Success is often found in small details

Some great leaders earn their money when everything this flying apart.  They rally their people, focusing and channeling anxiety and energy to lead their people to success.  Other great leaders motivate and develop their people, both individually and collectively, to achieve success consistently and over long periods. 

Everyone notices the visible effects of a successful leader, but few though notice every day, small examples of quiet leadership that enable those same leaders to have the foundational trust to exercise their leadership.

A leader’s ability to earn their people’s trust, and respect and their willingness to follow the leader is earned in many small actions that few people ever notice.

Great leaders …

… encourage their people to grow, develop, to contribute fresh ideas and they listen to opinions without ever telling someone to “stay in their lane.”

… provide training, tools, and support for their people to make decisions.  Great leaders encourage critical thinking development, provide feedback, and ask before the decision: “What are the facts, what are the alternatives, and then allow the decision to be made.  Afterward, they debrief using the questions: “What went right?  What went wrong? and What should we do differently next time?”

… make the effort to say “hello” to every person they meet each day, from the newest person to the most senior person.  They do this genuinely, listen and ask questions. 

… notice when someone seems to need encouragement and a few words of support.  They know the names of their people, the person’s partners, and their children. 

… see the whole picture.  Great leaders know how hurtful pointing out every single mistake can be, particularly when the organizational big goals are being accomplished.  They appreciate the perspective and work to resolve errors and mistakes without discouragement. 

… live and breathe their organization’s culture.  Great leaders follow the same rules and set an example for everyone else to follow. 

… provide training for their people beyond simply what is necessary for their jobs.

… publicly acknowledge people who do a great job and make a point of noticing contributions that might otherwise go unnoticed.

… notice and make a point of privately encouraging someone who did not have a good day.

… always make time for their people when they have a question about work issues or any other issues.  Many managers say they have an “open door,” and great leaders do.

… stop what they are doing to help their people when asked.  Great Leaders appreciate their job is to support their people regardless of what they may be doing at any given moment.   

… understand how important a person’s first day is and are always there in person to welcome new hires and introduce them to the team. 

… appreciate they are not the smartest person in the room and have no issues with that.

… facilitate interactive and collaborative meetings.  Great leaders constantly inspire and motivate their people.  Great leaders’ meetings start and finish on time and are always useful.

… appreciate that people will change jobs and organizations.  Great leaders help their people grow and develop appreciating that those steps may not always be with their organization.

… understand and appreciate mistakes and errors happen.  Great leaders help their people to develop the skills and willingness to anticipate issues and suggest preventative actions.

… take the time to help their people.  Great leaders might take a moment to brush the snow off someone’s car for them, they might wait until everyone else is served at an organizational function, they might understand when a single parent is late for work because of daycare or busing issues, and great leaders always take the time to say “thank-you.”

…  stop what they are doing when their people ask a question.  Great leaders always pay attention and demonstrate patience.  Great leaders would never use their laptops or phone when someone else is presenting. 

… appreciate the importance of family.  Great leaders appreciate dedication and persistence; however, they rarely ask for overtime and allow their people to attend to family issues with understanding and support.

… look at everything from multiple perspectives.  Great merchants will open a little early when clients and customers are lined up in the rain or snow and will stay a little later to allow a client/customer to finish up.  Great leaders appreciate solving problems from the other person’s perspective.

… know when their people are staying late.  Great leaders will never expect anyone to work late without as much warning as possible and will respect their people who cannot stay because of prior commitments.  Great leaders will also work late themselves when they ask others to. 

… make themselves available after hours if someone needs to call.   you make sure that people have your cell phone number if they run into problems during off hours and that you answer their calls.

… see their people as people with hopes, dreams, families, and more than just part of the organization. 

… do the right things that need to be done, and when they need to be done even when those things are difficult and sometimes unpopular.   

… are often the first to arrive and the last to leave.

… accept criticism.  Great leaders know they make mistakes, and they encourage their people to ask questions and even disagree.  Great leaders own their mistakes and those of their people, never deflecting blame from themselves.  Great leaders know they have blind spots and always put the organization ahead of their own ego. 

… take chances on good people.  Great leaders recognize good people with skills and invite them into their organization, molding the person and the organization to fit.

… understands the functions of the organization they lead.  Great leaders learn the distinct challenges and obstacles their people face and always ask for their people’s suggestions when presented with a problem.

… encourage their new people to contribute and speak their minds.  Great leaders realize they do not have a monopoly on good ideas.

… are consistent, and fair, and their actions match their words.  Great leaders earn the respect of their people and never play favorites. 

… are honest with their people, their customers, and/or their clients. Great leaders are trustworthy because they trust their people and as a consequence, they earn the trust of their people.

… try very hard to succeed.  Great leaders often work more than they should.  They care, they constantly look for people who care, and they try to build their people.  Great leaders put the success of their organization ahead of their own needs, sometimes to their personal detriment.

… can be outgoing and flamboyant, they can be quiet and work in the background, or anything in between.   Great leaders rise to each and every challenge, they are there when they are needed, they accept full responsibility for their people, and earn the right and the privilege to be a leader.

I know this is an incomplete list.  As a leader, I know I have shortcomings, I am constantly learning, seeing new and innovative ways to do things, and listening and watching the leaders and people around me.  I have made many mistakes and learned many hard lessons, I am grateful for the patience and understanding of everyone I have worked with and learned from.

Leadership is about people.  My call to action for you is to use my lessons to help you, to add your own, to listen, and remember that for a leader, their people and building better relationships are everything.  Good luck,

Paul.