I was sitting in Starbucks across from Andy Dalton, the CIO of CREA an organization based out of Indianapolis. This is a man who has served multiple years in the non-profit sector as well as in the marketplace in multiple roles. We started our conversation discussing the difference leading in those two arenas, but I will save that discussion for another day.
A large portion of our time I was learning the key leadership principles that have helped him lead over the years. His principles are rooted in what he calls his coaching style of leadership which I will discuss in further detail in a later blog. Let’s dive into his key principles.
Understand Your People
Because of his coaching style of leadership Andy has found it critical to understand the people he leads. As a non-profit leader for over a decade he did not have the power to let people go. He had to develop the true skill of a leader: the ability to influence. Zig Ziglar once said:
“You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want.”
This idea applies to understanding your people as a leader. When we seek to understand and meet the needs of those we lead and not seek to get, then we will be able to inspire them. As we know our people we can more effectively lead and motivate them.
Build Trust
I would suggest this is the linchpin to his leadership approach because we discussed this idea at length. One of the many ideas he mentioned was living out the open-door policy. We have all been there, someone comes in and we are busy. Do we stop, look, and listen to the individual talking to us? When we do, we build trust because they see we care enough to stop and listen.
I explored with Mr. Dalton other ways to build trust and some of the following suggestions surfaced:
- Plan mutual experiences with your team
- Share about personal experience with what you are asking them to do, for both trust and credibility
- Delegate in a way that demonstrates trust and not micromanagement
- Believe they are giving their best
- Advocate for them
These are some of his suggestions which provide an excellent list to evaluate how we are doing at building trust with those we lead.
Speak Truth with Grace
In her book Radical Candor author Kim Scott discusses the balance between challenging directly and caring personally. This is the tension Andy discusses when he suggests speaking truth with grace.
Each of us leans by default one way or another. Some of us have no problem speaking directly, but may need to season it with a little care and grace. On the other hand, others may want to please people so much they shy from speaking truth. A healthy leader will learn how to navigate the tightrope of speaking truth with grace.
Understanding Yourself
One trait of highly effective leaders is the ability to understand and share another person’s feelings: empathy. Andy has found that as leaders understand themselves and are more self-aware it enables them to be more empathetic with those they lead. I would suggest the hardest person to lead is the individual we look at in the mirror every day. As a leader we must journey within to understand our triggers to be able to empathize with others when they are emotionally triggered.
I realize this is a warm and fuzzy idea, but essential. Leaders who empathize with others also resonate with those they lead. This emotional intelligence helps us connect with those we lead. When we connect people are more willing to follow us.
How are you doing in each of these areas? Need help thinking into any of them? Contact me for a 30 minute no cost to you thinking partner session to help you grow in one or all these areas and therefore lead at a higher level. Lead Well.
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