If you are a leader then you should have this quality
How often have you wondered, “Does my boss care about me?”
Or, “Am I just a cog in the machine?”
Or think to yourself, “Is this company aware that I’m human?”
These are some of the questions I’ve come across during my time as a union steward. Team members feel under appreciated while management is just trying to get the job done.
But ultimately, production depends on the team, and to motivate the unit for optimal production, management has to care about their staff.
One conversation between a management person and I went something like this: “O’Connor, I’m not here to baby these guys. Why should I care about them? We pay them to do a job. That’s it.”
While this may sound plausible, it lacks the vital element of emotional intelligence.
Management personnel typically justify their lack of emotiveness by saying: “That’s just not my leadership style.”
Obviously, leadership lacking in soft skills and emotional intelligence is an issue throughout organizations, especially during times of remote work when it’s easy to lose sight of the human element of the workplace.
But whether you consider your leadership style “emotive” or “distant” if you’re serious about meeting production, you need to ask yourself one question:
What’s the downside for a leader who isn’t perceived as caring?
Why It’s Important That Leaders Care About Their Team Members
To be frank, if a leader doesn’t care about their team members, their team members won’t care about them or the organization.
Team members will develop apathy towards the job, which will directly impact production and customer service.
When I worked in the package and delivery business, I noticed that front line supervisors who showed they cared for their staff, ended up meeting their production goals often.
This doesn’t mean you should be a pushover as a leader. As a matter of fact, I highly advise against being too “soft.” But you definitely have to strike a balance.
While I was in a leadership role myself, I made an effort to show my team I cared about them by checking in on a regular basis. I built rapport by recognizing accomplishments while maintaining professional boundaries.
To be a successful leader, you have to form strong relationships with your staff.
Therefore, if you show that you care about your employees, they will work hard for you, in turn helping you meet production goals.
You might be perceived as uncaring if you:
Fail to show empathy for what an employee is going through
A manager once told me that he was on his way to work one Friday morning when he stopped at a light.
A drunk driver slammed into the back of his vehicle, causing him to sustain a significant back injury.
He was out of work for weeks. He could barely walk. But despite this unfortunate turn of events, his higher-ups showed zero concern for his plight. As a matter of fact, they threatened to move him to another location if he didn’t return to work ASAP.
And this isn’t the first time I heard such a story come out of the management office either.
Another manager I worked under told me a similar story, except he had fallen Ill and had to get surgery.
Luckily, he recovered and was able to come back to work, but not after he was fired and lost his pension.
There’s one similarity that was striking to me about these two men — they seem to have the same brand of bitterness that can only come from feeling that they were disposable.
Their leaders failed to show empathy for them. And as sick as it sounds, it actually seems as if they were trying to compound their issues, not help them.
If you fail to show empathy, expect to mint embittered team members.
Fail to be mentally present at meetings with staff
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I once walked out of a meeting because a manager was busy playing around on his phone. His blatant disregard for my time was something that I wasn’t willing to tolerate.
Later on, that year, when things started to get busy, he needed a favor from me. I thought back to earlier in the year when he gave me the cold shoulder, so I returned the favor.
Imagine having a team full of members just as apathetic to management as I was in that moment — your numbers would be abysmal.
No matter how much an employee is getting paid, it will never be enough to withstand blatant disregard and lack of care that comes from leadership in an organization.
Fail to listen
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Many leaders have a listening problem. They assume they know it all and therefore won’t let their recruits finish their sentences.
It’s true that if you’re a leader with over a decade of experience in a specific field, you might anticipate common questions that less experienced employees may have.
But it’s never a good idea to get overzealous and interrupt them when they’re speaking in an attempt to show off how smart you are. You only appear arrogant.
You might be a know it all, but sometimes people want to get their point across just for the sake of being heard.
When they feel like you’re not listening, they simultaneously think that you don’t care, even if this might not be the case. It’s all about perception.
This was a common critique that Gary Vee got early on his “Ask Gary Vee Show.” He’d invite guests to come on his show and, in his innocent excitement, would frequently cut them off while they were speaking.
Although this isn’t an example of an employer-employee situation, it’s an example of what not to do during an interaction(sorry Gary Vee).
7 Ways To Show You Care About Your Team
If you genuinely want to build lasting relationships with your staff, treat them as if they’re family.
They’ll be willing to go out of their way to bring success to the organization if you show acknowledge their humanity.
Here are 7 things you can do to show your team that you care.
Support Work-Life Balance
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You should be just as invested in employees’ work-life balance as they are. Remember, your production goals hinge on the quality of work that your staff can produce.
If they fail to have a proper work-life balance, it can compromise the quality of work they get done.
Most leaders would think: “Well, this isn’t my problem. I can just find someone who can get the job done.”
But can you?
I’ve seen leaders try to replace good, reliable workers, who’re going through a rough patch, for great(on paper), inconsistent workers only to end up with one less productive staff member.
As a leader, you control the flow of work and it’s your job to match the flow of work with the employees ability to manage the load at the moment.
Also, when an employee has a personal situation such as a birth, illness, a graduation, a wedding or a death in the family, be sure to let the employee know that you’re there for them and let them know that they shouldn’t hesitate to ask for support.
Try not to be the hard-nose boss who’s indifferent to the trials of others.
Show Appreciation
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I’ve lost count of how many times team members tell me how unappreciated they feel by management. And this isn’t an isolated incident — it’s a widespread issue.
One of the best ways for a leader to show appreciation is by thanking their team for the hard work they put in, and telling them they are grateful for the talents, skills and success they bring to the team.
Praise is a huge part of what it means to be a leader. If you overwork your team and fail to recognize their accomplishments, sooner than later you’ll find yourself with a team of disgruntled employees.
Every now and then, reach into your wallet and throw a pizza party or bring in coffee and donuts.
These little gestures will show you truly appreciate your team.
Say “No”
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If you truly care for your team, you protect them from abuse.
This means saying “no” to higher ups who try to take advantage of them.
Failing to establish boundaries will have your team doing extra work, being floated, or possibly things that are unethical
A caring leader might need to say no to:
- Deadlines that are impossible to meet.
- Other leaders who attempt to push their work onto your team.
- Taking on disgruntled team members other leaders no longer want.
A caring leader protects the team from many of the toxic elements that plague the workplace.
Active Listening
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Use active listening to get into the minds of your team members in order to find out what they think and feel. Find out what they need from you and provide it for them.
Many leaders are good instructors. But many aren’t good listeners.
Make an effort to ask open-ended questions, then go silent and listen. This is how they will come to realize you genuinely care.
Be Engaged
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Whether it’s during team meetings or one-on-one talks, make an effort to be present and engaged.
Many leaders aren’t present, or they think that being actively engaged in listening or helping a team member is a chore or waste of time.
Put your phone away and make eye contact with your team members. Show them what they have to say matters.
Provide Opportunities
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In another article, I discussed the importance of being invested in your team members’ goals and aspirations — even if it extends beyond your organization.
If you want to show you care, setting them up with opportunities — whether it’s inside the organization or outside the organization — is a great way to show you care. It’s also a way to make life-long friends.
This doesn’t mean you serve as a quasi-recruitment company where you train and ship people off to other organizations. But good leadership is also mentorship.
It shows you care by taking an interest in the personal and professional goals of your team members.
Trust
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Trust is a big deal in any relationship but it’s an even bigger deal in the relationship you have between you and your team.
Showing your team members you trust them is always a great way to show that you care. It shows that you care enough to not harass them via micromanagement. It shows that you value their quality of work.
And the easiest way to boost trust between you and your members? Give them more responsibility.
It not only shows that you trust them with higher levels of work, but it also shows that you care about their professional development.
The Takeaway
We’re in the 21st century when 21st century leadership is required.
The days of abusive leadership are over, and emotionally intelligent leadership is here to stay.
Soft skills, empathy and human decency are practical for organizational efficiency.
Not only do they help you meet your bottom line, but it’s also nice to work at an organization with a positive environment.
