In my yoga practice the other day, my teacher encouraged us to hold our palms in a cup shape and to imagine that we were giving from that cup and receiving into it. You had to be there to really feel the impact of that, but it set me up for a wonderful day of giving and receiving.
Leadership is not all about giving.
Nor is it all about receiving.
But sometimes, leaders act as though it is one or the other.
What do you give as a leader? I hope you give the following:
- Good quality, objective feedback soon after something has happened – six times more positive feedback than constructive (Kim Cameron, Positive Leadership)
- Support AND challenge
- Questions that enable your team members to figure things out for themselves (vs being told what to do and becoming disempowered to make their own decisions)
- Work that stretches them to learn and grow
- Your time on a regular basis, so that they can have meaningful conversations with you about their career not just their tasks
- Ways of connecting, engaging and belonging
- Clear boundaries – we all need them, even if we push against them
- A Vision for the future and a rough path to get there
- Trust
- What else do you give?
What can you hope to receive?
- Good quality work that moves the team towards its goals
- Support and challenge
- Great thinking from your team
- Loyalty and trust
- Time to work on the strategic elements of your role
- Work that stretches you to learn and grow
- Connection, engagement, belonging
- What else?
The more you give, the more you will receive
In life, we talk about not giving in order to receive, but as a leader, there is an expectation that you will give in order to receive. Leadership can be truly fulfilling when we receive these gifts or people’s hearts and minds. But you won’t automatically get them without giving.
You might think that some of your people are not predisposed to giving you the above, but look to yourself first. What are you giving them, to elicit such wonderful gifts from them? Do you deserve those gifts? Perhaps it’s time to work on yourself first.
You may like to read the previous articles in this series, you can do so by clicking the links lower down this page.
