Written by: Santarvis Brown, Senior Level Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Today’s leaders face unprecedented challenges both in and outside of the office. With so much uncertainty, from the daily operations of a business as remote work becomes increasingly common to the fierce competition for talent, it is more important than ever to invest in people rather than job titles. That’s why I’m writing this article. I want you to understand how something as simple as truly seeing someone can change not only the way they see you, but also their perspective about their leadership, their coworkers, and the future of their career.
Now is not the time to continue the same old, same old leadership style of years past. It is time to embrace your talent pool and invest in them as people, not just as a collective faceless workforce.
Here are three leadership tips to help you focus on the individual behind the job title.
Embrace Diverse Thinking
In the past, business leaders strived to create a workforce full of people who thought just like they did. This practice might have led to the appearance of unity in the workforce, but really just forced people to ignore their own thoughts and ideas. Today’s leaders must embrace diverse thinking. Encourage your employees to leverage their “default settings” for the betterment of the company and understand how their thought process can help improve the way you do things.
More importantly, make sure you place your employees in situations where their unique thought processes will become strengths rather than frustrations.
Ask for Input
Embracing diverse thinking is important, but so is putting those unique thought processes to work. Make it a point to ask your team for their suggestions, opinions, and feedback as you make decisions which stand to impact them. Make sure you actually act on that information, however, or else your employees might realize their efforts don’t change anything and stop giving honest opinions.
Get to Know Your Team
This might sound deceptively simple, but it’s something many leaders overlook. Take some time to get to know your team. You don’t have to spend hours talking to them about minute details of their lives, but getting a basic handle on at least their professional goals, as well as the challenges that they believe they’ll face along the way, should be a priority. Not only does this help your employees see you as a trustworthy leader while also helping you see your employees as people, but it also enables you to see growth opportunities.
When you invest in your employees, the company reaps the profits of increased expertise. Understanding how your employees think and their main professional goals will also help you build smarter and more effective teams with shared visions and complementary skills.
Building unified workplaces even in the midst of societal and technological change can be challenging. Understanding to see the people behind your organization can help improve morale and boost innovation dramatically. All you have to do is listen.
Santarvis Brown, Senior Level Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Dr. Santarvis Brown has spent 15+ years serving as a leader, innovator, and changemaker in education, showcasing in-depth insight as an administrator, educator, and program director. A noted speaker, researcher, and full professor, he has lent his speaking talent to many community and educational forums, serving as a keynote speaker. He has also penned several publications tackling issues in civic service, faith, leadership, and education.
