Tag: Caring Leaders

What People Want From Their Leaders

by Bright Osadiaye, posted in Leadership, Management, Personal Development, Workplace Learning
business meeting discussion from above
Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Pexels.com

Leadership is challenging. Leadership is liberating. Leadership is challenging because it is about human beings. It is about making other people better. It is about showing them what is possible.

It is liberating because leading other people makes it possible for you to see what other people are doing, how they are doing it, why they are doing it, and where they are going. It gets you closer to your people. It brings people together.

Leadership is hard. It is not for people who don’t want to be around other people. It is not for people who don’t like to talk about other people’s issues, who are not interested in what is going on around them.

Leadership is about what is going on out there. It is about people. Not just about you. If your leadership life is all about you, then you are not leading. You are trying to lead.

As a leader, you are in charge. You are not just leading other people; you are also leading yourself. Because leading other people without love is dangerous. Leading other people without first leading yourself is not going to work for you.

You are leading other people when you know what you want, when you are inspired to lead people, when you have the courage to have tough conversations about attitudes, behaviors, that you want to see in your organization.

But you have got to take the lead. You have got to go first. Then your people will follow you. Because your people want to see you in front. They want to see you doing the work, not just talking about doing the work. Your people want to follow you. But you have got to have the courage to lead your people forward.

Having the courage to show your people that life is more than what is going on in their lives, it builds relationships. It brings your people closer to you. And it brings you closer to your people. But that doesn’t mean you will always get things right. That is not the case. If you mess up, apologize. Do not look for someone to blame. It won’t work.

Since leadership is about people, if you want to lead, to succeed, you have got to put your people first. You have got to give your people what they want. Treat them with love, with respect. Do not ignore them. Listen to them. Listen to what they have to say. Guess what? Your people have a lot to say. The question is, ‘Will you listen to them?’

Why Great Leaders Don’t Look At What Other People Are Looking At

by Bright Osadiaye, posted in Leadership, Management, Personal Development, Workplace Learning
group of people having a coffee break
Photo by Pavel Danilyuk on Pexels.com

People are people. Your people are your people. You are there to lead them to a better place. You are NOT in their lives to make things difficult for them. You are there to help, not to destroy them.

We are one, but we work differently. Why is that? Because we think differently. We are from different places. We went to different schools. We have gone through different things in life. Our values are different. That is why judging people before you get to know them is bad. It is not good for you. It is not good for business.

As a leader, judging people before you get to know them is a bad strategy. When you meet with your people, you are not just looking at a person; you are looking at a whole community. You are looking at someone who is looking for a place to call home. You are looking at a person who is looking for a mentor. You are looking at a person who is looking for a friend. You are looking at a person who is looking for a sister, a brother, and love.

If you are good to yourself, you will be good to your people. If you love who you are, loving other people won’t be hard for you.

As a leader, your number one job is to be there for your people. Because your people are human beings. They are there to help you succeed, not to bring you down. Respect them. Treat your people with care. If they are not doing their work, get to know why. Do not talk behind them. That is not what great leaders do.

Great leaders focus on how they can help their people grow. They don’t focus on what they cannot do. Instead, they focus on what their people can do. They don’t focus on their weaknesses. They focus on their strengths. Great leaders don’t look at what other people are looking at. They focus on what their people are not telling them. Because they are speaking. They are speaking.

As a leader, if you want to hear what your people are telling you, you must pay attention to what they are not telling you. Do we have a deal?