Simon Sinek hit the nail on the head as he discusses in the above video why leaders are so vital to our environments. It is the role of our leaders to protect us so that we feel safe. This is so important in the workplace because if we don’t feel safe then we cannot collaborate effectively.
In today’s offices it is not unusual to find sales people, managers, and other employees protecting themselves and not each other. They are often full of fear and willing to sabotage other employees for personal gain. Many employees will not self-sacrifice even a little bit to help out a struggling coworker. These environments are toxic breeding grounds for gossip, slander, and selfishness. The challenge leaders face is to ensure collaboration exists, which is near impossible when self-will is left to run riot.
But who cares? Isn’t that just how people are?
The problem is that we have come to see this error so frequently in our culture that it has become the norm. If we only realized what we were actually missing out on we would be shocked, and hopefully, inspired. The potential of a team that collaborates well literally has the power to change the world. Most massive worldwide changes have been accomplished by a small group of people who shared a common vision and were willing to lay aside personal differences to achieve it. Just imagine if your team had this kind of synergy!
In order for this to exist people must feel safe to collaborate within their environment. They need to feel that their jobs are secure and that the coworker on their left and on their right is not looking to see them fail. It is the leader who steps up to make sure this can occur. The leader sets the example of right behavior, inspires others to cooperate, and ensures the environment is protected. This is why leadership is a trait, not a job. Often times those above us are only authorities, not leaders. They are still to be respected and followed, however a leader can inspire at any level.
If your boss is not a leader that is no excuse for you not to be one. Your circle of influence demands that you step up and lead others to higher ground.
At RedRock Leadership we believe in growing companies by growing individuals. We also believe in challenging the status quo in everything we do. Our mission is to help individuals and companies achieve their professional, financial and personal goals. We provide non-traditional sales and business training along with on-going coaching and reinforcement. All of the training we provide incorporates the principles associated with Emotional Intelligence.
Other services we provide include: job benchmarking & talent acquisition, keynote presentations, behavior/motivator assessments, EQ assessments and 360 leadership assessments.
