Not vision. Not creativity. Not decisiveness. What employees want most
from their leaders are basic principles such as honesty, integrity,
ethics and caring, according to the results of a 2003 survey conducted
by Philadelphia-based Right Management Consultants, one of the world’s
largest organizational consulting firms.
The same can be said for clients, suppliers, independent
contractors—everyone with whom you manage business relationships.
“Employees today are looking for strength of character in their
leaders,” says Chris Pierce-Cooke, of Right Management Consultants.
“They want to be reassured that their leaders are honest, ethical and
caring individuals.
“Employees are confronted with continued layoffs and a spotty recovery.
But they are not looking for leaders with a magic wand or a quick fix.
Instead, they seem to be yearning for fundamental leadership principles,
lessons on honesty and goodness that they were more likely to have
learned in elementary school than in business school.”
So you don’t need an MBA to be an effective leader. What you do need is
the willingness to put your strength of character on the line.
“Integrity has always been an essential leadership quality, but the
focus has intensified in the wake of widely publicized corporate
misdeeds in recent years,” says Tracey Turner, executive director of The
Creative Group, a specialized staffing service. “Managers must make a
concerted effort to earn employee trust. Even seemingly minor missteps
can call their credibility into question.”
How can you avoid a credibility gap with employees, colleagues and
clients? How do you show your integrity and promote trust? The answers
are in the details.
Keep your promises
Deliver the bonuses, raises and promotions that you promise to
employees. If you promise a new hire that your company works with team
spirit, make sure there aren’t turf wars raging among the ranks.
If you promise customers that you’ll respond to telephone calls within
24 hours, be prepared to work all night to meet that deadline. If you
promise customers that they can unsubscribe to your e-mail newsletter at
any time, make it happen the minute they choose to exercise that option.
If you tell suppliers that you’ll pay your bills within 30 days, don’t
be late by even one day.
Give credit
Never take credit for someone else’s hard work or ideas. Acknowledge
contributions. If you implement an employee’s suggestion, let other
employees know that their co-worker brainstormed the idea. If you pitch
an idea that a client raves about, let the customer know that your team
pulled the idea together.
Show appreciation
And mean it. Send thank-you notes frequently to your best clients. Do
the same for vendors who consistently deliver on time and on budget.
Take time to thank employees—individually and as a group. There are
dozens of reasons to do so. Maybe an employee demonstrated outstanding
customer service. Perhaps a salesperson scored a big deal. Maybe
everyone has been pulling more than their weight during an exceptionally
busy time. Show your appreciation with a sincere thank you.
Admit mistakes
They happen. If you fail to deliver a customer’s order on time, don’t
blame it on the computer, an employee or the weather. Take
responsibility. Apologize. Offer an explanation, but not an excuse.
Extend a discount or other goodwill offering to help make the situation
right.
Be open
You’re the boss. You decide what direction your business will take. It’s
your responsibility to share that information with everyone involved.
If you can’t deliver exactly what a customer wants, when he wants it,
say so. Offer to refer him to someone who can meet his needs, even if
that means sending him to a competitor.
If your business experiences a financial slump that puts the brakes on
employee raises, explain the situation to your troops.
>>Back
to AFS Coach
