Think about your experiences with a great leader you’ve had in the past. What was it that made them a great leader in your eyes?
Big picture, strategic and visionary thinking is important to business success, but it is often the day-to-day interactions, communication, planning, organisation, inclusivity, approachability and supportiveness that employees remember.
People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did,
but people will never forget how you made them feel.
– Maya Angelou
A great example of the impact of positive people leadership is the concept of The Relationship Bank Account, introduced by Stephen R. Covey in his book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. The Relationship Bank Account works like a financial bank account, with each positive interaction a ‘deposit’, while negative interactions are ‘withdrawals.’
What actions constitute a deposit? Keeping commitments, honesty, listening, helping, being supportive and showing empathy.
On the flip side, negative actions that can damage trust and weaken relationships include breaking promises, dishonesty, cristicism or dismissal of others ideas or feelings, and lack of engagement.
The balance matters. A healthy account with more deposits than withdrawals allows for open communication, collaboration, higher morale and trust, productivity and resilience during conflict. A low balance can lead to tension and misunderstandings.
Great people leaders with the skills to make deposits into the bank accounts of their teams play a vital role in shaping a positive workplace culture, inspiring individual growth and thriving teams.
For practical tips and hints to support your leadership journey, join our workshop on October 17, 2024 at 12.30pm on Nailing the Day to Day.