The world needs you. And you need the world. You need people. And other people need you. No one can exist alone. Because we are social animals. And it is good for us.
Being alive is when we are truly connected with ourselves. It is also when we are truly connected with other people. Because people make the world go around. Whether you are in business or not, people are people. If you want them to stay relevant, to help you succeed, to bring their full selves to work, you must invest in them. Yes, some are not going to give you what you want. But do not let that stop you from making them feel better about themselves.
When you make them feel great about who they are, they will give you the same. They will go to work for you, for your organization, not against you. But to get there, you have got to meet them where they are. They are waiting for you. Your people are waiting for you. They are not coming to meet you.
If you ever want to know who your people are, that is what you should do. It is good for you. It is good for them. And it is good for your organization. Because the more you meet your people, the more you will get to know them- their concerns, their values, their dreams, the more you will learn from them, and the more successful you will become.
When you are in the house, do not hide yourself in your office. Your people are not working for your office; they are working for you, for a living thing, for a human being. They are not working for your logo, for your machines, for your furnitures, but for you. So they want to see you on the floor. Meet with them. Listen to what they have to say. Do not interrupt them. Just listen. Because you are there to listen, not to tell them how powerful you are.
When your people know you care about them, they will listen to you. When they know you don’t care about them, that all you care about is your numbers, they won’t listen to you. To them, you are not even there. You are there but not there. Do not let that happen to you. You are a leader, not a bystander. Have real conversations with your people. Get to know them. And they will get to know you. Do not do it for your own business purpose, but because you want to know them better.
Be real with your people. When you are real with your people, they will let you know when there is something going on in the house. They will bring your attention to what is not working. They will bring your attention to what your manager might not be telling you.
Those things won’t happen if you are not real with your people. They are not going to tell you anything if they do not trust you. And to build trust, you have got to be you, no matter what. You do not have to fake it to make it. If you are real with yourself, if you are not trying to take advantage of anyone, you can make it without faking it. Authenticity is everything. You can’t connect with your people if you are faking it to get them. If you are not faking it to get them, if you are who you say you are, your people will accept you for who you are.
When you are real, not trying to fake it till you make it, you can connect with your people. Because your people want to work for a human being, not for a boss. And you can make it happen. The question is, ‘Will you?’
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