Everyone wants to be appreciated and valued for the contributions they make. A surprising number of leaders and managers miss opportunities to notice, comment and reward the behaviors that contribute to success. With focused and specific effort, a leader can create a positive environment that encourages individuals and strengthens the team. Why not be a leader with a vision for potential and build this positive culture of cheering the team to be the best?
Seven Ways Leaders Can Demonstrate Vision for People Potential
- Recognize each individual’s unique personality and talents. Discovering and appreciating these traits is essential for the person and the business to reap benefits from the work that is done.
- Create an environment conducive to personal development. Because people are the greatest asset, make continual growth more than a perk. Choose to invest and improve on the skills and strengths of each individual and the business will flourish accordingly.
- Believe the Best about your team. People will make mistakes, have bad attitudes or encounter conflict at work. Will you believe the best and act with respect? Quick judgments lead to distrust and adversely affect teamwork and collaboration. In contrast, giving the benefit of the doubt, permitting do-overs, and believing the best create trust and camaraderie.
- Build a culture where Failure is not Fatal. To demonstrate the value of creativity and innovation, failure must be viewed as the path to consistent improvement. Products, services, and processes are often made better from trial and error. Build safety nets so that people can fly high without fear if they miss the mark.
- Focus on Potential in People and Performance will improve. Encourage and challenge growth into higher levels of expertise. Provide goals, methods, and coaching to reach for more. Then champion the success!
- Value Character over Charisma. Notice and reward behaviors and attitudes that reflect the character and culture you want your business to embody.
- Model Servant Leadership. This may be the capstone for People Potential. Lead by serving the team. Do whatever you can to make each person successful and a team that pulls together in unity will be formed. With such a team, great things can be achieved, and your business can thrive.
Practical Applications for People Potential
- Conduct individual assessments to be shared with the team so that greater understanding of personalities and strengths is possible. Implement the results to build stronger teams and improved communication and care.
- Have each person craft an intentional personal development plan. Integrate these into the monthly/quarterly reviews to increase engagement and skills for reaching maximum potential.
- Practice a “coach approach” for improving performance. Coaching champions self-improvement and self- correction and leads to increased performance for people and the business.
The best to you,
Jim