Employees Want to See Your Humanity
Those who lead with a “Servant’s Heart” show their humanity.
Remember when we thought all leaders were to be stoic, fearless, and had all the answers?
Actually, I do. I was wrong.
Mr. David Grossman, a thought-leader in human dynamics and leadership, emphasizes the need to lead with the heart; we refer to this as the ‘Servant’s Heart,” this is the person who engages their employees and clients with the intent to be human. When you dare to be vulnerable —you invite trust and respect from your employees.
If the pandemic taught us one thing, we’re all human. We all face challenges, personal and professional.
However, we can work through things together by employing collaborative, informed consent.
And now I realize that no one person has all the answers. It is time for us to let our humanity show.
When my federal career began in the 1970s, I was often “concerned” as a 20ish manager to admit what I didn’t know.
The problem was I didn’t know what I didn’t know!
I thought my team expected me to be stoic and fearless and have all the answers. Over the years, what I found to be accurate as I progressed into the executive world was my fellow executives put on their pants the same way I did, one pant leg at a time, and had days of insecurity as much as I did. Some were even more insecure than I was.
One of my mentors drove the point home one day.
He was the senior executive I reported to at the time, with whom I held great respect and thought had all the answers.
He sat us “younger” guys down and said, “I need help; how would you propose we solve this problem?” I was somewhat taken back, I thought he knew all the answers, and we were to be good Lieutants and carry out his orders. We all collaborated and solved that problem, and the senior executive gave his team credit.
As I matured, I understood the importance of leading with the “Servant’s Heart” and asking for help. Even the best of the best managers need help now and then.
Resource: The David Grossman Group
L. Darryl Armstrong Ph.D. 