Several situations have arisen recently that leads us to plead “choose wisely”. Examples abound on both sides of this topic. Strong leaders attract top talent. Weak and command and control leaders keep the weak and those close to retirement (in name only). That is one of the things we love about being consultants – we have a wide view, across many organizations with vastly different personalities; thus, strong leadership is as obvious as a purple cow (to use a Seth Godin reference).
To your employees, leadership effectiveness is as obvious as a purple cow, even if it doesn’t stand out to anyone else. Pay attention to how your employees react to their leaders. Are they energized or beaten down? One good question is as follows – if the phone rings at 5:05pm, would they pick it up, thinking it might be a customer with a question? Or will they ignore it and instead put their efforts into a CYA type activity?
In today’s Amazon-impacted marketplace, customers appreciate suppliers and advisers who will go the extra mile to provide that above and beyond service. Just put yourself in their shoes. Who would you rather go to for products and service – whether or not the ‘boss’ is there to make sure you receive top notch service? Someone you know will help you regardless of what it does for their career or someone who is out for their self-interest? Remember, people work for and buy from people – not companies.