Leaders: 5 Ways to Wield Your Super-Hero Power

As a leader, you have an effect on people. When you leave the room, people ether feel taller or smaller. This is an almost super-hero power, but, unfortunately, leaders are often unconscious of it.
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At the end of the day, everyone is a volunteer. People will only go so far in the performance of a duty. If you want their very best, you have to have their hearts. You can’t demand this or even buy it with a paycheck. You have to earn it.

In my experience, there are five ways to do this:

1. Assume others are smart and working hard.

2. Listen intently and ask thoughtful questions.

3. Acknowledge the sacrifices others have made on your behalf.

4. Express gratitude for their effort and their results.

5. Remind them why their work is so important and the difference they are making.

Yes, you can talk about issues that need to be addressed, but it has to be done in a way that leaves people motivated about what is possible.

As a leader, you have more power than you think. You will get more of what you focus on. Next time you walk into a meeting, consider, How do I want people to feel when the meeting is over? Begin with the end in mind.

This is an excerpt from Michael Hyatt's blog on Intentional Leadership.

I was really inspired by this blog post to pay extra-special attention to the way I interact with my team members, especially during moments when I step into a leadership role. 

A team this good can only get better when we focus on building each other up!
PDP 2012 Team Arcticum