We are in an unusual time in our history and many look outside themselves to see who are the good leaders managing their platform to the greater good. Before we go further, let’s define what is a “platform.” It is a community of people who are connected to the message, services, products or values they resonate with and want to be a part of. When you are leading a team, a company, an organization, etc. this is a platform, and the platform is a community and the community is made up of people. We all have a leadership platform, groups we influence, and our actions and communications every day show the type of leader we are. I am fortunate to work with so many leaders who are focused on creating and sustaining high-performing teams that deliver exceptional products and services.
People have put their trust and faith in your ability to vet and put good options out in front of them to help them realize their goals. This statement holds an enormous responsibility and accountability, and people expect your personal best to bring together great vendors, great customers, great teams to deliver on your value proposition, promises and outcomes they expect. Often, the good leaders are not easily visible.
Here are the successful practices they use day in and day out to lead their team forward through dynamic change:
Self-Awareness – they look inside to define where they are in alignment with their values and vision and where they are not. This ability creates stronger team members and better organizational achievement.
“I always bring my core values to feedback conversations. I specifically bring courage, which means that I don’t choose comfort over being respectful and honest—choosing politeness over respect is not respectful.” – Brene Brown
Self-Growth – they are hungry to learn more tools, techniques, and ways to expand their personal excellence to bring the best of themselves to all their stakeholders, i.e., all the people who are impacted by their decisions, actions, promises, etc.
High Personal Standards – these everyday leaders are setting the bar far beyond what is shown in the media around the world.
Accelerate Change – they are navigating constantly shifting and challenging situations to create strong and vibrant companies and organizations that have an amazing team environment (not perfect, but always keeping it fresh and lively).
Clear Voice – they see the truth, validate it with smart data, and speak the truth in a positive and forward-focused manner that allows others to adapt and change quickly.
“Good players want to be coached… Great players want to be told the truth.” – Doc Rivers
Engaged Achievement – they collaborate with their internal teams to create great products and services for their customers.
“Good leaders make people feel that they’re at the very heart of things, not at the periphery. Everyone feels that he or she makes a difference to the success of the organization. When that happens, people feel centered and that gives their work meaning.” – Warren Bennis
Strategic Partnering – they work to be a part of their customers’ strategic goals and outcomes.
Astute Management – they have good fiscal responsibility and operations management to ensure the company is strong and viable.
High-Performance Team Development – they keep good people by training them to be even better and engaging them to be part of the future.
“Leaders must either invest a reasonable amount of time attending to fears and feelings or squander an unreasonable amount of time trying to manage ineffective and unproductive behavior.” – Brene Brown
These are the people I meet every day across the world. These are the leaders who respect the platform they manage and are the backbone of the inner workings of our world. To them, I say thank you for your integrity, passion, drive, intelligence, compassion, and open communications.
Leadership is a platform, it is a practice, and it is a muscle that needs to continue to be grown and developed because the world continues to change and evolve and our good leaders are always adapting to move with the world.
Thank you to all the leaders who are reading this message, because you get it, you do it, you make great concepts come to life…our future is in your hands and you got this.
