Positive leadership
What is it and how do I do it?
Positive leadership includes creating a positive work environment for team members. Many leaders ask, “How do I do that?” From a high level view, creating a positive environment means letting people know that they are valuable, not for the work they do, but individually who they are and the strengths they bring to the team. As a leader, it is important that we recognize and appreciate each team member regularly.
One way a leader can show they appreciate their team members are to get to know them as people. Everyone has a story. As a leader, showing interest in them for more than what they do on the job is a way of demonstrating positive leadership. The below tool is one way a leader can show they care.
Tools to apply:
Share your story: Learn about your people
- Ask a different team member to share his or her story during each weekly management or staff meeting.
- Select one of your team members and tell them you’d like to learn more about them.
- Ask them if they’d be willing to share three slides during the weekly meeting: A photo of the people who mean the most to them (family, friends, etc.); a map showing where they grew up; and where I want to be in five years.
- Give them at least one week to prepare.
- Start the meeting with their presentation.
Great benefits:
- Minimal preparation – this is their story.
- Everyone at the meeting learns his or her story.
- Shows that the leader cares and they are a valued member of the team.
- Provides an opportunity for the team member to grow; this activity will increase their confidence.
- Provides a way for the team member to be involved in the organization.
- The team member will have a sense of pride and talk about it with co-workers, family, and friends.