I wrote a blog a year ago about “what kind of leader are you?”
I would like to touch base again with this subject. As I have been watching some individuals, I am starting to see that aspiring leaders or new minted managers have no understanding on how to be a leader.
The other day I was at the grocery store while a manager on duty who was in her mid-twenties, appeared from nowhere, passed through a cashier’s lane toward the time clock. She was shouting at the people, who by the looks of it, were waiting to punch in. Her ego was driving her attitude, it wasn’t pretty to watch but also, I felt bad for the employees who were in their 40’s. She talked to them in a disrespectful manner. The tone of her voice, at the end of her speech, was pretty much a threat. They had to stay until the job was done!
When you are a leader and let your ego run the show you are not going to keep your employees, you are not going to have them performing at their best, neither are they going to respect you.
You do not need to be condescending nor rude to communicate with everyone. It looks like she was pretty new so flexing her muscles to make her mark was not a great first impression. Acting like a bully is not going to work.
As leaders we need to be respectful how we speak to each other. I have seen too many people running their department and companies with very poor manners and no common courtesy. Jails sounded more enjoyable than those places.
We do not need to babysit employees, but respect can go a long way.
The best leaders I have ever worked with are the ones who lead their lives with their Spirit, they are not feeling intimidated, nor afraid around others, instead they are confident and welcoming.
Shouting at someone so everyone can feel humiliated is not a great way to give instructions to do a task especially when you have clients all around that are watching the scene.
Promoting “twenty something” year old that do not have management skills is not the best way to go especially when the company does not provide any type of training or coaching.
Natural born leaders do not need to be trained because they do it instinctively. Individuals that are seeking management positions but are leading with their egos will not archive the best results instead they are going to continue to struggle.
Ask yourself today what kind of leader am I?
The one that leads with their ego or the one that lead with their spirit?