In order to be an effective leader, you must cultivate effective relationships within your sphere of influence. One of the fundamentals of being promoted into a supervisory or management role, is to accept ownership and accountability for the performance of those who report to you. If within your team, some of the individuals are not working effectively together or there is a conflict among them, then the ultimate responsibility of those relationships rests on your shoulders as the leader.
What does this means in terms of an approach or technique? In simple terms, effective relationships are built on three elements.
- Respect: For a person’s inherent self-worth and unique value; regardless of seniority or rank within an organization.
- Trust: In a person’s intentions and their word. Extend trust with accountability.
- Continuous Feedback: Make it safe to offer and invite timely feedback. This doesn’t just occur during reviews, but on a continuous basis.
Effective leaders recognize that relationships matter. And they understand that if these three elements are in place and in healthy proportion to each other, then there will be a connection and a foundation for them to establish influence and accountability.
Investing in People. At Achilles Group, we call this People Performance!