SELFLESS Leadership – The Sustainable Type
When some think of a leader, they imagine a dictator who threatens, bullies, and scares underlings into completing projects on time and with the utmost care. But is this really the best form of leadership in the workplace? In reality, most people work better when a team leader puts the good of the entire group ahead of his or herself. They recognize that when the team succeeds, they are the one who looks good. There’s no need to be self-serving when you can sacrifice for others and still accomplish your personal goals. With that in mind, here are some ways that a leader can put the team ahead of self.
First of all, a leader needs to understand how they are perceived by others. A selfish leader may think that others respect them, when in reality they are mistaking respect for fear. Employees work under the gun because they need to bring home a check for their family, and not because they are in awe of their boss’s power. A leader who puts the team first, on the other hand, is usually well liked, and workers do their best because they want the project and the team to succeed.
A leader who is selfish wants to be indispensable. Ever project needs a good leader, but as the project goes along, the leader should become a less vital role since everyone has their job to do and goal to reach. This occurs through good task assigning. Conversely, a dictatorial leader wants recognition, and that means making everyone rely on them. It often creates bottlenecks in the project where everyone is waiting for the boss to okay something, or good work gets returned covered in corrections simply for the sake of showing employees they can’t get anything right without the project leader.
It creates an environment where every team member has to rely on the leader, but no one can trust the leader to do the right thing. This results in constant anxiety for the team. A selfless leader, on the other hand, is always going to do what they feel is best for everyone, so the team truly trusts their leader’s decisions and can back them fully, without reservation.
When a selfish leader leaves, the whole team suffers because they were used to being micromanaged. Selfless leaders create confidence in their workers, some of whom may go on to take promotions or other job assignments where they are very successful thanks for having learned how to operate independently.
In the end, selfish leaders are only good for business in the short term. They may get immediate results, but in the long run, the people who work under a selfless leader can continue to produce a positive ROI for years to come.
