When it comes to building a great company, great leadership is essential. We have all been taught what to look for in leaders: deep experience, exceptional communication skills, confidence, commitment to the job at hand. The list of attributes is long. Though it may not be easy, we can find and recruit “proven” leaders. But, as companies increasingly form teams with a mix of functions to drive initiatives, the real question that we should be asking ourselves is how can we grow leaders?
Modern leaders come from all corners of a company, from all positions and with a variety of talents and skills. They don’t necessarily fit our stereotype of a leader. Leadership can be evoked, massaged and culled from employees of all ranks. The key to growing great leaders is nurturing behavior traits and skills that give individuals the confidence to emerge as a leader when the situation arrives. By focusing the culture on shared values over power, we can create working environments in which employees can identify and—more importantly—embrace moments of individual leadership.
But to create these moments and make them available for new leaders to arise, our bosses and executives need also to embrace a culture of collaboration, risk and honesty. They need to know when to step back, relinquish control and empower others to take over. When we drive a culture based on values, we recognize that great leadership is more often about listening, deepening relationships, entrusting ownership and encouraging new ideas than it is about prescribing tasks and giving orders.
Here at Harmony Crew, we believe in a culture of openness and learning in which every person can grow from everyone else. We know that it is essential to promote personal growth and help people identify their natural talents. With the right kind of training and development, a wider variety of employees can discover their own leadership talents and better understand what types of situations would benefit from their personal skills and talents. Paired with a culture that promotes learning, authenticity, creativity risk and empathy, training and development can help unexpected yet shining leaders rise to the surface of an organization.
Think about your culture. Do you promote openness and productive yet kind debate? Are employees willing to raise their hand and volunteer new ideas? Did they help the organization discover the shared values they are expected to live every day? Do your leaders really know how to listen, trust and let go? Harmony Crew can help you navigate the delicate but critical relationship between leadership, culture and engagement. We invite you to contact us to learn more! And be sure to stay tuned to the blog for developments and insights from Harmony Crew.
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once again another of your blogs that is really worth reading. Thank you!
BB