What Do They Call You When You Aren’t There?

One of the biggest challenges for a business leader is successfully project your chosen leadership style while inspiring your team to get results for your business.  Most senior leaders have natural abilities and are highly effective at both being themselves and driving metrics. (That’s why they got the job)  However, most “managers” really struggle to develop a style that works for the team and for the shareholders.

I believe, from years of experience, that mentoring style development for young and inexperienced managers can be highly effective.  Most learn from watching and from experimenting.  Sometimes bizarre behaviors are reinforced by early results that crush their teammates.  Think about the old Superman comics and TV episodes where the Man of Steel squeezed a lump of coal to create a diamond.   There are way too many folks, in responsible positions, that believe that constant and suffocating people pressure turns company initiatives into diamonds.

I like to help leaders find and express their own style that works for them and their people.  A lasting style and toolkit of techniques, that balances a firm focus on results but, with the energy and passion needed to inspire a team.

Instead of being the jerk that turns coal into diamonds, think about your college professor kept you on task, forced you to learn, made you responsible, and who you didn’t really appreciate until much later.

How do you want to be remembered?  What do you want them to call you when you aren’t there?