Most people would never admit to thinking of leadership as power and prestige–we certainly know better than to admit anything like that. However, some leaders have exposed this truth about themselves by their words, actions, and attitudes towards others.
True, there are as many different types of leaders as there are people, but gone are the days of bosses barking orders from a big corner office. Or, at least, those days are limited.
Employees today want leaders who encourage growth, inspire, and care about the individuals they lead. Leaders should be just as concerned about the development and growth of others as they are about performance goals. (AND, news flash, when people feel seen, valued and heard, they tend to perform better.)
Leaders don’t create followers. They create more leaders.
Tom Peters
Read that again.
What if we stopped hiring people to simply fill a job and complete the tasks? And instead started creating teams that inspire creativity, growth and innovation. Each individual will fill a role, but, more importantly, how will they help your team be the best it can be and propel the company forward?
How do we hire to create such teams?
It starts with getting to know individuals–their values, personal growth, how they would use their past learning and experiences for the specific role, problem solving skills, interpersonal skills, past projects, professional and personal goals, etc.
There are certain roles that require specific credentials, sure, but credentials should never outweigh the importance of getting to know the individual behind the certificate.
Having a team of strong leaders will intimidate the insecure leaders but empower the truly confident and great leaders.
Don’t just look at individuals for their potential to merely complete the tasks, but rather look for their potential, in filling a specific role, to help make your team and the company better and stronger.
Never consider a role too menial or inconsequential, and never underestimate a person’s potential for huge impact.
Get to know people, and leave room for them to surprise you.