One critical but so simple leadership success factor
One of the simplest but yet most powerful behaviours of a strong leader is somebody who regularly checks in with their people. Investing in the connection you have with your people pays huge dividends, as you are demonstrating to them just how much you value their contribution and simply, that you care.
Saying that you are just too busy to do this, is not a valid excuse and one you would not even consider if you subscribe to being a leader who delivers through others. The engagement and performance of your people is critical to your success as a leader, so regularly allocating time to purposely talk to the members of your team, is surely a no brainer?
When I say talk, I do mean “talk”! Sending an email does not have the same impact. If you are out of the office all week or you are not based in the same location, you have no option but to pick up the telephone. However, if you are in the same office, the ideal is to just pitch up to their desk, as the face-to-face contact will have the biggest impact.
I recall working with a client on this point as it quickly became apparent that their relationship with their team was primarily based on the occasional team meeting and emails. They started by checking in with each member of their team on a weekly basis whereby they would simply ask them how they were doing or for some input or an opinion on a relevant piece of work. They were amazed at the difference this made to the energy and buzz in the office over a relatively short period of time.
The trick is then to be consistent in this behaviour, so that this energy translates into enhanced performance over the longer-term.
I’m curious…. what is your experience of building strong relationships with your team and the impact on their productivity and performance?
About Jill Munden:
Jill is a successful Executive Coach with 20 years experience working with leaders from small to large sized organisations. She is renowned for the impact she has as a coach, bringing a balance between support, focus and challenge, to ensure her clients achieve the tangible results they aspire to. With an intuitive understanding of how to get the best out of people and an enthusiastic and motivational approach, Jill inspires her clients to step out of their comfort zone and sustain long lasting change.
If you are at all curious to find out more about how Jill could help you, connect with her on LinkedIn and/or email her at jillmunden@mindreach.co.uk