START BY LEADING WITH A SMILE
So many leaders use the stern-look approach to instill fear in their people. They are of the opinion that their people will not respect them or take them seriously to get the job done, so they resort to this sneer-like facial expression.
Somehow they interpret people doing their work and doing as they are told without much interaction with them as the leader, means their strategy is working.
But is it really?
I think people will follow through simply to keep their jobs. They’ll do as minimal as possible; enough to get a checkmark that signifies task accomplished.
What if that leader could get their people to give all that they had in them and not leave their best selves at the door prior to entering the workspace? Is it possible?
Yes, it is.
SELF AWARENESS
First, the leader has to realize that they’re operating from a position of insecurity. This begins the process of self-awareness, which is the ability to recognize and understand emotion. In this case, insecurity. “Why is it there?” is the question you want to ask yourself.
THEY CHOSE TO WORK THERE
Secondly, the leader has to remind themselves that those who work for them do so by choice. They have chosen to work at that company. There’s something that attracted them in the first place why they ended up there. The leader needs to remind him or herself of that.
SELF MOTIVATION
Thirdly, the leader needs to know that people are not motivated by “threats” even though it gets some response. This response is tepid, to say the least.
FACIAL MUSCLE EXERCISE
Here’s a low-cost yet most effective way to begin the change process … smile with your people and mean it.
Your smile is transferrable. It is contagious.
As a leader, you have the power to set the tone of the department. And it doesn’t take much.
CASE FOR MIRROR NEURONS
There is science to back this up. Mirror neurons are responsible for this. Your social brain transmits this chemical, which inexplicably makes contact with other people’s brain. This connection is what creates the emotional environment to motivate people. They will want to work and give their best self to you.
CHALLENGE
Here’s my challenge to you: Make sure your body language is one that says, “I’m approachable.” Your team deserves that much and more. Try smiling. It helps.
This is just one of the area that is covered in my Emotelligence Leadership Training.
If this is an area that you need help in, let me know. There are other tools and strategies that I use to help my clients and it’s also a part of some of the presentations that I give to groups. If you know of a group that could use my service, please let me know. You can see some short videos of me speaking HERE.
Remember, I’m here to help you Optimize for success! So reach out today!
If you are interested in being coached in this area or have me consult with or present to a group that you are a part of or know a group that could benefit from this kind of teaching, reach out to me and let me know.
In the meantime, leave a comment below to share your thoughts with us.
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