The Tribune

Despite all the books, articles and scholarly works on leadership, the basic principles are sometimes missed by those holding senior roles in business. World-class leadership calls for many defining qualities, and while some possess many of the characteristics, others are challenged to demonstrate ‘the principal thing’. That is, impactful leaders value and esteem others. It is that simple.

Leadership is all about people. How we build relationships with them, how we develop their gifts and talents, and how we motivate them to accomplish tasks and business objectives. The leader who is respected and regarded as impactful is one who has a track record of building team members.

Valuing the worth of team members must be constant and consistent. It must be deliberate and it must be intentional. There must be no confusion in the mind of the employee as to whether or not they are valuable to the company they work for. Employees always know if they are respected and valued, and they can certainly read the signals when they are not. This goes beyond the rhetoric. Talk is cheap. Valued employees are developed, acknowledged and rewarded. In the absence of these, it is all talk.

Esteem for others begins with the acknowledgment that within each human being there is great potential. To esteem an employee is to value who they are as opposed to what they can do, or how they can add value to what you do. Here is a simple equation for letting employees know you hold them in high esteem:

1. Solicit their opinion

People enjoy greatly having their opinion requested and considered. Simply asking a team member for their opinion sends the message that what they have to say contributes to something you consider meaningful. The simple activity of moving around the room, and having each person share their thoughts, goes a long way to making people feel valuable.

1. Pay attention to their responses

Soliciting an opinion is one thing. Listening, accepting and using what they give is another. It becomes quite offensive to the employee when the democratic leader solicits feedback and then disregards it as insignificant. He or she has then done more harm than good.

Your response and actions send the message that you hold what the employee has said in high esteem. When you speak to a team member, it will be apparent by your attitude, posture and deference that you hold them in high regard.

1. Recognise and appreciate their individual differences.

Every employee is different and should be assessed based on the established standards attached to their job details, not other employees (even in the same or similar roles).

When we are busy comparing employees to their counterparts, we send the clear message that some are valued and others are not. With care and caution, even the employees who we deem ‘rough around the edges’ and in need of development should be seen in light of the contributions they make to the team.

• NB: Ian R. Ferguson is a talent management and organisational development consultant, having completed graduate studies with regional and international universities. He has served organsations, both locally and globally, providing relevant solutions to their business growth and development issues. He may be contacted at tcconsultants@coralwave.com.