Denis Waitley

Look Up to Those Beneath You by Denis Waitley

The most successful business leaders today are like great coaches who manage by inspiration, instead of intimidation. The command-and-control management style is obsolete. In this fast-forward global marketplace, there is no such distinction as superior and subordinate. The key to getting and staying on top is to provide a resilient, positive working environment. This requires that you “check your ego at the door” and that you seek alliances with others who may have different talents or strengths than you do. This is what synergy is all about.

David Ogilvy, founder of giant advertising agency Ogilvy and Mather, used to give each new manager a Russian doll, which contained five progressively smaller dolls inside. A message inside the smallest one read: “If each of us hires people we consider smaller than ourselves, we shall become a company of dwarves. But if each of us hires people who are bigger than we are, we will become a company of giants.”

To become a giant in the eyes of others, and to succeed in the 21st century, look up to those beneath you! Consider these action ideas as you lead your team:

• Listen often and openly to what others say, and try to do so without prejudgment.

• Don’t put anyone off or be too busy to listen to and answer questions.

• Use praise frequently and sincerely.

• If you feel that criticism is warranted, do it in private, and make sure you say something encouraging after the reprimand.

• Be firm and be fair. Don’t meet with people in person or on the phone when you are angry. Exercise or take a walk first, then communicate when you are relaxed.

• Don’t be afraid or hesitant to share your concerns with others. Far better to discuss a molehill than to wait until it festers into Mount Everest.

• Don’t make rash promises, and be consistent.

• Whenever you are in a leadership role, focus your supervision on teaching effective habits and skills, not in pointing out mistakes.

Encourage everyone in both your personal and professional life to speak up and express their own ideas, even if you disagree with them.

Reproduced with permission from the Denis Waitley Ezine. To subscribe to Denis Waitley's Ezine, go to www.DenisWaitley.com. Copyright 2009 Denis Waitley International. All rights reserved worldwide.