A different perspective on leadership

Sometimes, leadership is about being, not doing.

What do I mean by this statement? Let me explain by sharing a story.

Earlier this week, I was sitting in a waiting room at a client’s office. A woman walked in with her twin sons, who looked about 4 years old. One little boy tugged at her leg while she tried to contain the other child, who was bouncing on the chair.

While my boys are 15 and 17 years old now, it was not too long ago that I was that mom struggling to stay calm in a stressful situation. I could really empathize with her.

So, I sat down beside them and started talking to one of the boys. I held his hand, clapped his hands together in mine, and sang him a song that I used to sing to my boys when they were little.

“My boys have autism. They are both non-verbal,” their mom explained.

I nodded my head with sympathy and told her that she is a super mom as I continued to chat with her and play with one of her sweet boys.

This story is not about tooting my own horn. It’s likely that you also would have been helpful in that situation.

This story is about leadership.

Leadership is sometimes about being, not doing.

Leadership is about being kind, being empathetic and being helpful.

Leadership is about being there to support your team when they need it the most.

According to Daneil Golman, author of Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ, “emotions are contagious”. How you treat your staff and how you make them feel really matters.

This is why emotionally intelligent leaders create higher-performing teams.

So, I want you to think about how you are “being” with your team.

Maybe next week, do less and be more!

Be more empathic.
Be more understanding.
Be more kind.
Be more caring.

After all, there is a direct link between your people’s emotional and social well-being and their performance.

It all starts with you.