Are you
Follower Focused or just Follower Friendly?
So here
is a question for you to think out loud about. Are you Are you Follower Focused
or just Follower Friendly? So your question right
back to me may be, “What’s the difference and why does it matter?”
As it
relates to the second half of your question, I have highlighted in previous
blogs the disturbing statistics on employee disengagement. Unengaged (or
actively disengaged!) employees, volunteers, team members, etc. equals lower
productivity, effort, and customer satisfaction. This leads to lower profits,
diminished income, fewer people served, etc. THAT is WHY this matters!
In terms
of the first part of the question, there is a BIG DIFFERENCE! Here are some of
them below:
Follower Friendly Leaders –
Like or
Tolerate followers
Desire a
Congenial work environment
Are
vested just enough
Care
about Contributions
Help
their team
Manage
and Supervise
Have
Transactional relationships
Follower Focused Leaders –
Care
deeply for followers
Desire a
Growth Oriented environment
Are
vested completely
Care
about Continued Success
Sacrifice
for their team
Lead and
Mentor
Have
Transformational relationships
You see,
the difference is a mindset that desires for the people around you to develop
and succeed. I have often told my team members that I consider part of my job
is getting ready for their next one! Leading in a Follower Focused manner does not allow for just working along the
edges. It requires you to lead
deeply, completely, passionately, and actively!
Here are
some tips that can help you get you started:
- Conversations about future plans, current values, suggestions for improvement
- Mentoring or coaching
- Providing skill-building experiences
- Recognizing contributions
- Sharing your “why”
- Discover what is important to them
As always, if I can help you
Get Better, Be Ready and LEAD OUT LOUD, I would love to hear from you. Also, as
a bonus, if you go to my Out Loud Strategies website (www.outloudinc.com) and enter your contact
information, I will send you a FREE guide to establishing a mentoring
initiative program in your organization! Such an initiative would be critical
in order to add value to your organization!
Yours
in Leadership,
Bill
Faulkner
Co-Founder
– Out Loud Strategies
Independent
Coach, Speaker, and Trainer with the John Maxwell Team TM
Email = bill@outloudinc.com
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