An article on inc.com noted that "good bosses care about getting important things done. Exceptional bosses care about their people." In these words lay some valuable lessons. Infectious enthusiasm by leaders for their personnel who they lead creates infectious enthusiasm by those same personnel for achieving important business results. We have all heard before that happy and motivated employees produce great results.
However, how do leaders successfully achieve that type of motivated workforce single-handed? The answer is pretty simple – they create an environment that leads by their enthusiasm not only for their people and families, but for their vision. Passion is a prerequisite for leaders to assure their workforce that empathy and compassion are not only traits, but core values that signal employees as people are the most important resource to not only to the organization, but also to its leader. This equates to leaders showing enthusiasm for their people and their organizational vision.
Stakeholders equate excitement for their own personal wellness and issues with that of organizational compassion, trust and a willingness to help succeed. This is even more heightened in today's environments of downsizing, outsourcing and mergers and acquisitions. Imagine your leader is enthusiastic about taking care of his employees. This may be their health and wellness, family concerns, work flexibility, and a host of other issues that are high priorities to individual employees. It may be something as simple as enthusiasm for recognition – a birthday, anniversary, get-well note or call. The message you want to share is simple: you are important and we in the leadership role, do care.
In exchange, loyalty skyrockets and enthusiasm is transferred throughout the workforce for the leader's vision. Productivity enhances, results abound and success occurs far greater than many imagined. If this sounds like a parable, it is not. It is simply the lessons of leaders investing in human capital with an unrelenting passion to treat their employees like the most valued individuals they can.
