What Signals are you Sending your Team as a Leader?

The presence or absence of a leader in an organization is a message in itself. What he does and what he doesn’t do as a leader is a message in itself. In short, everything about a leader matters in the team he leads. More than a position, leadership is about actions, as Kouzes and Posner (2003) argue that a leader’s action is important in the leadership process; therefore, should exude and model the behavior he expects his people to emulate.

As a leader, what leadership messages are you sending your team?

What leadership values do you espouse that are exhibited in your actions? Do you practice what you preach? Do your words and deeds complement each other?

Whatever you think, say, and do can impact people in your team. Here’s a clear guidance for sending the right message that positively influence others in your team:

1. Be clear about your leadership values. Know what makes you a leader inside out – your values, behaviors, motivation, purpose. Better yet, define your leadership core values – your guiding principles in leading yourself and in leading others. How? Start doing self-assessment by asking yourself with the questions, “Who am I as a leader?” “What kind of leader would I like my people to see in me?” “What kind of values I want my people to learn from me?” “How will I engage them in the process to acquire and adopt these values?”
2. Be aware of their feelings, emotions, and situations. While you know where you are coming form, however, it pays to know where your team is coming from, as well. Your perspective may differ from their perspective. Thus, recognize that there is no “one-size-fits-all” approach to leadership. While you want to be as genuine and as authentic as possible, you also have to be respectful in tolerating indifference. Be agile and adaptive, be mindful of their situations, and always, be sensitive with their feelings and emotions. How? Ask yourself, “Why do they behave that way?” “How would they feel if I do this?” “How will they react if I insist on this?” “Would they feel respected or otherwise?”
3. Be direct but with respect. Think before you speak; mean what you say and say what you mean. Remember, leadership requires interaction with your team. As a leader, you have to be clear and direct in your words and your actions, but you also have to listen and be open to discussion. Acknowledge their ideas and show respect. How? Ask yourself, “How should I make the conversation two-way? “When should I ask questions and acknowledge ideas? What if they’re totally different from mine? When should I speak and when should I listen? “If I say this, what will their response be?” “If I insist on this, would they still share and participate in the conversation or just simple listen?”
4. Manage your emotions. Self-control in a stressful situation bares not only your composure, but also your maturity to handle the situation. Be mindful of your emotions all the time as affective events theory argues that people react to a situation at work through their emotions. Thus, what you say and show are strong signals that set the feelings and emotions of your team, which form part of their psychological and psychosocial environment. How? Practice self-control exercises: count one-to-ten or breath (inhale and exhale). It would help to condition yourself and practice these habits when confronted by stressful situations.
5. Be a source of inspiration in the team. Make the mood and tone of engagement in the team light. Motivate and appreciate your people by recognizing their contribution and their presence. Inspire them to make a difference. As maya Angelou once said, “people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Motivation and appreciation are not expensive actions for leaders but they have a long-term effect to their members.

Read also: Leadership Development Program Isn’t a One Size Fits All Approach