People respond exceptionally well to leaders who value them, but it’s easy to inadvertently devalue them in the hectic pace of business and life. This often happens when you focus too much on tasks rather than relationships.
If you want to be a leader people love to follow, showing others that you value them is critical for your success.
In order to express value to your followers, implement the following three intentional actions daily:
1 – Pay Attention
We live in a world that is fighting for our attention at all times. Whether it’s on TV, social media, email, or a multitude of other things, we are living in a highly distracted era. Being a leader is not an easy task when people’s attention is being targeted 24/7. It’s easy for leaders to be distracted in the process of trying to get important things done, but when you genuinely pay attention to your people, it pays incredible dividends. They feel valued. They feel seen. They become more committed to their work because they feel cared for. Instead of being a number in the system or a faceless team member required to accomplish certain tasks, they feel like actual human beings. Because distractions are so strong in our world today, giving someone your attention is extremely valuable and needed. People can find new ways and places to earn a living, but they’re all desiring to be seen and heard. Pay attention to your people and you will reap incredible rewards of greater loyalty and productivity.
2 – Listen Deeply
Most people feel overlooked and underappreciated because few leaders slow down long enough to listen to their ideas, needs, or concerns. Leaders who listen deeply find great favor from their followers. They become valuable sounding boards, which lead to better ideas. They become confidants who resolve workplace tensions. This leads to better, healthier cultures. This leads to a more positive work environment that is attractive to new team members. The ripple effect of listening deeply goes far beyond the effort required. Many leaders fear that their time will be wasted by people in pointless conversations. However, most people don’t need huge allotments of time but rather focused listening sessions in short bursts. If team members become time-wasters, respond by setting clear boundaries and expectations. Don’t allow the fear of what “could” happen to hold you back from listening deeply to those under your care.
3 – Express Appreciation
Many leaders overlook a simple way to build people up in the midst of busyness. Also, when people perform the tasks on their job description, it’s often seen as simply doing what they’re paid to do. While that may be technically true, expressing appreciation for a job well done goes a long way. How people accomplish their tasks matters just as much, if not more, than simply getting things done. It’s a quality issue. Those who feel appreciated want to excel and will exert more effort. Those who are disengaged and distracted will do enough just to get by. How leaders respond to the quality of their employees’ work often determines how they continue to produce. When you express appreciation for working with excellence and diligence, performance will improve. Motivation will increase. Attitudes and behaviors will improve. People want to feel appreciated and when you express appreciation to them, they feel more valued. This leads to better outcomes and more loyalty toward their leader.
Imagine having a team of highly engaged people on your team who work diligently to produce quality results.
Imagine being the go-to leader who others can depend on because they feel valued each day.
Imagine the kind of culture you could have if everyone feels valued and in turn values one another.
This can be your reality if you’ll implement these three intentional actions to express value to your followers.
If you’re ready to up-level your leadership so you can attract high-quality team members and keep them engaged, CLICK HERE to purchase your copy of The Magnetic Leader: 18 Essential Actions of Leaders People Love to Follow!
Until next time…make today GREAT!
