Post By: Lisa A. Gross, Founder and CEO, ALESC, Agile Leadership and Ethics Strengthening Cultures
How does one know when, or if, they are doing the right thing when all around them is so much divisiveness and doubt? These past few months I have asked myself this same question. I have found myself questioning my thoughts and decisions. I have never done this before, always living by “the rules and guidelines”. This has been my compass which has steered me in the right direction and kept me on the right path.
I was taught at an early age if one does what’s right, respects others and performs at their absolute best, everything will fall into place. Sounds simple, right? Not so fast. Today we are faced with challenges we have not faced before – and divisiveness is all around us. We have found ourselves in situations where we are unsure how to lead. What do we say, how much do we say; will we make the situation worse?
I am reminded of this more and more today. I am finding those that I interface with have strong opinions and become angry if I do not agree with their thought process. I find if I try to speak up, they become more upset and eventually shut down. Nothing is resolved and the relationship has deteriorated. When this happens, all trust and respect is lost.
So why am I reflecting on this now? Simple, my own questioning of my actions and decisions cannot be isolated. I have witnessed this division in professional fields and in personal situations. There’s a struggle to meet in the middle. There is a struggle on how to do this. What if I say the wrong thing? What if I make the situation worse? Since I will not be able to move forward if this happens it’s easier to keep to myself. Or is it?
Silent leadership is not the answer. As individuals and leaders, we need to communicate, communicate, communicate – with respect and with professionalism. We need to realize there are differences – and there always will be. Heck, if we all thought the same, we would never have brilliant ideas or solutions. We would never be successful. Trusting one’s instinct, trusting others, leveraging each other’s skills, knowledge and perspectives brings out the best in all of us. Trying to do everything by yourself just does not work. A leader – a good leader – is someone that recognizes their strengths and weaknesses. A good leader also understands the importance of working with individuals that have different viewpoints. Sheltering yourself to your own thoughts and ideals is risky. Not opening your mind to diverse points of view or experiences is riskier. Leadership agility is key to creating an approachable, open environment where differences can be expressed and accepted, viewpoints and perspectives are heard, and the path forward includes all input. Cultures are strengthened as a result. If employees are not comfortable speaking up and leaders are not confident with their ability to recognize and address complex situations, performance begins to fail, and ethical situations arise.
Building a trusting, open environment is paramount. It is important to take the time to understand all viewpoints. It’s important to create an environment where employees feel safe voicing their opinions in order to find that middle ground. Setting ground rules are helpful. When approaching topics you know are difficult to discuss or could become volatile, set the stage. Let employees know you want to hear from everyone and set them at ease by letting them know their respectful, professional viewpoints will be listened to and considered. Be realistic. Help them understand the goal is to walk away with a resolution everyone understands, can move forward with and that meets objectives. Notice I did not say ‘agrees with’. Chances are not everyone will agree. However, if an environment is created where employees could share their thoughts and perspectives and know they were listened to, it will be easier to understand why the decision has been made. They don’t have to agree, but they do have to accept it and move forward with the team. This won’t happen if you do not allow their perspectives to be heard, or you shut them down.
It is also important to understand some people may not want to speak up. That’s okay. You should not force them. It may take some a few meetings to realize they are in a safe place and they can speak up without retribution. As a leader, you need to be attuned to this. Maybe they want to speak to you one-on-one. Recognize this and make it happen.
By understanding one’s perspective we can move forward with respect – together. We will regain trust and rebuild relationships that are strained.
If we fully embrace these basic practices, employees will be more comfortable speaking up and leaders will be confident leading. They will not shelter in place, relying only on their thoughts and perspectives.
Going back to our basic principles and following our compass will allow us to not be afraid to speak up, not be afraid – or second guess – our decisions. Practicing agile leadership allows us to create an approachable, professional and trusting environment that will allow us to understand our differences and move forward with respect.