The Point: Some times as a leader, you win by winning. However, we’ve recently seen that you can just a successfully win by losing (and lose by winning for that matter!) The attitude and feelings of employees determine if a leader has won the leadership challenge or not! So if you’re a leader looking to more fully engage your employees (or even yourself), you’re in the right spot! While leadership isn’t a popularity contest, it isn’t an “unpopularity” contest either… Enjoy!
Employees: The Greatest Asset or Just a Bunch of Asses?
Employees are the greatest asset of an organization and it is the effort of every company to utilize this asset to gain a competitive advantage in the industry. It is the responsibility of every manager, in a leadership position in the company, to make sure that the employees are satisfied. This in turn leads to high productivity for the organization.
Though it is a common concept that employees are the assigned workers of a company and should be directed/driven to achieve the organizational goals, it is no longer an effective idea. Employees, who are merely used to perform their appointed tasks and treated as a means to achieve an end, tend to grow dissatisfied of the company leadership.
It is the responsibility of the organizational leaders to make sure that the employees remain satisfied and do not learn to “hate the leader”! If the employees hate the leader, they will not be willing to perform their best, whereas if they feel that their leader values them, they will be willing to utilize their efforts to help in the achievement of organizational objectives.
Your Employees Might Hate You If…
It is significantly important for a leader to know whether their team members are satisfied and happy with the relationship they have with their leader or not. There are a number of indicators which highlight the employee attitude towards their leaders, and recognizing them is of great significance. Think of that recent employee engagement survey that Human Resources taughted as the “next best thing” to come out of their department. Or perhaps a 360 degree review which was completed on your behalf (and unbeknownst to you!)
I Don’t Get No Respect!
Rodney Dangerfield might have said it (though we doubt he said it first), but the saying might be a true feeling held by your associates. What if you don’t respect them? With no respect and dignity, employees cannot be induced to give high performance. Now that’s quite the leadership challenge!
Leadership = Baby Sitting (NOT!)
Another problem why employees tend to hate their leaders is that they know how to manage their own work and feel that the constant interruptions tend to disrupt their efforts. So the next time you put on your leadership-micromanagement hat, you might want to think again.
What’s My Motivation (or Recognition?)
An employee might also not feel satisfied if they do not receive due recognition for their efforts. Recognition can come in a variety of formats… Money, time off, announcement at the monthly department meeting, etc. Appreciation is a great motivating factor, and any leader who does not offer this basic need could be “hated” by their employees.
Whereas, Your Employees Might Love You If……
Employees might feel inspired and motivated to perform at their best, if they feel that their leaders take an interest in their personal career as well as organizational development. (Katcher, 2006) Employee training and development is one feature which prompts employee loyalty in a leader.
Employees who have confidence in their leaders to take the best and right decision for them, “love their leaders” and are willing to exert effort for them.
Does Employee Attitude Matter?
If an employee is contented and satisfied, it will have a positive impact on their productivity and motivation. Employee attitude has a great effect on company success, which makes it essential that a leader should inspire a positive response from their team members.
Summary
To ensure quality leadership and success in the leadership challenge, it is essential to keep employee feelings in consideration and thus ensure organizational success.
To learn more about Tip of the Spear Leadership Development offerings, including The Leadership Challenge, CLICK HERE.