They respect others.
Cheryl Bachelder, former CEO of Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, writes in her now-classic servant leadership book, Dare to Serve, that one of the keys to her leadership culture of success was a conscious decision to create a new workplace (with rigorous measures in place) where people were treated with respect and dignity, yet challenged to perform at the highest level. As a result, silos were broken, managers began to listen, and collaboration increased because workers were valued.
They listen more and talk less.
Want to hear an insecure leader at work? Easy, just listen to their bragging--a mask for their insecurity. Smart and respected leaders are unassuming and know what they think; they want to know what YOU think by listening intently. Practically speaking, this forgotten skill of active listening allows followers the freedom to be part of the conversation. Such leaders will ask curious questions, lots of questions: how something is done, what you like about it, what you learned from it, and what you need in order to be better. Leaders with loyal followers realize they know a lot, and seek to know even more by listening.
They get feedback about their leadership.
You want to know the definition of a fool? It's someone who refuses to accept or look at feedback. A great leader doesn't just put a team together, rolls out a program and leaves the scene. She constantly asks her employees for feedback about what's working, and what's not. She understands that to maintain a healthy work culture, she has to keep her finger on the pulse. Try asking yourself these powerful 15 questions to self-assess how you're doing as a leader.
They build trust that leads to business outcomes.
Let's face it, if you are considering developing leaders, trust is a pillar your company's leadership should stand on. In his book The Speed of Trust, Stephen M.R. Covey highlights leadership trusting behaviors that are culturally ingrained in the structures of companies known for high employee engagement, including Whole Foods, Campbell Soup, and Semco.
Among those trusted behaviors are:
• Practicing accountability
• Creating transparency
• Confronting reality
• Clarifying expectations
• Listening first
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