4. Show emotion.
Leaders are often taught that your team should never see you sweat. You’re supposed to always have it together and know the right answers. I definitely think there are times for this—and it may even be that this should be true a majority of the time. However, I am submitting to you that your team should also see you as human … with human emotions. If you are concerned about something, show it. If you are tearing up about something that touched you, show it. If you are nervous about something, show it. Be calculated, but show it. As I’ve said before, nothing leads to trust in a team like vulnerability—and emotions are key to vulnerability.
5. Get to know your team and have fun with them.
I’ve been told that our teams should be kept at a distance. What’s going on in their personal lives doesn’t matter and it shouldn’t impact their work. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Getting to know your team will help you lead them better. Knowing their likes, dislikes, personality style, etc. will help you know how to reward, motivate and discipline them. Getting to know things about their family will open up opportunities for you to talk with them on a personal level that will be meaningful to them. And when you know your team, you can have fun with them … in a way that they’ll enjoy.
I believe that these are risks that, if taken, will help you become a better leader. There may be some times when you take these risks and fail … maybe even miserably. But if you never take them, you’ll never know. And I think that these risks will more often lead to success than failure.
Do you consider yourself a risk taker? Are these risks that you take? Comment below and let me know what risk you’re going to take this week …
