We're all judged in real time...

I stress to the new leaders I coach about the realities of their new role – it’s both challenging and rewarding. The thing is a leader is under a microscope every day – their employees (or followers) remember everything they do and say and judge them accordingly in real time. That’s all they really have to go on when deciding whether this is someone they can trust, respect, and be loyal to. Like all service employees, a new leader has only one chance to make a good impression. That’s why the concept of servant leadership resonates in the workplace – employees appreciate leaders who place their employee’s interests ahead of their own. But whatever style a leader chooses, it will be assessed every day, and if their actions don’t live up to their words, they will be deemed to have nothing important to say.  Those same new leaders quickly realize that they are never able to let down, speak off the record, or joke around – everything is looked at and often recorded. It can be a dilemma for those who play fast and loose, but those with common sense, an ethical conscience, and a desire for honesty and fair play can be successful.  If you’re a new leader, read up on ethics and integrity, study the do’s and don’ts of your company’s policies, find a mentor you trust, and take advantage of any training and coaching available. Be careful to match what you say and do. And give your employees reasons to trust, respect, and be loyal to you today.

 

DaShanne Stokes (born 1978): American author, sociologist, public speaker, and pundit.