Strong leadership in the workplace often means helping your employees create a vision for themselves, which in turn will increase cooperation and teamwork. Each year I set goals and intentions. This year one of my intentions was "Give me the eyes to see."I know that what I see with my physical eye is not all that is there. As a leader you can influence others if you are willing to see your employees, staff, and team members in a different light. Here are three examples of how you can look for and encourage the best in others to increase cooperation and teamwork and what is required of you to do so.
See their Brilliance
Isn’t it a relief that as a leader, you do not have to rely on doing it all yourself? You can rely on the brilliance of others. I realized this recently when I realized how grateful I was for the brilliance on my own team. What a relief that I do not have to be the best at everything. I have brilliant team members who can catch my grammatical errors, connect me with other brilliant partners, or offer ideas to help me improve my processes. What a time saver that I no longer have to keep up with the latest technology tips and techniques because my team members have all the brilliance I need. Seeing the brilliance in others will save you time and increase your productivity.
Requirement
In order to see the brilliance in others you have to give up the need to get all the glory and you have to let others step into the spotlight.
See through their Mask
We human beings are odd creatures. When we feel vulnerable, fearful, or threatened in any way, we put on a mask to protect ourselves. When we feel incompetent, we over compensate. I have learned that when someone irritates me, or pulls my strings, I'm being fooled by their mask. If someone is a bit too touchy-feely for my taste, or behaves obnoxiously, or uses too much sarcasm, I now remember to see through the mask. I know that the pendulum has swung so far to one side because of the need to overcompensate for something. I am willing to see through the mask and into the soul of the other person.
Requirement
In order to see through the mask, you must not confuse their behavior with the essence of who they are or what is possible for them. You may need to clarify an expectation or set a boundary, or unfortunately, you may even need to let someone go, but you will do so without confusing who they are with what is possible for them.
See their Potential
The way we gain confidence is through the mirror of relationship. I would still be working in a factory packing cheese, driving a forklift, or doing sanitation on Friday nights, if I would not have had some loving mirrors reflecting back to me the potential within. When someone is struggling, we have to see for them what they cannot see for themselves. If we are not able to do this for them, we contribute to their internal drama that keeps them from being who they came into this world to be.
Requirement
In order to see their potential you must honor them as a person, and discount the story they tell you about why they do not measure up. You must see beyond the current reality and help them hold a vision about what is possible for them.
Leadership in the workplace often times requires leaders and managers to help employees see what they cannot physically see for themselves. By helping your staff members see their potential and what is possible, you can increase their level of commitment to your team and organization.
Marlene Chism is the author of Stop Workplace Drama. She helps managers and business leaders increase employee engagement, improve leadership in the workplace, and reduce negativity in the workplace. Visit Stop Workplace Drama to learn the eight principles help leaders gain clarity and reduce workplace drama.