In today’s article, I am reflecting on a conversation I was having with a fellow business leader at a networking function a few weeks back. We were both talking about the struggle we each have providing the type of leadership we feel is proper within the corporate structure and regulations in which we were both governed. Since we both are employed by large corporations, many times, we are limited to internal programs we would like to implement. In order to implement a program, it has to be something that can be done for everyone in the company not just in your business unit or division. With this “what’s done for one, must be done for all” type of structure many times internal programs that would help with the team environment, have to be set aside since it isn’t something that every business unit leader within the organization agrees with implementing.
Our conversation quickly covered some of the best forms of reward systems for team members that don’t cost anything. Catching someone doing something right and just giving them specific praise for that particular action goes a long way with letting a team member know they matter and you notice the good they are doing. There are many forms of rewards that cost little to nothing but still have a huge impact on your team. While I could go into details on low to no cost programs, I am sure that anyone reading this article knows you can look those up quickly online, so I am not going to waste anyone’s time with spelling out specific programs. What I would like to discuss is not necessarily a program but an act that all great leaders should perform and will have a dramatic impact on your team.
My new friend and I ended up talking about issues with large corporations and the effect it can have on your individual team. I will say that I am very lucky in this retrospect since I work for an amazing company where there isn’t any corporate sludge that leaks down into my team. However, I wasn’t always this fortunate. What I am talking about is how in some companies, while you may have a great brand within your business unit, other business units within the company don’t exude the same level of professionalism, quality, team environment, customer service, or the like. Sometimes in those situations, the fall-out can affect your team causing them to question your own business unit. So the question is what can you do about it?
One thing I heard a long time ago, was ‘the responsibilities of a good shepherd’. A shepherd’s job is to lay down their life for the herd. The only thing that matters is the health and safety of the herd the shepherd is protecting. I remember this so vividly because I grew up in a Christian school and remember the stories of Jesus, and him being the shepherd of his flock. There are so many great leadership examples in the bible and the works of Jesus that I couldn’t help but relate the story of the good shepherd to the same stories I was reading in the bible at school. In fact, there is a passage made famous by Hollywood “I send you out as sheep amongst the wolves” which comes from the Bible, Matthew 10:16.
Over the years I have found that being a leader involves the same tasks as a shepherd. You have to protect your team from the wolves at all costs. The wolves can be represented by anything that would hurt the health and happiness of your flock or team. Whether that is corporate sludge, overbearing bosses, micromanaging superiors, anything that can damage your brand or the health of your team must be shielded away, so they are not exposed. Throughout the decades of my career, I have always lived by the creed that I will take all of the blame and none of the credit, purposefully shielding my team from the backlash of any mistakes. I have always felt that if I am the leader than any mistakes made are my fault, so why wouldn’t I take the blame? It doesn’t do any good to throw the person who made a mistake to the wolves. The wolves will devour the person, and then you are down one team member. I will jump in front of the wolves and shield my team from their destructive actions. In all, my job is to protect my team from anything that could bring them harm. While there are repercussions if mistakes are made, those need to be kept internal and between the team. As you know already, my feelings are that when a mistake is made, there are only three reasons that can possibly apply to why the mistake was made; lack of training, lack of communication, or lack of processes and systems.
In order to stand out as a leader you have to understand that it isn’t about you, it is all about your team. You must protect them from danger as a shepherd would and keep them happy and healthy. The happier you can keep them, the better environment you will have and the better products you can produce.
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