What Emerging Leaders Want to Know – Mary T. O’Sullivan, MSOL

By Mary T. O’Sullivan, MSOL

“Don’t follow the crowd. Let the crowd follow you.” ~ Margaret Thatcher

Research has shown that unless new leaders are mentored and given guidance, they may struggle in their latest career advancement. When a new leader is also a “player coach”, the lack good advice and absent tribal wisdom can drown the leader in a tsunami of doubt and confusion. A first-time manager needs a life raft to follow the current to safer waters.

That’s when addressing new leaders, I have one message to deliver. And much to their surprise, the strength of their leadership depends largely on themselves. That was my message this week when I spoke to a group of about 30 leaders from a fast-growing Rhode Island medical device company. Most of the participants were young and fresh faced, eager to pick up whatever tips were offered to support them on their leadership journey. Others, more seasoned, sought new approaches to their stint at the top.  But it turns out, the message is in the mirror. What are they like to work with?

As new leaders, there are lots of questions they can ask themselves about the behavior in their organization, and the behavior they model.  What are the company’s culture, values, and universal lessons learned about leading with concern and consideration?  How do these compare with their own personal values? Do they put people first?

We addressed how important common courtesy is in the workplace. I challenged them to ask: Are you, as a leader at the minimum polite and do you demonstrate care for your employees?  The bottom line for all leaders is that it’s not rocket science. This basic human interaction is taught at home and in kindergarten. Remember What Your Mom told you about Manners!

The reaction in the room when hearing that good leadership starts with being a good person was stunned silence. They may have been expecting some grand theories about “transactional leadership”, “democratic leadership”, “trait theory”, or “power and influence”.  While these are perfectly valid leadership approaches, they work best in academia, and are not much use to a front-line manager, taking control for the first time. In my presentation, I boiled it down to the essential level. Good leadership starts with you.

Why is that important? Because often people land in leadership roles, and they have no idea how to act. A person who is perfectly nice at home, becomes a demon in the office. This transformation often happens out of fear and worry about being judged by upper management. The big take away for this type of manager is their main concern is not about employees, but about their bonus. In most organizations, all managers need to succeed and move ahead are good numbers. In many organizations, bad behavior by bosses isn’t punished, only bad numbers are. And what happens to the people working under these managers? Do they get the benefits of those company values or do these bosses trample over people in pursuit of their own goals.

The message to this group of leaders was clear, and it’s the point I make repeatedly in my book (The Leader You Don’t Want to Be), people are more productive when the leader clearly demonstrates the company values, including care and concern for employees.

I proposed to them, that if live by the golden rule, and positively support each other, as well as their employees, their bonus checks may even be bigger.

“A good leader takes a little more than his share of the blame, a little less than his share of the credit.” ~ Arnold H. Glasow

Connect with Mary:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/marytosullivan/

https://www.visionaryleaderbook.com

https://www.encoreexecutivecoaching.com

Email: [email protected]

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Read all Mary’s columns here: https://rinewstoday.com/mary-t-osullivan-msol-pcc-shrm-scp/

Mary T. O’Sullivan, Master of Science, Organizational Leadership, International Coaching Federation Professional Certified Coach, Society of Human Resource Management, “Senior Certified Professional. Graduate Certificate in Executive and Professional Career Coaching, University of Texas at Dallas. Member, Beta Gamma Sigma, the International Honor Society. Advanced Studies in Education from Montclair University, SUNY Oswego and Syracuse University. Mary is also a certified Six Sigma Specialist, Contract Specialist, IPT Leader and holds a Certificate in Essentials of Human Resource Management from SHRM.