We recently helped my almost 97-year-old mom move out of the house she had lived in for 70 years. It has not been an easy change for her, but it is necessary. When you get to be her age, a lot of things no longer work the way they used to – things that we take for granted every day. For example, she has lost most of her hearing, her back is in constant pain, and her sight is weakening. Daily tasks that you or I can accomplish quickly and with barely any thought have become much more difficult for her.
Similarly, leaders can also take things for granted – things that are often overlooked until they go missing. And once they go missing, the leader’s job becomes increasingly difficult, if not impossible. Here are eight things every leader should actively cultivate in their organization and never take for granted.
1. Loyalty.
A friend told me about how he had recently been promoted to a new leadership position in his organization. That was the exciting part. The bad part was that his good friend was one of the first to question if he was really up for the task… and not to his face but to his boss! Loyalty among your team is a gift, so never take it for granted. And to establish a culture of loyalty, hire the right people and demonstrate loyalty yourself.
2. Organizational health.
A few years ago, I was talking to a leader of a very fast-growing organization. The leader was living the dream where everything she touched turned to gold. That was – until it all blew up. Then the dream became a nightmare of conflict, relational hurt, bad press, and crisis management. The longer you have experienced organizational health, the easier it is to take it for granted. To build organizational health, be sure to hire people who value it, model it, and do not accept unhealthy behaviors.
3. Customers.
Customers can go by different names – clients, patients, congregants, etc. – but one thing is always true: they are expensive to acquire and costly to lose. For example, I have been a long-time customer of a very respected business, but when I recently tried to talk with a manager, I was ghosted. No return call… ever. And so now I go by a different name: ex-customer. Treat your customers with respect and don’t take them for granted. Ask them for feedback and thank them often.
4. Sponsors.
All leaders, no matter what arena (business, athletics, education, ministry, etc.), had people who helped them to reach their success. These are the people who used their credibility to build ours and helped us to grow as stronger leaders and managers. Over time, it is easy to forget what they did for us and therefore neglect our role in now doing the same for others who are coming up the line of leadership. Never neglect your role of being a champion of others.
5. Candor.
The term “candor” is also known by several other names including frankness, directness, and “tells it like it is.” Almost every leader I have ever met says they want their team to be honest with them (they really don’t) and they won’t take it personally when they are (they often do). So, when a leader has team members that are candid with him or her, they should do anything but take it for granted. The more healthy candor is modeled at the top and encouraged and accepted by those on the team, the more normalized it will become.
6. Key players.
Moses had Aaron. Warren Buffet has Charlie Munger. Steve Jobs had Steve Wozniak. Serena Williams had Venus Williams. Tom Brady had Rob Gronkowski. High performers do not succeed purely on their own talent. They often have one or more staff around them who make their strengths shine brighter and keep their weaknesses from ruining them. Such a supporting cast is vital yet easy to take for granted over time. When Alan Mulally led the miraculous turn-around of Ford Motor Company, he was viewed as a hero and a celebrity. But in most settings, he always gave credit to the whole team and not just himself.
7. Grit.
Both research, as well as experience, confirm that people are very resilient, even after facing life-altering events. I recently read a story about a veteran of the Iraq war who lost part of his head in an explosion. The surgeon never thought he would survive, but after multiple surgeries and years of therapy, he did. That is grit. But no leader has unlimited resilience, so it is wise to manage it and not take it for granted. Always seek to strengthen your grit by learning about other gritty leaders and reminding yourself that you are strong and can make it through almost anything with the help of others.
8. Wisdom.
I have been fortunate to know several wise people in my 40 years of leadership. Wisdom helped them to seek good advice, listen to others, avoid impulsivity, and make good decisions. But none of us is wise in every moment or at every crossroad. It is easy for leaders who are consistently wise to make the assumption that they are above ever making mistakes or showing poor judgment. So every leader would be smart to not take wisdom for granted. Never stop learning, seeking advice, and depending on people smarter than yourself.
Which of these are you most grateful for in your leadership? If you are a leader who is struggling with the loss of one of the above traits, contact us to learn how our consultants can guide you through the rebuilding process.
Jay Desko is the President & CEO of The Center Consulting Group and brings experience in the areas of organizational assessment, leadership coaching, decision-making, and strategic questioning. Jay’s degrees include an M.Ed. in Instructional Systems Design from Pennsylvania State University and a Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior and Leadership from The Union Institute.
