In the past a leader was a boss. Today's leaders must be partners with their people...they no longer can lead solely based on positional power. Ken Blanchard Can you keep a secret about your organization? Do you want a more productive workplace? Yes! Well, a leader must love their employees. This is the biggest secret in organizational folklore. Its folklore because todays managers simply wont believe it. What do I mean by love their employees? Leaders need to value their employees on a very personal level. This technique could eliminate many management problems. To be fair, its a value based on biblical truth. Jesus, when asked by his critics about the greatest commandments, explains in Matthew 22: 37, 39, You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mindAnd the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Miller, author of The Empowered Leader, argues that to be an effective leader, you must be perceived as someone people want to follow. He notes there is a tendency by most leaders to treat others as extensions of themselves. Leaders should be concerned about employee development. Routinely, managers dont take a personal interest in employee growth. Mayo argued the first-line supervisor was a critical point of contact between workers and management; however, few leaders possessed the key attribute of satisfying worker needs while meeting organizational objectives. Unfortunately, Ive seen talented people underutilized at work. This issue is so great that my wife and I have written our new book called More Than a Conqueror: Achieving Personal Fulfillment in Government Service. It analyzes the current needs of the public worker to be valued in their organizations. Likewise, it is true that private sector workers desire the same thing. Many employees dont give 110% to their organizations, due to not being valued, as well as organizations having low expectations for employees. Therefore, it is critical that effective leaders jumpstart team morale in this type of organizational quagmire. Start today! References: Green, D. & Green, E (2006). More than a Conqueror: Achieving Personal Fulfillment in Government Service. Knoxville, TN: PMLA Press Miller, C. (1995). The Empowered Leader. United States of America: Broadman & Holman Publishers. Wren, D. (1994). The Evolution of Management Thought. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2006 by Daryl D. Green |
