Get it right on the inside and you will get it right on the
outside. That’s good advice that is rarely followed by today’s leaders. Instead
there seems to be a focus on just getting it right on the outside. This can
work, but it’s probably leaving your followers feeling a little empty at
best—or distrusting at worst.
When leaders focus only on their behaviours and outside
appearances, they are presenting a thin veneer of leadership that can work for
a short while, but which eventually breaks down—especially under pressure.
Wondering how you can get it right on the inside instead of
working so hard to act in a prescribed way on the outside? Here are some ways
to get started. These are based on answers to such questions as, “Who was your
best boss?” and “What made them so special?”
See people as assets
to develop instead of liabilities to manage. Good leadership begins with a
fundamental belief in people and the value that they can bring to a company.
Where do you stand on this? Do you focus on people’s strengths and how to
maximize them, or do you tend to focus on weaknesses and how to correct them?
How does that impact your leadership behaviours?
Assume the best.
People have good days and bad days. They make mistakes, exhibit poor judgment,
and sometimes let you down. How do you react to these situations? What is the
story that you are telling yourself about their actions? Are you assuming they
had good intentions and just fell short, or does this just go to show that you
were right about them all along? Your resulting leadership behaviour will be
very different depending on your mindset.
See yourself as a
leader instead of as an evaluator. Part of leadership is matching skill
sets to the overall goals of the organisation. The ability to discern talent
and apply it effectively is an important quality. But don’t make that the sole
focus of your leadership. Instead, go beyond getting the right people in the
right positions and actively work to help them succeed in their roles. See
their success as a partnership between you and them. When people sense that you
are on their side, helping them to succeed, they act and perform very
differently than if they feel that you are primarily judging and evaluating
them.
Beliefs and attitudes
drive your behaviours. In today’s open and connected world, you have to be
genuine and authentic. Leaders who get it right on the inside naturally display
genuine behaviours on the outside that people respond to. Take a look at your
leadership beliefs. Work on the inside first.
