Everybody Matters: The Extraordinary Power of Caring for Your People Like Family (Portfolio, 2015):
- Promoting value and purpose
- Fixing the most compelling problems people face
- Establishing teamwork and family
- Connecting with people personally
I’ll dive in to these in my next post. In the meantime, what do you think? What do you see as the lifeblood to your organization’s success? I’d love to hear from you. You can call me at 561-582-6060, let’s talk. And as always, I can be reached here or on LinkedIn.
